Featured
Danville-Boyle County Culture Offers Something For All
Cultural opportunities abound in Danville-Boyle County. From monumental historic sites to creative visual and performing arts, the possibilities are endless.
Historic SitesConstitution Square is a historic park that plays an integral part in Kentucky's statehood. The Boyle County courthouse was the location for the ten constitutional conventions and Kentucky's first governor was a Boyle County resident. The park includes early meeting houses, school houses and a post office. The Danville... Read More »
Plans Advance for Battle of Perryville’s 150th Anniversary
Joan House knows there is no way of predicting this far out, but she estimates that 12,000-13,000 people will be in attendance each day at the 150th anniversary of the Battlefield of Perryville.
The Civil War re-enactment is set to occur Oct. 6-7, 2012, at the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, and among the 12,000-13,000 attendees are expected to be 3,000-4,000 re-enactors.
“A study conducted a few years ago shows that every visitor to Perryville Battlefield spends about $75 in... Read More »
Norton Center for the Arts Performances Enrich Danville
Forget all the clichés you’ve heard about small towns as cultural backwaters. Danville is a fountain overflowing with the arts‚ thanks to the presence of one of the premier performance venues in the state.
The Norton Center for the Arts on the Centre College campus offers Danville and its neighbors the unparalleled opportunity to sample the best of Broadway‚ dance‚ pop and the classics. Performers have included violinist Itzhak Perlman‚ dancers Twyla Tharp and Mikhail Baryshnikov‚ and pop and... Read More »
Playing With Dolls
The Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville is a sprawling miniature American village – circa 1900 – featuring hundreds of antique, artisan-sculpted, historically dressed townspeople. Visitors can wind through paths and peer into the backs of miniature homes and shops to see tiny people, including a Shaker settlement, a taqueria, mansions and more. A separate carpeted playroom with a hands-on dollhouse village allows little ones to rearrange and play as long as they like, and a classroom... Read More »
West T. Hill Community Theatre Performs Year Round
With a year-round schedule of productions, a vibrant children’s series and a growing downtown presence, the West T. Hill Community Theatre has come a long way from its one-room beginnings in 1980.
Karen Logue, the theater’s managing director, was part of the gathering that formed the group three decades ago.
“A meeting was held at Danville City Hall by Mr. Hill and others who wanted to start a theater,” she recalls. “We began performing anywhere we could – the courthouse, schools and churches... Read More »
Re-enactors Stage Battle of Perryville Each Year
Hundreds of re-enactors travel to Perryville each October to stage the Battle of Perryville, which originally took place in 1862. The fierce fighting killed or wounded 7,500 Union and Confederate soldiers, and the 2008 re-enactment will be the 146th anniversary.
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site hosts the event each year, and a museum and several monuments are also located on its grounds. The site averages around 100,000 visitors throughout the year. Read More »
Historic Sites Offer a Glimpse Into Boyle County's Rich Past
For former history teacher Randal House, the Perryville Battlefield has a special significance beyond its usual fame. Two members of his family faced off at the 1862 Battle of Perryville – the largest and bloodiest Civil War battle fought on Kentucky soil.
House’s great-great grandfather Benjamin House, a Union soldier with the 21st Kentucky Infantry, and a relative on his grandmother’s side – Confederate Lieutenant Buddy Rogers, who served under Gen. John Hunt Morgan – fought against each... Read More »
Constitution Square Arts Fest in Danville, KY
The Constitution Square Arts Fest – a Kentucky Tourism Council Top 10 Designated Event – celebrated its 31st anniversary in September 2009.
Over the years the festival has picked up a new name, expanded offerings and a placed a stronger emphasis on the arts, including a juried show that features artisan work at 80 fine arts and craft booths. Some booths offer traditional items such as quilts, baskets and pottery, while others feature more contemporary art such as sculpture, jewelry... Read More »
Boyle County Public Library Completes Expansion
The long-standing Boyle County Public Library building on West Broadway in Danville underwent an $8.5 million renovation and expansion project that was completed in 2010.
“We had become cramped to the gills, so this expansion and renovation was certainly needed,” says Karl Benson, director of the Boyle County Public Library. “Operating space has gone from 17,000 square feet to 44,000 square feet, including tripling the size of our children’s library.”
In fact, the... Read More »
