Isaac Shelby Cemetery State Historic Site

Isaac Shelby Cemetery State Historic Site is a burial ground in Lincoln County containing gravestones and monuments spread across maintained grounds. Walking paths lead through the half-acre property, where interpretive signs offer context about the people buried here and their connection to the state's early years.

The cemetery holds the grave of Isaac Shelby, Kentucky's first governor, and became a state historic site in 1951 to ensure its preservation. This designation protected the location as an important landmark in the state's early political history.

The grounds show how families in the early 1800s remembered and honored their deceased. You can sense how this place held deep meaning for the Shelby family and those connected to them.

The grounds are open and easy to explore on foot, with marked paths and plenty of signs for self-guided learning. Wear comfortable shoes as the cemetery sits on sloped terrain with uneven ground throughout the property.

The original brick kitchen from Shelby's 1786 Traveller's Rest estate remains visible from the cemetery grounds, even though the main house burned down in 1906. This surviving structure gives visitors a rare glimpse into the physical remains of his once-grand home.

Location: Lincoln County

Inception: 1951

Website: https://parks.ky.gov/junction-city/parks/historic/isaac-shelby-cemetery-state-historic-site

GPS coordinates: 37.57000,-84.77920

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:23