Tag: Boyle

No Destination: Danville Presbyterian Church

The Danville Presbyterian Church is the oldest Presbyterian Church west of the Allegheny Mountains, having been established in 1784 by Rev. David Rice.

The historic marker outside of the church mentions those who here worshippped:

James G. Birney, whose presidential candidacy in 1844 caused defeat of Henry Clay; John C. Breckinridge, whose 1860 candidacy resulted in election of Lincoln; Samuel D. Burchard, whose “Rum, Romanism and Rebellion” defeated James G. Blaine in 1884. Marker #754.

Rev. Rice actually organized three Presbyterian congregations in what would become the central Kentucky region, though he is most connected with this Danville congregation. Rev. Rice routinely delivered sermons opposing slavery; as a delegate to the 1792 Kentucky Constitution convention he unsuccessfully sought a clause that would have banned slavery in Kentucky.

The congregation moved to its present location in 1831 and a second congregation was begun in 1853. In 1869, the Presbyterian Church split and the two congregations took separate paths. The two congregations eventually rejoined in 1969 and restored this structure before returning in 1996.

NoDestination: The State Seal

The state seal of Kentucky is memorialized in bronze at the Governor’s Circle in the Constitution State Park (Danville). Around the seal is a depiction of each of Kentucky’s governors.

The seal itself has gone through various designs, but was originally an inspiration of the first governor, Isaac Shelby. Shelby, a war hero, was said to have loved the 1768 John Dickinson tune, “The Liberty Song.” The fourth verse reads:

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all,
By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall;
In so righteous a cause let us hope to succeed,
For heaven approves of each generous deed.

Thus the state motto: “united we stand, divided we fall.” The seal depicts “two (2) friends embracing each other, with the words ‘Commonwealth of Kentucky’ over their heads and around them the words, ‘United We Stand, Divided We Fall.'” K.R.S. 2.020. One of the friends is a pioneer, the other a statesman.

NoDestination: C6, H0


On October 29, 1921 occurred one of the greatest upsets in college football history. The Praying Colonels of Centre College (Danville, Ky.) defeated football powerhouse Harvard (Cambridge, Mass.).

Harvard – undefeated since 1918 – played Centre at Harvard Field the year before when Centre led 14-6 at the half. Harvard went on to win that game 34-14, but Harvard captain offered the game ball to the Centre captain. Centre’s captain, Bo McMillin refused saying that the team would “be back next year to take it home with us.”

Centre delivered. Scoreless at the half, McMillin rushed into the endzone during the third quarter and Centre won 6-0. C6, H0. When the news travelled to Danville, students painted this “formula” on everything (even cows!).

Today, only the above graffiti remains. But the legend certainly lives on… Oh, and Harvard is still scared. The Crimson refused a rematch on the 75th anniversary.

Boyle County Courthouse – Danville, Ky.


Ah Boyle County. One of my favorite places on earth. I spent 4 years here in Danville and I think it’s what really cemented my love of small-town Kentucky.
I love the Boyle County Courthouse mostly for what you cannot see in this picture. The courthouse square is pretty large, and the building is L-shaped, with the doors and cupola pictured here at one end of the L. When Peter and I visited here earlier in the summer, he commented about how strange this makes the courthouse look. It’s not the standard square or symmetrical building you see in any other county in the state, and for that I love it.
Anyway, this present courthouse was built in 1862, and according to historic markers, it served as a hospital during the Civil War.

No Destination – June 5, 2009

Starting out in Nicholasville, we journeyed through Jessamine, Madison, Garrard, Mercer and Boyle counties. Here are some pictures from yesterday’s journey:

As always, there is a lot to learn in central Kentucky.

  • Tates Creek Road in Lexington is the border – for several miles – between Jessamine and Fayette counties.
  • The Valley View Ferry has a “perpetual and irrevocable” franchise issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1785 (that’s why the Virginia flag also flies on the ferry). It has not since ceased operation. It has been operated by Madison, Fayette and Jessamine counties since 1991.
  • “C6, H0” remains visible in Danville to remember when Centre College’s football team (in an undefeated season) beat Harvard, 6-0. It is the only graffiti that the Centre trustees permit on campus.
  • What do they do with the dead? After the October 1862 Battle of Perryville, the Confederate forces quickly fled the area and a mass grave was constructed for the deceased rebel soldiers.