Historical Marker

Lexington Historic Distillery District

Historical marker location:

Lexington, Kentucky

( 899 Manchester St., Lexington)

Started in 1869 by the Headley and Farra Company. Continued by James E. Pepper & Company in 1879. In the late 1800s, the James E. Pepper Distillery sold whiskey to over 90 brokerage houses across the U.S. It sold under a number of different names & labels. In 1933, purchased by Schenley Products Corp. of NY. Presented by Lexington Directions Inc.

(Reverse) Water from Town Branch provided steam power and McConnell Springs provided water for the whiskey. The distillery closed in 1962. The Distillery District was a major whiskey producer for over 100 yrs. with storage capacity for 150,000 barrels of bourbon. It remained in service until 1976. Presented by Lexington Environmental Commission.