Historic Context The history of the area along Manchester Street/Old Frankfort Pike is closely tied to the founding and development of Lexington itself. McConnell Springs, located along Old Frankfort Pike to the west of the Distillery District, is the place where William McConnell and his party of pioneers from Pennsylvania first camped in the area, naming the settlement Lexington in 1775. During the Revolutionary War, the McConnell brothers established a station fort on that land that would later become the James E. Pepper Distillery. As the threat of Native American attack subsided, they worked to improve their land claims and further develop this area. In the 1780s James McConnell constructed the stone residence that still stands on the north side of Manchester Street at the west end of the Distillery District. James also built an early grist mill on the property that no longer exists. Thus began a history of industry in the area that flourished in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Other early industries included the successful Trotter brothers gunpowder mill which operated at the west end of the District from 1812 to 1833, and the Prentiss brothers woolen factory and paper mill at the east end of the District, which they named Manchester, that operated during the first two decades of the nineteenth century until James Prentiss’s financial collapse.
Distillery property, constructing a modern distillery to produce the “D.L. Moore,” “Henry Clay,” “James E. Pepper,” and “Indian Hill” brands until closing the distillery in 1958. Nearby, the William Tarr/Ashland Distillery produced the “Ashland,” “Old William Tarr,” “Kentucky Belle,” “Old Barton,” “Old Pugh,” “Red Heart,” and “Old Kentucky Home” brands of whiskey under several different ownerships until Prohibition ceased production in 1920. Although the warehouses continued to be used throughout the following decade, distilling never again occurred at this site. As the influence of the whiskey distilleries faded, the industries continued to operate in this area, including the Manchester Street Tobacco Warehouse Company, several oil companies, and meat packers, including the Lexington Livestock Commission Company, and the Munns Brothers Meat Warehouse. Today several buildings associated with these industries remain in the District.
The review indicated that one archaeological investigation had been conducted, but no sites had been documented within the project area. There were 18 archaeological sites either eligible for the NRHP or for which eligibility has not been assessed within the 2 km overview area.
Former Old Tarr Distillery
Cultural Resources Overview Study
James McConnell House
These early manufacturers established the area as one of Lexington’s industrial centers, and subsequent industries moved in to take advantage of the area’s springs, proximity to Town Branch Creek, and location on the railroad tracks. The most famous of these are the James E. Pepper Distillery, established at the west end of the District in 1879, and the William Tarr/ Ashland Distillery, established at the east end of the District in 1865. The Pepper Distillery established a respected name for itself producing the “Henry Clay,” “Old Lexington,” “Old Oscar Pepper”, “Pepper,” and “Old Pepper” brands until Prohibition closed operations in 1920. However, unlike many of its competitors, the Pepper Distillery was able to survive Prohibition by receiving government permission to distill and market medicinal whiskey to pharmacists. With the passage of the Twenty-First Amendment ending Prohibition in 1933, Schenley Products purchased the Pepper
District Project Area had been previously surveyed, including two properties, the Pepper Distillery and the James McConnell House, that are listed in the NRHP. Several other NRHP properties and Kentucky Heritage Council survey properties were identified within a 304.8m (1,000.0 ft) buffer study area surrounding the project area. A search of records maintained by the Office of State Archaeology was conducted to: 1. Determine the locations of areas previously surveyed for archaeological resources within the project area and within a 2.0 km (1.2 mi) buffer around the proposed District. 2. Identify any previously recorded archaeological sites that were situated within the above-described area. 3. Provide information concerning what archaeological resources could be expected within the project area. 4. Provide a context for any archaeological resources identified within the project area and the 2 km buffer.
As a component of the feasibility study, a cultural resources overview was completed for the Lexington Distillery District Improvement Program. Since the identity of the District is strongly tied to the founding and industrial development of Lexington, this cultural resources overview study provides a historic context for better understanding the history and identifies historic resources representative of the District’s historical themes that should be incorporated into the development plans. Additionally, this study identifies known architectural and archaeological historic properties that must be taken into consideration if the proposed project utilizes federal funding or requires federal permitting, necessitating compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and predicts the likelihood of identifying other properties within the project area that are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). A search of records maintained by the Kentucky Heritage Council was conducted to determine whether previously documented architectural resources 50 years of age or older were located in the project area. The records review indicated that seven properties situated within the proposed Distillery
The study recommended that the proposed improvements should encourage the preservation of, and avoid adverse impacts to, known historic properties. Since marketing and branding efforts for the District strongly emphasize the area’s bourbon distilling heritage, the proposed improvements to the District should take great care to preserve and emphasize the physical features of the District related to the theme, including the NNRHP-listed Pepper Distillery property, surviving warehouses associated with the Ashland Distillery, and the two lifelines of the District, Town Branch Creek and the railroad lines. Other aspects of the area’s history, such as its ties to Lexington’s founding, its other industrial legacies, and its relationship to the working class neighborhood of Irishtown should also be considered in the planning process. The following resources will help guide the design of the proposed improvements to be compatible with the District’s historic character:
• Resources such as Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines for Historic Commercial Districts. • Creating Vibrant Public Spaces: Streetscape Design in Commercial and Historic Districts. • The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Although these resources will provide valuable guidelines, the designers should also consider the differences between the mixed-use industrial Distillery District and a traditional commercial District so that the proposed designs retain the industrial character of the area that make it unique rather than transform it into a typical commercial center. The designs must be particularly sensitive to the existing and historical context of the District when designing improvements directly adjacent to NRHPlisted or eligible historic properties, such as the Pepper Distillery and James McConnell house. A baseline cultural historic survey of the District was recommended and completed to evaluate previously unrecorded historic resources in the District, such as the warehouses formerly associated with the Ashland Distillery, to determine whether they are eligible for listing in the NRHP. A baseline archaeological survey was also recommended and completed to ascertain whether any buried historic and/or prehistoric sites are present within the project area. Since any aspects of the improvement project that utilize federal funding or require a federal permit must consider impacts to NRHP-listed or eligible historic properties, a complete baseline survey will serve as a valuable planning tool for avoiding or minimizing any potential adverse effects.
Cultural Historic Baseline Study The cultural historic baseline field effort identified a total of 47 cultural historic sites within the area of potential effect. Through the evaluation, it was determined that nine of the sites retain sufficient integrity to be listed in the NRHP. Of the nine, only the historic stone walls have the potential to be directly impacted.
Archaeological Baseline Study The archaeological baseline study surveyed the grassy and/or vegetated portions of the project area. The investigations resulted in the discovery of five previously unrecorded archaeological sites. All of the sites documented were historic and dated from the mid- to late nineteenth century through the mid- to late twentieth century. No prehistoric material was found during the inventory. Through the current investigations, the degree of site integrity could not be determined for two of the sites. Therefore, it was recommended that those properties be avoided or subjected to further work to assess their NRHP status.
James E. Pepper Distillery - Bonded Warehouse
Lexington Distillery District Improvements Program Feasibility Study, Lexington, KY
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