At the heart of Kentucky is Marion County, the geographic center of the state, and a land of rolling bluegrass hills and rangy knoblands. Settled in 1789, Marion County is also a center of Kentucky history, found in such places as the Holy Cross Church, which dates back to 1823, and the Loretto Motherhouse, dating back to 1812. Marion County is also home to Maker's Mark Distillery, a National Historic Landmark that continues to produce the world-famous Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Lebanon, Kentucky, the county seat, was incorporated in 1815. At one time, the style, beauty, and elegance of its homes and its flourishing businesses made Lebanon a serious contender for the site of the state capitol. During the Civil War, General John Hunt Morgan's Raiders descended on Lebanon, and after Morgan's young brother, Tom, was killed during a battle, the raiders burned much of the town in retribution. Even though twenty buildings were destroyed in the attack, Lebanon recovered, and more recently the downtown historic district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its Historic Homes and Landmarks Tour is part of The Civil War Discovery Trail and includes twenty-four listings. 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. Loretto, in northeastern Marion County, is the home of the world-famous Maker's Mark Distillery. Originally started as a gristmill by Charles Burks in the early 1800s, the Maker's Mark Distillery is the only continuously-operating distillery to be designated a National Historic Landmark. The formula for Maker's Mark bourbon was developed by T.W. Samuels, Sr., a sixth-generation distiller who purchased and restored the distillery in 1953. Samuels produced the first bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon in 1958, and decided to have each bottle sealed by hand-dipping it in red wax, making every bottle unique. Samuels' son, T.W. Samuels, Jr., continues in his father's footsteps, hand-crafting their award-winning bourbon in this quaint country distillery. Now, available at the Maker's Mark Gift Gallery, guest may purchase a Maker's Mark souvenir bottle and personally hand-dip that bottle in the distillery's signature red wax. The Loretto Motherhouse was home to the first religious community of women in the United States. Founded in 1812 by the Rev. Charles Nerinckx, the original mission of the Motherhouse was to educate frontier youth; later, it became a Novitiate for women entering the sisterhood. Today, the Loretto Motherhouse is a home and retreat center for the Lorettine sisters. Original sculptures and artwork are on display at the Rhodes Hall Gallery, including works by the renowned artist Sister Jeanne Dueber. In the community of Holy Cross, just north of Loretto, is the Holy Cross Church. The cradle of Catholicism in Kentucky, Holy Cross was settled in the early 1780s by a group of Catholic families from Maryland, and it was near the site of the church that Father Whelan said the first Mass in Kentucky. The first Catholic Church west of the Allegheny Mountains was built here in 1792. The present Holy Cross Church was erected by Rev. Nerinckx in 1823, the last of ten churches he built in Kentucky. Marion County is home to one of the largest and most successful community festivals in the state - Marion County Country Ham Days. First celebrated with six hams and a handful of visitors in 1969, over 600 hams are now needed to serve the 50,000 visitors who descend on Lebanon each year during the last weekend in September. Besides a country ham breakfast with all the fixing', Country Ham Days features parades, contests, entertainment, demonstrations, and much more for the entire family. US-68, which runs through Marion County, follows a historic trail used by such notables as Andrew Jackson, Jane Todd Crawford, and General Lafayette. Located 12 miles north of Lebanon, Lincoln Homestead Park offers a museum, gift shop, and a replica of the 1782 cabin where Thomas Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's father, lived as a boy. To the south is Green River Lake State Park, comprising 1,300 acres of land and an 8,200 acre lake, with beaches, boat docks, fishing, picnic areas, and 96 campsites open to the public.