What Is the Constitution Square Historic District?
This park memorializes Kentucky’s first seat of government where its constitution was written and ratified!
What Makes It Historical?
Before it was its own state, Kentucky was a frontier outpost and a county of Virginia! The Wilderness Road of Daniel Boone passed through this area on its way to Louisville, and around this square rose the town of Danville, named for its first surveyor, Daniel Walker! The square here was laid out in 1785 along with a log courthouse, where 45 delegates met for seven years, creating a constitution of self government, autonomous from Virginia! That constitution was ratified on June 1, 1792, and Kentucky became the 15th State with Isaac Shelby as its first governor!
Once Kentucky became a state, this patch of land wasn’t deemed necessary anymore, so the town sold the land, first in 1817 for an academy that as never built, then in 1823 for residential housing! The park came about in 1937, with replicas of three original buildings, built as close to the original site as possible, thanks to the memories of Danville’s oldest residents!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Donate to the Boyle County Genealogical & Historical Society, Inc.!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
105 E Walnut St
Danville, KY 40422
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
While you can visit the park any time, the cabins are only open between April and October!
More Photos
