FURNISHED BY SECRETARIAT PARK FOUNDATION
A three-story-tall mural of Secretariat, by equine artist Jaime Corum, was completed in November on the side of the Baldwin Hotel building in Paris. Secretariat Park is expected to be completed by this November. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Thoroughbred’s record-setting Triple Crown win.
Bourbon County has traditionally thrived on manufacturing, with some of its largest employers in this sector. The county’s newly established industrial park will facilitate the addition of more manufacturing facilities. However, there are also ongoing endeavors to leverage the small-town appeal of Paris, the county seat, and agritourism to rejuvenate and revitalize the local economy, presenting fresh growth opportunities.
Bourbon County’s history is inextricably woven with Kentucky’s. The county traces its origins back to 1785 when Kentucky was a territory of Virginia. It was named “Bourbon” for a prominent, aristocratic French family that contributed funds to the American Revolution.
The county’s fertile land made it ideal for agriculture. In addition to livestock, the land also supported crops such as corn and wheat, much of which was used for distilling whiskey. This same whiskey would become synonymous with the county’s name, and today the production of bourbon is one of Kentucky’s largest signature industries.
Trackside Restaurant and Bourbon Bar, located in a former train depot that dates to 1882, is a popular destination for lunch, dinner and drinks.
With that quintessentially Kentucky history, it should be no surprise that Bourbon County has a hand in many of Kentucky’s other signature industries. Its rolling hills are home to many horse farms, including the famous Claiborne Farms, where Secretariat stood stud and is buried. This year marks the 50th anniversary of “Big Red’s” record-setting Triple Crown-winning performance. A life-sized bronze sculpture will be the centerpiece of a new downtown park named in his honor and set to open in November.
Over the course of the 20th century, manufacturing exploded in Bourbon County and eventually overtook agriculture and retail to become one of the area’s largest industries. In 2020, manufacturing firms employed 14% of the county’s workforce.
“For 100 years it was farming and equine, and then in the past 50 years, industry has grown and expanded,” said Gordon Wilson, executive director of the Paris-Bourbon County Economic Development Authority. Some of its most notable producers and retailers are in the automobile parts industry. CMWA, one of the largest employers in the county, makes aluminum wheels for the Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky factory in Georgetown and steel wheels for many other car manufacturers. EnovaPremier, LLC assembles tires and wheels, and Paris Machining, LLC is a machining and hydraulic repair company.
Another major employer, Avantor, specializes in the production of chemicals and equipment used in the biopharma and healthcare sectors. Bourbon County is also home to other prominent manufacturing firms, such as Kentucky Smelting Technology, Inc. and the Legacy Companies.
Bourbon County is also home to the headquarters of several reputable brands, including Mingua Beef Jerky, one of the largest jerky producers in the United States, and Hunt Brothers Pizza.
Hunt Brothers has claimed a 42-acre tract in the county’s new 105-acre industrial park, which it is currently developing. Many of the other lots remain for sale. A new entrance road will soon be constructed, which Wilson said will boost the retail and commercial space in the county.
While manufacturing plays a large role in the future of Bourbon County’s economy, tourism is another fast-growing sector, especially with regard to agritourism and the region’s horse farms.
At Claiborne Farm, visitors can tour the farm, meet some of its horses and learn about some legendary horses bred there.
In addition to their natural beauty, these horse farms often provide visitors the opportunity to see their operations up close and learn about Kentucky’s equine heritage. At Claiborne Farm, visitors can tour the farm, meet some of its horses and learn about some legendary horses bred there.
Other tours can also be arranged through Horse Country, a local organization of horse farms and attractions.
Horses aren’t the only draw for Bourbon County. The city of Paris possesses a quaint, small-town charm that’s responsible for a growing segment of the county’s tourism and retail revenue.
“We do twice-a-year art walks, which draw vendors from everywhere,” Wilson said. “They close Main Street off, and the artists show their artwork. It’s well attended.”
A 20-foot-tall replica of the Eiffel Tower makes a photo-worthy backdrop in downtown Paris, Kentucky.
Paris’ downtown also features eateries and boutiques for locals and visitors alike, including two co.ee shops, a roastery and Hopewell Bake Exchange.
While visiting Paris, tourists can visit the Hopewell Museum, which interprets local history through historic artifacts and exhibits. Outside the museum, a 20-foot-tall replica of the Eiffel Tower pays homage to the city’s namesake.
Another up-and-coming development is a 300-acre recreational park just outside of Millersburg, which will include different kinds of ball courts and other facilities for recreational sports.
This could be big news for the county, given that the Kentucky High School Athletic Association has hosted its Cross Country State Championships at Bourbon County Park for the past three years, drawing about 50,000 attendees each year.
As Bourbon County and the city of Paris continue to expand, one of the major obstacles they face is a scarcity of available housing inventory.
“One of the things that put us in a quandary is a lack of sufficient housing,” Wilson said.
This challenge is something the Paris- Bourbon County EDA hopes will be addressed by the recent and upcoming developments in the county. Still, great strides have already been made to improve the local quality of life and bring economic opportunity to the area.
Paris has experienced “a change like you wouldn’t believe,” Wilson said, adding, “more young people are strolling their children down the street than I’ve seen before.”