The Spirits of Bourbon Country

Bardstown has earned the title “The Bourbon Capital of the World” by being the heart of the country’s bourbon industry. Nelson county and surrounding areas are home to many of the world’s most famous whiskey and bourbon distilleries. Spirits of a distilled nature aren’t the only spirits that call Bardstown home.

Being the second oldest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Bardstown is full of rich American history. The Old Talbott Tavern has accommodated many American figures, such as Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone and infamous outlaw Jesse James. Bullet holes in the walls of his favorite room, some say, are not the only part of James that stays behind at the Talbott.

Next door at the old Nelson County Jail, now known as the ‘Jailer’s Inn,’ guests have reported hearing screams coming from the old cell block. Others have had a full conversation with the ghost of a former inmate in the courtyard, only to hear him talk of his hanging over a hundred years ago!

Just down the street is the Chapeze House built in 1787. After the battle of Perryville during the Civil War, many large homes in Bardstown were used as make-shift hospitals. The Chapeze House was no exception. Today reports of doors slamming throughout the second floor of the house are common. However, there are no longer any doors on the entryways of any of the rooms! The history behind the stories is unveiled…the first hand encounters are told by those who experienced it and nationally known paranormal researcher Patti Starr investigates for evidence of the ‘Spirits of Bourbon Country’.

Patti explains, “As we descended down the narrow latter from the trap door in the floor of the Chapeze house, my head brushes up against many sticky cobwebs. The dirt floor room is covered in a thick darkness which is barely visible even with our flashlight leading the way. It is believed that during the 1800’s slaves were kept here in this cellar. We were quick to start gathering information and right away we received an EVP that said, ‘Help, help, I’m here’. These are the types of pleas that we often capture on our audio recorders during a ghost investigation of historic places.”

Click Here to see the trailer for the Spirits of Bourbon Country