I feel at this point a brief history of Kentucky is important. To bring some meaning into my blogs. That it will present some focus in what could be considered just random writings on bourbon and how is became such a fun part of my life.
As an influx of people moved from Europe to the Americas, some came into the Pennsylvania and Virginia areas, some came a little further west, to find better land and fertile grounds to plant crops and make a life. Kentucky was originally an extended part of Virginia.
The first five towns that were settled in what is now Kentucky, were towns that the settlers came in, and were established, not incorporated. These towns began as forts, and would grow to have cabins, courthouses, taverns, churches. Some or maybe all of these towns were abandoned at some point, but the settlers came back and eventually these towns grew into the towns we now know and love. Some of them had name changes, some would become local famous, some would become world famous.
The first town established in what is now Kentucky is Harrod’s town. It is now called Harrodsburg. It was founded in June of 1774. James Harrod and group of 31 men came and attempted to start a settlement. They named the town after James Harrod after they returned. The town grew to 198 in 1777 and was the Kentucky County seat in Virginia. When Lincoln County was established it became the county seat. Harrodsburg, Fort Logan and Fort Boonesboro served at the as the stronghold for the Frontier and the life in Kentucky.
The second town established is Stanford and was founded in May 1775. Benjamin Logan and a group of men headed through the Cumberland Gap and moved West instead of heading to Fort Boonesboro. Stopping at area called Buffalo Springs, John Floyd name the waterway Saint Asaph Creek. The Settlement was called Saint Asaph and Benjamin Logan planted his corn crop here and returned to Virginia to gather his family and return. Upon returning they built Fort Logan and more people arrived and settled into the area. Despite being significantly smaller than Fort Harrod and Fort Boonesboro, Fort Logan with stood may attacks by the Natives. Eventually the County Seat of Lincoln was moved from Harrodsburg to Fort Logan, now called Stanford. In 1787 the first courthouse was built and the first church. One of the masons who worked on the courthouse and church was Evan Williams, who would eventually move to Louisville.
The third town was founded in the spring of 1775 is Lexington. This is a little complicated. In 1775 a group of frontiersmen were camping in the area and decided to call the soon to be town Lexington after the Battle of Lexington. It was a frequently visited spot by travelers and it was in a central location on many pioneer trails. The major establishments of the town didn’t start until 1779 when a group of of settlers came from Harrodsburg and began building Fort Lexington. The Fort stayed strong and quickly grew and became a staple of central Kentucky
Town four was founded as Lee’s Town, now called Frankfort, in June of 1775. Hancock and Willis Lee, two brothers from Virginia, came to Kentucky and surveyed land located on the Kentucky River. It was established after Boonesboro and was the 2nd town established by pioneers on the Kentucky River. Willis Lee was killed by the Natives and during the year of the Bloody 1777’s, the residents left the area due to all the attacks by Natives. The people eventually returned and when Kentucky became a state in 1792 an area just north of where Leestown was located was offered to become the Capital and Frankfort was chosen as the name and would thrive as the town grew.
The fifth town is McClelland. With permission from John Floyd, John McClelland went to an area called Royal Springs, just north of Elkhorn Creek and established a settlement in 1775. He made many improvements and then returned to gather his family from Pennsylvania. After many fights with the Natives, and loosing the life of McClelland, the settlement was abandoned. The town would be revisited and settled by a Minister by the name of Elijah Craig in 1782. He would rename the town Lebanon. It would be renamed Georgetown after George Washington eight years later.
One of the first trails from Wheeling Virginia, Zane’s Trace, lead to an area on the Ohio River. There was a natural harbor that was first settled sometime around 1775 and it was named Limestone Station by Simon Kenton, but all abandon it do to fighting the Native Americans. John May acquired much of the land around Limestone and Daniel Boone established a trading post there. in 1787 it was established as Maysville. There was a trail that lead down from Maysville to Leestown (now Frankfort) that was frequented by buffalo and was referred to as the Buffalo Trace.
Louisville was established in 1778 by Lt. Col. George Rogers Clark by an Order of Gen. Geo. Washington and was to be used as a stronghold against the British. This would be the first settlement in the area of Corn Island on the Ohio River. In 1779 settlers moved ashore and the town of Louisville was born. In 1780 the Virginia Assembly approved the City Charter and approved naming it after King Louis XVI for his assistance in the Revolution. In 1828 the City was incorporated under the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
First settled by the settlers moving from Virginia, Bardstown was established in 1780. It was named the county seat of the newly formed Nelson County, Virginia in 1784 and it was formally established in 1788, and was incorporated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1838. Bardstown is named for the pioneering brothers of David and William Bard who surveyed and platted the town. The trail and parkway from Lexington and Frankfort is now called the Bluegrass Parkway and for most is a major part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
I truly hope this helps get a glimpse of the history of the people and settlements as they came here to Kentucky. I will be talking about how they interact with bourbon in upcoming blogs.
Thank you for your ears, keep on sipping that corn.
Rich Pesta
More than sipping corn 