Bourbon County lies in the heart of the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. The area is well known for its fertile soils, rolling landscapes, and bluegrass pastures. Formed from Fayette County, Virginia in 1786, Bourbon County originally encompassed all or parts of 32 later counties, taking in much of eastern and northeastern Kentucky.

Before European settlers arrived, the landscape was open forest punctuated by acres of native cane and occasional grassy openings. Farmers cleared most of the forest and virtually all of the canebrakes as they opened the land for cultivation, creating a landscape known as "woodland pastures." Woodland pastures were a classic feature of large farms during the nineteenth century and can still be seen in the county today.

Settlers first found a network of trails created by the animals and Native Americans who had lived here for thousands of years. A major buffalo trail, called the Limestone Trace, began at the Ohio River at present day Maysville, an important point for settlers coming to Kentucky on flatboats down the Ohio River. The same road, ultimately US Route 68, extended to Lexington, putting Bourbon County in the center of the earliest movement of settlers into Kentucky.

The markers on this tour take you from the earliest pioneers through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. They introduce you to citizens who impacted the history of the county, state, and nation. You will learn about early churches, education, and African American history along with the roles of industry, transportation, inns, and taverns in the county's development.

Along the tour you will encounter Paris, a thriving small town with a historic courthouse and beautiful old homes. And like the earliest explorers, the limestone-based soil, winding creeks, and rock walls will encourage you to explore Bourbon County, Kentucky's history.