Bethany Spring carries a rich and storied history – nearly five decades of hospitality and contemplative welcome that began near the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky.
A Brief History of Bethany Spring
Bethany Spring was founded in 1977 by the Sisters of Charity at Nazareth. It was the prayerful vision of Mary Madeline Abdelnour, SCN, so that a place of hospitality would be established near the Abbey of Gethsemani – giving women a place to stay while visiting the Abbey.
The Sisters ran Bethany Spring for 30 years. In 2007, the Merton Institute purchased the property and operated it for five years, until the Merton Institute dissolved in 2012. The property then passed to the Abbey of Gethsemani, which ran it as a retreat center for a year before selling it at absolute auction in November 2013.
At the end of January 2014, the property transferred to Rick and Valorie Furman, and on March 1, 2014, Bethany Spring re-opened under their stewardship. They ran Bethany Spring for six years.
In November 2021, Bethany Spring was sold to The Dant Distillery, returning the property to the bourbon distilling industry. The Bethany Spring main retreat house had originally been part of a distillery located next door – so the main house has now come full circle, once again becoming part of a Bourbon Distillery.