Boyle County was formed from portions of Lincoln and Mercer Counties in 1842. Named after Judge John Boyle, the county covers 182 square miles. Danville, the county seat, was the location of the first courthouse in Kentucky, the first US Post Office west of the Alleghenies, and the first state-supported school for the deaf, which opened in 1823.

Perryville, located nine miles west of Danville, was established in 1817 and known for the largest battle during the Civil War in the state of Kentucky. Junction City was originally founded as Goresburg in 1858 but was renamed Junction City when the Cincinnati Southern Railroad reached the town and the tracks intersected with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Parksville had a major railroad depot for the county from 1866 until 1970. The railroads brought prosperity to Boyle County, along with hemp and tobacco.

Bryan S. Bush has a master's degree in history from the University of Louisville and has written over 17 books and numerous articles. He is the park manager for the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site and a member of the US Semiquincentennial Commission for Boyle County.