what was the first settlement in kentucky

When did Kentucky become a state of USA?

Kentucky was granted statehood in 1792, becomingthe first U.S. state west of the Appalachian Mountains. Frontiersman Daniel Boone was one of Kentucky’s most prominent explorers and many immigrants followed the trail he blazed through the Cumberland Gap, known as the Wilderness Road.

When was the last time Kentucky played in the NIT?

When was the last time Kentucky played in the NIT? NIT Appearances: 8 (1944, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1976, 1979, 2009, 2013) Has Kentucky basketball ever had a losing season? “I’ve never lost this many games in my life,” the 22-year old said after the Wildcats fell to Mississippi State 74-73 in Thursday’s SEC Tournament.

What year did Kentucky separate from Virginia?

Virginia Kentucky was originally declared to be a part of Virginia and was made a separate county of that state in 1776. Why did Kentucky leave Virginia? Virginia, the Mother of States, and the Bluegrass State cited irreconcilable differences after Kentucky claimed that Virginia “was tryin’ to act like she had old dominion over me.

When did Daniel Boone first settle in Kentucky?

In 1767, Boone and his brother Squire first crossed into what would become the state of Kentucky, but they failed to reach the rich hunting grounds. In May 1769, Boone set out again with a party of five others, beginning a two-year hunting expedition in which Boone thoroughly explored Kentucky.

What was Kentucky called before it was called Kentucky?

KentuckeCounty of Kentucky and statehood On December 31, 1776, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly, the portion of Fincastle County west of the Appalachians extending to the Mississippi River, previously known as Kentucky (or Kentucke) territory, was split off into its own county of Kentucky.

What is the oldest town in Kentucky?

The City of Harrodsburg KentuckyThe City of Harrodsburg Kentucky was founded in 1774 as the first permanent settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. As Kentucky's oldest town, the city is located in the heart of the Bluegrass Region and is surrounded by rolling countryside, horse farms, historic stone fences, historic architecture and culture.

When was Kentucky first founded?

June 1, 1792Kentucky / Founded

What is the oldest street in Kentucky?

Stanford's Main Street is part of the Wilderness Road and is the oldest Main Street in Kentucky. The city of Stanford has made great strides in preserving its heritage. Many homes and buildings have been restored in the past few years.

Who is the oldest person in Kentucky?

Mary Magdalen HuttonOldest living people in the United States (110+)State / Country ofNameSexresidenceMary Magdalen HuttonFKentuckyAlice ThompsonFIllinoisLillian MoranFMinnesota58 more rows

Who were the first settlers in Kentucky?

1769 - Daniel Boone and John Finley first saw the far distant Bluegrass atop Pilot Knob, now in Powell County. The recorded date is June 7, 1769. 1774 - James Harrod constructed the first permanent settlement in Kentucky at Fort Harrod.

What does Kentucky mean in Native American?

land of tomorrowKentucky comes from the Iroquois word "ken-tah-ten," which means "land of tomorrow." The other possible meanings for "Kentucky" that derive from the Iroquois language are: "meadow," "prairie," and "the river of blood."

How old is Kentucky?

Kentucky was granted statehood in 1792, becoming the first U.S. state west of the Appalachian Mountains. Frontiersman Daniel Boone was one of Kentucky's most prominent explorers and many immigrants followed the trail he blazed through the Cumberland Gap, known as the Wilderness Road.

What is the second oldest town in Kentucky?

BardstownAs the second-oldest town in Kentucky, Bardstown has a storied history for every city block.

Where is the cheapest place to live in Kentucky?

The 10 Cheapest Places to Live in KentuckyPrinceton. According to Home Snacks, the cheapest place to live in Kentucky is Princeton, which is a small city in western Kentucky that is home to 6,116 people.Flatwoods. ... Bardstown. ... Dayton. ... Russellville. ... Hazard. ... Harrodsburg. ... Bellevue. ... More items...•

What is the oldest city in the United States?

St. AugustineSt. Augustine, founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain, is the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States – more commonly called the "Nation's Oldest City."

Where is the original Boonesborough?

Madison, KentuckyThe settlement they founded, known as Boonesborough, Kentucky, is Kentucky's second oldest European-American settlement....Fort Boonesborough State ParkLocationMadison, Kentucky, United StatesCoordinates37°54′2″N 84°16′6″WElevation568 ft (173 m)EstablishedJune 14, 196320 more rows

What were the Native Americans' first settlements in Kentucky?

