DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — The City of Danville isn’t the biggest in Kentucky, and it’s certainly not the oldest. But Danville adds importance to the history of the state because it’s the place where a commonwealth was born.
Constitution Square on Main St. has buildings and a few artifacts to help share the historic story of Kentucky. The square often fills with visitors taking time to enjoy the space or learn about the buildings on the ground.
One of the bigger historical buildings is the courthouse. Inside, there is a table and a chair in the middle of the room, and a painting hangs above a fireplace.
The painting shows a group of men gathered around a similar table, and it depicts the moment Kentucky earned its statehood in 1792.
Kendall Clinton works with the Danville Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and he shared some insight about the building.
“This is where Kentucky's Constitution was actually written after 10 constitutional conventions,” Clinton said.
According to Clinton, the courthouse “is a reproduction of the courthouse that existed at the time of the Constitutional convention. It's one of four cabins on the property.”
“There's also a jail, a meeting house which those two are reproductions, as well as a post office, which is actually the original first post office west of the Allegheny Mountains.”
The buildings, markers, and statues on the property honor Kentucky’s creation and its leaders since.
“On the northwest corner of our park is Governor’s Circle, which has plaques for every governor from Isaac Shelby on forward,” Clinton described.
Constitution Square was once a state park, but it’s now owned by the Boyle County Fiscal Court. The county leases out a few of the buildings on the edges of the property, and the reproduced buildings are open to the public to walk all inside and truly get a feel for the size and scale of the buildings and its history.
“We have tour groups that come here, school groups, just residents in Danville who want to come relax under the shade trees,” Clinton said.
After Clinton gave a tour of the square, a school group arrived on property and visited the landmarks.
“It makes me feel special to live here,” a student said.
Constitution Square is open to the public, and there is no cost to visit. You can see the square for yourself at 134 South Second Street.
