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From Toll House to Bar and Grill: A History of Five Mile House

Before Barleycorn’s was the lively sports bar and grill we know today, the Five Mile House stood tall in the 1800s as a toll house. Back then, Dixie Highway was known as Lexington Pike, a popular roadway to get to and from Lexington, KY. People would stop at the Five Mile House to water their horses and take a rest from the road.

Fast forwarding to 1910, a couple named Charles and Anna Retschulte purchased the building. They turned it into a restaurant, complete with a shady area available for picnics for those who wanted to eat outside. The C. Retschulte Five Mile House was a popular location for travelers and locals alike, especially considering the social and political landscape of the time.


Prohibition was officially enacted in 1920 and would last until 1933, meaning the bars and grills of the time couldn’t legally sell alcohol. In 1925, Charles Retschulte got in trouble when it was discovered that he had eleven and a half barrels of beer that were connected by a pipe to the bar.


From there, the restaurant shut down and stayed closed until it reopened in 1943. Casino-style gambling was becoming popular in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area, and owner Florence Cahill restored the building to be run as a restaurant/gambling den until 1962. It was rumored that the local mafia used the Five Mile House as a meeting place.


In 1963, Arthur List purchased the Five Mile House and would run it as a bar and grill until 1984. That year, Ken Heil purchased the building and, along with his brother Joe, created Barleycorn’s. Today, Barleycorn’s is one of Northern Kentucky’s favorite bar and grill spots.

Barleycorn's Lakeside Park Now


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246 Comments


It’s wild to think the same spot that pours cold pints today was once a toll stop for horse-drawn wagons on Lexington Pike—those walls have seen some serious evolution. I’ve been digging into local history like this lately, so check out https://hy-3d.com

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Sexto Echeverri
Sexto Echeverri
2 days ago

The leap from watering horses in the 1800s to slinging wings as Barleycorn’s is such a cool slice of Lexington history—I love that the Retschultes’ 1910 renovation kept the Five Mile House name alive. Makes me want to dig up more old photos of the Dixie Highway stretch, and I’ve been using https://ai-3d-modeling.com

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33win dạo này thấy mọi người nói hoài nên mình tò mò vào nghía thử cho biết chứ cũng không chơi gì. Vào cái là thấy giao diện khá sáng sủa, nhìn không bị ngợp như nhiều trang khác. Mình để ý họ chia nội dung thành từng khối rõ ràng, kiểu lướt xuống là biết đang xem phần nào, không phải căng mắt tìm. Mấy chỗ thông tin họ trình bày dạng bảng cột nên đọc nhanh, nhìn phát là nắm được ý chính, không bị rối chữ. Menu cũng nằm chỗ dễ thấy, bấm qua lại giữa các mục thấy mượt, không phải load lại lằng nhằng. Nói chung chỉ xem vài phút thôi mà quen tay vì…

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Sexto Echeverri
Sexto Echeverri
4 days ago

It’s wild to think the same spot went from watering horses on Lexington Pike to pouring pints at Barleycorn’s—those Retschultes really started something. I’ve been digging into local history like this lately, so check out https://image-gpt.net

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SV368 dạo này thấy mọi người nói nhiều nên mình cũng ghé thử cho biết. Mình không đọc kỹ nội dung hay ngồi kiểm tra từng mục đâu, chỉ mở lên lướt vài phút xem họ làm giao diện ra sao. Cảm giác đầu tiên là trang nhìn sáng và dễ thở, không bị nhồi chữ quá dày nên kéo xuống cũng nhẹ mắt. Mình thích kiểu họ chia nội dung thành từng khối rõ ràng, nhìn phát là biết phần nào với phần nào, khỏi phải đoán. Thanh menu để khá dễ thấy nên bấm qua lại mấy chỗ cũng nhanh, không phải tìm vòng vòng. Nói chung dùng kiểu “vào là hiểu” vì cách họ gom nội dung…

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Voted Best Bar
in Northern Kentucky

If you don’t believe we’re the best sports bar in Northern Kentucky, check out the Best of NKY Awards! This annual contest from Northern Kentucky Magazine is voted on by local residents in a variety of categories. We are 5x winners of Best Patio Dining!
 

Barleycorn’s is the perfect place to catch the game or unwind at the end of a long day. Between our food, brews, and great staff, you’ll have a good time. Come visit us at any of our four locations in Cold Spring, Lakeside Park, Florence or Barleycorn's Brewhouse in Wilder.

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1073 Industrial Road
Cold Spring, KY 41076

859.442.3400

8544 U.S. 42
Florence, KY 41042

859.371.4100

2642 Dixie Highway
Lakeside Park, KY 41017

859.331.6633

402 Licking Pike 
Wilder, Kentucky 41071
859.291.2739

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