Editing Lebanon, Kentucky (section)

==History==
Prior to the establishment of the city now known as Lebanon, the town of [[Georgetown, Kentucky|Georgetown]], north of Lexington, was also named "Lebanon" during its first few years of establishment. It was renamed in 1790 in honor of [[list of U.S. presidents|President]] [[George Washington]].

Present-day Lebanon was established in 1814 and named for the Biblical [[Lebanon]] because of its abundant [[Cedar of Lebanon#history|cedar tree]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Lewis|title=History of Kentucky|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F5FQAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA538|year=1877|page=538|publisher=Library Reprints, Incorporated |isbn=9780722249208}}</ref> The founding community traces back to the '''Hardin's Creek Meeting House''', built by [[Presbyterians]] from [[Virginia]]. It was incorporated as a city on January 28, 1815,<ref name=sos>Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "Lebanon, Kentucky". Accessed 1 August 2013.</ref> and became the county seat of Marion County in 1835. Because of its style, architecture, and businesses, Lebanon had the reputation of being Kentucky's [[Philadelphia]] and was considered for the site of the state capitol.<ref>{{cite web|author=<!-- not stated -->|title=City of Lebanon, Kentucky: About Us|url=https://lebanon.ky.gov/Pages/About-Us.aspx|website=lebanon.ky.gov/|access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>

In the 19th century, Lebanon was one of the stops along the National Turnpike from [[Maysville, Kentucky|Maysville]] to [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]]. In 1819, [[Henry Clay]] and [[Andrew Jackson]] met here after having crossed paths on their journeys.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/addressofhenrycl00clay_0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/addressofhenrycl00clay_0/page/26 26] |quote=andrew jackson and lebanon kentucky and henry clay. |title=An Address of Henry Clay to the Public: Containing Certain Testimony in Refutation of the Charges Against Him, Made by Gen. Andrew Jackson |publisher=P. Force |author=Clay, Henry |date=1827}}</ref> Many of its brick homes date from the [[Antebellum South|antebellum period]], including Hollyhill and Myrtledene (now a bed and breakfast). Much of Lebanon's downtown business district was recently placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].

A branch of the [[Louisville & Nashville Railroad]] was built to Lebanon in 1857, but growth of the town was halted by the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. Three battles were fought nearby, and control over the railroad branch passed between [[Union Army|Union]] and [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] hands several times. After the death of his brother Tom during a local battle, Confederate [[John Hunt Morgan]]'s cavalry burned the railroad depot, a hotel, and several residences on July 5, 1863, during the [[Battle of Lebanon (Kentucky)|Battle of Lebanon]].

Lebanon's Historic Homes and Landmarks Tour is also part of the Kentucky Civil War Heritage Trail and includes 24 listings. On the [[Civil War Discovery Trail]], three landmarks stand out. The Commissary Building, which is the old Sunnyside Dispensary Building, was in place during the Civil War and supplied dry goods and food stuffs to the Union garrison in the town. The Shuck building, which is now Henning's Restaurant, was the office of General [[George H. Thomas]], when he gathered an army of several thousand to go to Mill Springs to defend the [[Cumberland River|Cumberland Valley]]. Myrtledene was where General John Hunt Morgan rode his horse in the house and started up the stairs. General Morgan used the property as his headquarters while he was in Lebanon. On the southern limits of Lebanon is the National Cemetery, where many of the Union soldiers who fell in the 1862 [[Battle of Perryville]] were laid to rest. The cemetery is the site of many military funerals and hosts annual [[Memorial Day]] celebrations.

The town rebounded after the war and became a trade center, but declined as railroads became less important to commerce in the 1900s. The tracks were abandoned, then eventually removed by [[CSX Transportation]] in the mid-1980s.

In the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, Lebanon was known as an entertainment hotspot, as nationally known acts appeared at The Plantation, Club Cherry, Club 68, and the Golden Horseshoe nightclubs. The clubs hosted famous acts such as [[Ike and Tina Turner]], [[Nat King Cole]], [[Jerry Lee Lewis]], [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]], [[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]], [[The Platters]], the [[Amazing Rhythm Aces]], [[Otis Redding]], [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[Little Richard]], [[Bo Diddley]], [[Jackie Wilson]], [[The Supremes]], [[Ray Charles]], [[James Brown]], [[Chuck Berry]], [[Fats Domino]], [[Sam and Dave]], [[Wilson Pickett]], [[B.B. King]], [[Percy Sledge]], [[Bobby Blue Bland]] and [[Count Basie]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/news/lifestyles/out-about-kentucky-lebanon-night-life/article_ab4060e2-c092-5775-b065-23d0916da82c.html|last=West|first=Gary P.|newspaper=[[Glasgow Daily Times]]|date=2017-09-28|title=OUT & ABOUT KENTUCKY: Lebanon night life|access-date=2018-07-25}}</ref>