Athertonville, Kentucky

Athertonville is an unincorporated community located in LaRue County, Kentucky, United States.

Athertonville, Kentucky
Unincorporated community
Athertonville
Location in Kentucky
Athertonville
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 37°38′8″N 85°36′15″W
CountryUnited States
StateKentucky
CountyLaRue
Elevation
472 ft (144 m)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
GNIS feature ID486117[1]

History

Athertonville had its beginnings in whiskey. Wattie Boone, a relative of Daniel Boone built the first distillery at Knob Creek. Historians agree that Boone was one of the first to be documented producing bourbon in Kentucky in 1776.[2] According to local folklore the father of Abraham Lincoln accepted a job at the Boone Distillery in 1814.

J. M. Atherton Company built a distillery in 1867. Its founder was John McDougal Atherton [3]

Within less than 10 years, the number of employees at the Athertonville distillery surpassed 200, making it the largest employer in LaRue County.

Other business enterprises followed after a rail spur was constructed. A general store and The Atherton Hotel,[4] made Athertonville a boom town. To support the needs of its inhabitants, churches, a courthouse, a post office and a school were built.[5] Soon after, the town was named in his honor.[6]

Whiskey production in Athertonville (1867–1972)

John McDougal Atherton’s (1841–1932), two distilleries in Athertonville were Mayfield and Atherton, and were located on opposite sides of Knob Creek, a short distance from Knob Creek Farm, the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.[7] His son Peter Lee Atherton (1862–1939) entered the family business.

In 1882 he relocated J. M. Atherton Company headquarters to Whiskey Row, Louisville on 125 W Main St. but the distillery in Athertonville continued to be owned by them until 1899.

Production stopped during prohibiting however resumed in 1933. It was sold to Seagram in 1946. The Athertonville distillery made whiskey to support the Seagram’s portfolio of blended whiskeys.[8] The core of the facility was destroyed by a fire on February 19, 1972 and put over 50 employees out of work. This story was covered in depth in the Kentucky Standard on February 24, 1972. A fire had broken out in the still house about 3:40 a.m. Fire crew fought the blaze for four hours, containing the fire within the brick walls. The power house, fermenting room and evaporator escaped damage and did not spread to the three warehouses where the whiskey was stored.[9] All distillery operations ceased in Athertonville after this date.

Athertonville today

The community is part of LaRue which voted to be a dry county in 1937.

Notable people

See also

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Athertonville, Kentucky
  2. Ellison, Betty Boles (2003). "Illegal Odyssey: 200 Years of Kentucky Moonshine".
  3. Michael R. Veach - Kentucky Bourbon Hall Of Fame Historian and Author (2020). "Bourbon Barron J M Atherton".
  4. Carl Howell, Don Waters (1998). "Hardin and LaRue Counties: 1880-1930 (contains picture of Atherton Hotel)".
  5. "Louisville distiller J. M. Atherton built a distillery on the Rollin Fork River on the eastern edge of the county, and later ran a rail spur to the village, naturally named Athertonville".
  6. "LaRue County HomePage:J M Atherton - Founder of Athertonville".
  7. Carl Howell, Don Waters (1998). "Hardin and LaRue Counties: 1880-1930".
  8. Kruczek, Lisa and Rizzo, Laurie (2018). "Seagram Museum collection of photographs and audiovisual material" (PDF).CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. "Kentucky Standard article on fire at Athertonville on February 24, 1972".
  10. James Kendrick Williams


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