History of Owensboro, Kentucky, USA

1854 - Owenborough
Owenborough, a thriving post-village, capital of Daviess county, Kentucky, is situated on the Ohio river, 155 miles below Louisville. The navigation is seldom obstructed either by ice or by low water below this place. Owenborough is the principal shipping port of the county, and is a place of active business. It contains a court house, 3 churches, an academy, and a branch bank. One news paper is published here. Pop. in 1853, 1600.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1895 - Owensborough
Owensborough, o'enz-btir-rüh, a city, the capital of Daviess co., Ky., is situated on the Ohio River, and on the Owensborough & Nashville Railroad, about 40 miles above Evansville, Ind., and 150 miles below Louisville. By land it is about 30 miles E. by S. of Henderson. It contains a court-house, 3 banks, a savings-bank, 3 newspaper offices, a college, 2 academies, 13 churches, 6 distilleries of whisky, 18 tobacco-stemmeries, a cigar-factory, 4 flouring-mills, 2 £ several machine-shops of the railroad, a foundry, and manufactures of chairs, furniture, and brooms. It is lighted with gas. Large quantities of tobacco and whisky are shipped here. Pop. in 1890, 9837.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1906
Owensboro, a city, capital of Daviess co., Ky., is situated on the Ohio River and on the Louisville and Nashville and other railroads, 40 miles SE. of Evansville, Ind. It has numerous distilleries of whiskey, flouring and other mills, michinery and cullulose-works, an electrical-supplies plant, etc. The tobacco interest is very large, the annual shipments being upward of 20,000,000 pounds. Coal and iron are mined. The Owensboro Female College and the St. Francis Academy are located here. Pop. in 1890, 9837; in 1900, 13,189.
Lippincott's New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns ... in Every Portion of the Globe Publisher J.B. Lippincott Company, 1906

1936 - August 14 - Rainey Bethea is hanged in Owensboro, Kentucky in the last public execution in the United States.

historyorb.com

1938 - Distillery Burns, Loss Is $2,250,000
OWENSBORO, Ky., Nov. 12 (AP)—A wild fire raged out of control Saturday night at the Glenmore Distillery, one of the largest in the country.

Company officials had small hope of saving the plant from complete destruction.

An unofficial canvas of insurance men placed the loss already at $2,225,000.

Flames roared through three warehouses, the bottling plant and the company office and was enveloping the distillery building.

The plant covers four city blocks and employs 700 persons.
Dallas Morning News
Dallas, Texas
November 13, 1938

Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Owensboro:
Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum:

This is a must-visit for anyone interested in bluegrass music. Explore the history of bluegrass and country music through interactive exhibits, live performances, and memorabilia. They often host concerts, so check their schedule.

Smothers Park:

A beautiful riverfront park with a stunning waterfall feature, walking paths, and a playground. It's a great place for a leisurely stroll, a picnic, or simply enjoying the scenic Ohio River.

Riverfront Overlook:

For a breathtaking view of the Ohio River and the Owensboro skyline, head to the Riverfront Overlook. It's especially beautiful at sunset.

Owensboro Museum of Science and History:

This museum offers a variety of exhibits that showcase the history and culture of Owensboro and the surrounding region. It's both educational and entertaining.

Reid's Orchard:

A family-friendly destination with a petting zoo, playground, and a variety of seasonal activities like apple picking... Read MORE...