Lee Distillery

One of our favorite things is when a piece of history is brought to light.

In these photos, you can see an advertisement that once was on display on the side of a building in downtown Williamstown. However, when the J.L. Lee Distillery Store Building was constructed, the painted advertisement was covered, only being seen for a few more years on the outside of the building until it was covered.
Recently, the renovations to the J.L. Lee Distillery Store Building, this advertisement was once again uncovered, giving us some further insight to the businesses and construction of many years ago.

This advertisement was painted at least 124 years ago, as the first picture was taken circa 1900.

In recent years, this building, and the adjoining space surrounding was home to Skinner’s Furniture Store for many decades.

Some further information on J.L. Lee’s Distillary and building in Williamstown:

Nestling among the vine clad hills of “Sweet Owen,” within sound of the rushing waters of “Big Eagle” stands the famous “Lee distillery.”
This distillery was established in 1862 by N. W. Lee, since which date it has been in operation annually with the exception of three years.
Having withstood time's ravages for thirty-nine years, the structure is somewhat dilapidated, yet today it sustains Kentucky's reputation for fine whisky. Its methods of distillation may aptly be compared to the building itself-old-fashioned; yet no distillery with up-to-date methods and arts can hope to attain the high standard of excellence reached by the product of this celebrated distillery.

from a Facebook post by the Grant County KY Historical Society