The first hemp crop in Kentucky was grown on Clark’s Run Creek near Danville in 1775 by Archibald McNeill. By the time Danville was named the Capital of the state in 1787 (later removed to Lexington), hemp was becoming a mainstay of the region. Early settlers had little access to seed, and most of what could be acquired was grown for fiber to make basic needs like cloth and twine. Subsistence agriculture characterized the economy, with surplus goods scarce and expensive. Toward the end of the century, however, farmers began to cultivate hemp and tobacco for the purpose of exportation and profit. Boyle County later became one of the top ten hemp producing counties in the state which produced 90 percent of the entire nation's yield during 1889. Today, this marker stands in front of the Boyle County Courthouse.

 

Click here to learn more about Boyle County hemp history.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​