Bybee Pottery

Bybee Pottery, established in 1809 in Bybee, Kentucky, is recognized as the oldest pottery operation west of the Appalachian Mountains. This historic pottery company, founded by Webster Cornelison, operated for over two centuries, producing a variety of ceramic goods and allowing visitors to engage with artisans in a building that survived the Civil War. The facility, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, utilized local yellow clay from the Kentucky River. Although it ceased operations in 2011, Bybee Pottery has seen a revival with new pieces being crafted and sold from a shop in Middletown, Kentucky, making it a point of interest for both tourists and researchers exploring American craft history.