Kentucky has 33 properties on the list of National Historic Landmarks. You can visit and tour three of those during a trip to Danville and Boyle County.
Each of these three local locations have helped shape Kentucky’s history, with two having lasting national and international impacts.
As you are planning a visit to Danville, take the opportunity to tour these three landmarks.
Jacob’s Hall
This impressive Italianate-style structure is located along 2nd Street in downtown Danville, just one block from the Constitution Square Historic Site.
The building was constructed between 1855 and 1857 and initially housed all of the functions of the Kentucky Asylum for the Tuition of the Deaf and Dumb, which is now the Kentucky School for the Deaf. Other buildings constructed for the school adjacent to Jacob’s Hall were later torn down, with new buildings constructed across the street continuing to serve as classroom and residential space for the school.
The impressive architecture of Jacob’s Hall and the fascinating history of the Kentucky School for the Deaf can both be appreciated during a tour of the building, which is now a museum.
Learn more taking a tour of Jacob’s Hall here.
Dr. Ephraim McDowell House
Built in three stages, the McDowell House dates back to 1792 when the first brick portion of the house was constructed, with additions in 1803 and 1820.
Now a museum and apothecary, the McDowell House’s significance isn’t so much the structure itself, but the groundbreaking surgery that took place there more than 200 years ago.
Dr. Ephraim McDowell’s residence was the site of the world’s first successful ovariotomy on Christmas morning, 1809. He removed a 22.5 pound tumor from Jane Todd Crawford, who lived another 32 years after the surgery. Dr. McDowell has been called the “father of ovariotomy.”
You can learn more about the famous surgery and see the room where it occurred during a tour of the McDowell House. Find out more about taking a tour here.
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site
The third National Historic Landmark located in Boyle County is 10 miles west of Danville in the town of Perryville.
This is where, on Oct. 8, 1862, one of the most important Civil War engagements in Kentucky was fought, resulting in thousands of casualties. The battlefield is considered to be one of the most unaltered Civil War sites in the country, where you can see the same fields and vistas as the soldiers saw during the battle.
The battlefield grounds are now a 1,000+ acre historic site and nature preserve where you can take your own self-guided tours along the 20 miles of trails, or check with the gift shop about a guided tour or one of the seasonal paranormal tours.
Learn more about visiting the battlefield here.