It was a beautiful summer day in Frankfort, Kentucky. Not a cloud in the sky. Not a hint of a breeze. My wife and I were standing among the abandoned buildings of one of America’s most historic bourbon distilleries.
Then something happened that neither of us could explain. A massive steel door slammed shut somewhere very close to where we were standing.
The sound shattered the silence.
But here’s the strange part. There wasn’t enough wind to move a leaf, much less slam one of those enormous industrial doors. And just moments before it happened, we both had the unsettling feeling that someone was watching us.
Let me take you back to the beginning.
Exploring the Abandoned Old Crow Distillery
I still vividly remember my visit to the historic Old Crow Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. The property had become the new home of Glenn’s Creek Distilling, and as a self-proclaimed bourbon nerd, I was fascinated by the opportunity to explore this once-mighty whiskey-producing facility.
I was relatively new to the bourbon blogging world, so imagine my surprise when the owner of Glenn’s Creek graciously agreed to allow my wife and me to explore the grounds and take photographs. Glenns Creek is a wonderful visit and you will learn a lot of bourbon truths, with zero marketing hype.
This was bourbon history right in front of me.
Old Crow had once been one of the best-selling bourbon brands in America. Although its reputation had suffered considerably over the years, the sprawling industrial complex was a reminder of a time when Old Crow was a giant in the American whiskey business.
We were given one important instruction. We could explore the grounds, but we were not to enter any of the buildings. Their structural integrity could not be guaranteed.
That was perfectly fine with me. Just having the opportunity to walk among these historic structures was more than enough.
A Distillery Frozen in Time
It was one of those perfect Kentucky summer days. Sunny, mild, and absolutely still.
The Old Crow property was enormous, so we would drive a short distance, stop the car, get out, and take photographs. Then we would move along to another part of the complex and repeat the process.
I left most of the serious photography to my wife. Her skills with a camera far exceeded mine, and I was more interested in soaking up the history. What fascinated me most was how abruptly everything seemed to have stopped. Looking through openings into some of the abandoned buildings, we could see reminders of the people who had once worked there.
Even lunch boxes had been left behind. Think about that for a moment. This had once been a bustling industrial operation. Workers reporting for their shifts, machinery running, whiskey being produced, and barrels being filled. Now, silence.
It was almost as though someone had simply turned off the lights, locked the gates, and walked away.
But something about our next stop would make that silence feel very different.
The Feeling That Someone Was Watching
At our third stop, we found ourselves in a particularly captivating section of the property.
Glenn’s Creek flowed nearby, its gently moving water providing one of the few sounds in an otherwise deserted industrial landscape. There were no workers. No machinery. No traffic. And absolutely no wind.
My wife and I exited the car and wandered in different directions, each looking for interesting photographs.
After a short while, I began experiencing an uncomfortable sensation.
I felt like someone was watching us. Now, I’m not someone who normally gets spooked by old buildings. I’ve explored plenty of historic places, and I don’t automatically associate abandoned structures with ghosts or anything supernatural. But something about this particular spot didn’t feel right.
I walked toward my wife and asked what she thought about the area. Her response caught my attention. She told me that it was eerily quiet and that she was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one experiencing that strange sensation. We stood there for another moment, looking around at the silent buildings. Nothing moved. Not even the leaves on the trees.
And then it happened.
The Sound That Broke the Silence
BANG!
A tremendous metallic crash erupted from somewhere very close to us.
It was sudden. It was incredibly loud. And it sounded exactly like one of the massive steel doors found throughout the distillery slamming shut. There was no mistaking the sound.
My wife and I looked at each other. Remember, there wasn’t even the slightest breeze that day.
What could have caused a heavy industrial door to slam with that kind of force? We didn’t see anyone. We hadn’t heard footsteps, voices, or any other indication that someone else was nearby. Just that enormous metallic bang.
I looked at my wife and said something along the lines of, “I think we should probably go.” She didn’t argue. We got into the car and drove back toward the front gate.
We thanked the owner for allowing us to explore the property and continued on our way. During the drive, we discussed what had happened. We considered what might have caused the door to slam. But we couldn’t come up with a satisfactory explanation. Eventually, the conversation moved on.
The experience, however, stayed with me.
Strange Stories from the Old Crow Distillery
Not long after our visit, we heard something that made our experience even more intriguing. There were stories about electric lights mysteriously turning on inside the abandoned distillery buildings in the middle of the night. That might not sound particularly unusual until you consider one important detail.
We were told that electrical power to those buildings had been disconnected for safety reasons. How could lights turn on in buildings that supposedly had no electricity?
Were the stories true? I have no way of knowing. But after what we had experienced on that perfectly still summer afternoon, I found them particularly interesting.
Were We Really Alone?
I’ve never considered myself someone who believes in ghosts or paranormal activity. I’m a bourbon enthusiast. I love whiskey history, old distilleries, and the stories behind the brands that helped build the American whiskey industry.
That’s what brought me to Old Crow in the first place. I can’t tell you what caused that massive steel door to slam.
Maybe there was a perfectly reasonable explanation. Perhaps some mechanical condition caused it to move, or someone else was somewhere on the property without our knowledge. But I can tell you what I remember.
There was no wind.
We both felt uncomfortable before anything happened.
We both had the sensation that we weren’t alone.
And then came that tremendous metallic crash.
Nearly everything about that day was memorable, but those few moments have never left me.
Was it simply an unexplained coincidence? Or was something else happening among the abandoned buildings of Old Crow Distillery?
I’ll leave that for you to decide. What I can tell you is that this wasn’t the last time my curiosity about bourbon led me into an experience I couldn’t explain.
There was a second incident. And this one happened much closer to home. But that’s a story for another day.
Postscript: The Original Old Crow Distillery Story
In May 2019, I published a Bourbonfool article titled The Abandoned Old Crow Distillery, documenting our visit to this remarkable piece of American whiskey history.
It continues to be one of the most-read articles I’ve written. In fact, searching Google for Old Crow Distillery has frequently placed my original story among the first-page results.
If you enjoy bourbon history, abandoned distilleries, and photographs of a once-great whiskey operation, I encourage you to read the original article.
The Abandoned Old Crow Distillery – Bourbonfool
And if you’ve ever experienced something you couldn’t explain while visiting an old distillery or historic building, I’d love to hear about it.