Although inhabited by Native Americans in prehistoric times, when explorers and settlers began entering Kentucky in the mid-18th century, there were no permanent Native American settlements in the region. Instead, the country was used as common hunting grounds by Shawnees from the north and Cherokees from the south. The Iroquois also hunted there until 1768. The exploration of the area that would become Kentucky was made in 1750 by a scouting party led by Dr. Thomas Walker. The Iroquois claim to much of what is now Kentucky was purchased in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768); that of the Shawnee and Mingo at the Treaty of Camp Charlotte concluding Dunmore's War (1774), and that of the Cherokee at the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals (1775). However, this last treaty (The "Transylvania Purchase") was not recognized by the renegade Cherokee Chief Dragging Canoe. During the American Revolution, settlers soon began pouring into the region; Dragging Canoe responded by leading his faction into the Chickamauga Wars (1776-1794), at the height of the War for Independence. The Shawnees north of the Ohio River, were also unhappy about the settlement of Kentucky, and allied themselves with the British.

Who explored Kentucky?

The Iroquois also hunted there until 1768. The exploration of the area that would become Kentucky was made in 1750 by a scouting party led by Dr. Thomas Walker.

What treaty did the Iroquois claim to the Cherokee?

The Iroquois claim to much of what is now Kentucky was purchased in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768); that of the Shawnee and Mingo at the Treaty of Camp Charlotte concluding Dunmore's War (1774), and that of the Cherokee at the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals (1775). However, this last treaty (The "Transylvania Purchase") was not recognized by ...

Why was the Fort of Kentucky built?

A fort was built there during the last year of the war for defense against the British and their Native American allies. Kentucky was a battleground during the war; the Battle of Blue Licks, one of the last major battles of the Revolution, was fought in Kentucky.

What was the westernmost part of Kentucky?

The westernmost part of Kentucky, west of the Tennessee River, was recognized as hunting ground belonging to the Chickasaw by the 1786 Treaty of Hopewell, and remained so until they sold it to the U.S. in 1818. Read more about this topic: History Of Kentucky.

What were the major crops in Kentucky?

Tobacco, corn, and hemp were the major crops of Kentucky, and the hunting stage of frontier life faded away. Kentucky's second largest city, and former capital Lexington, is named for Lexington, Massachusetts, site of one of the first battles of the Revolution.

Where did the settlement of America come from?

“ The settlement of America had its origins in the unsettlement of Europe. America came into existence when the European was already so distant from the ancient ideas and ways of his birthplace that the whole span of the Atlantic did not widen the gulf. ”#N#— Lewis Mumford (1895–1990)

Who settled Kentucky first?

Continuing Daniel Boone Settles Kentucky,

What prevented the abandonment of Kentucky?

There seems no reason to doubt [1] that the establishment of the strong, well-backed settlement of Boonsborough was all that prevented the abandonment of Kentucky at this time; and when such was the effect of a foray by small and scattered war parties of Indians from tribes nominally at peace with us, [2] it can easily be imagined how hopeless it would have been to have tried to settle the land had there still been in existence a strong hostile confederacy such as that presided over by Cornstalk. Beyond doubt the restless and vigorous frontiersmen would ultimately have won their way into the coveted western lands; yet had it not been for the battle of the Great Kanawha, Boone and Henderson could not, in 1775, have planted their colony in Kentucky; and had it not been for Boone and Henderson, it is most unlikely that the land would have been settled at all until after the Revolutionary war, when perhaps it might have been British soil. Boone was essentially a type, and possesses his greatest interest for us because he represents so well the characteristics as well as the life-work of his fellow backwoodsmen; still, it is unfair not to bear in mind also the leading part he played and the great services he rendered to the nation.

Where was Boonesborough in 1778?

Place: Boonesborough, Kentucky. Boonesborough in 1778. Public domain image from Wikipedia. The journey was hard and tiresome. At times it rained; and again there were heavy snow-storms, in one of which an emigrant got lost, and only found his way to camp by the help of a pocket-compass.

When did humans first live in Kentucky?

Based on evidence in other regions, humans were likely living in Kentucky prior to 10,000 BCE, but archaeological evidence of their occupation has yet to be documented. Stone tools, particularly projectile points ( arrowheads) and scrapers, are the primary evidence of the earliest human activity in the Americas.

What era was Kentucky in?

Archaic era (7500 BCE – 1000 BCE) By 7500 BCE, a catastrophic extinction of large game animals at the end of the Ice Age changed the culture of this area. By 4000 BCE, Kentucky peoples exploited native wetland resources.

How did the first settlers get their money?

They obtained cash from selling burley tobacco, hemp, horses and mules; the hemp was spun and woven for cotton bale making and rope. Tobacco was labor-intensive to cultivate. Planters were attracted to Kentucky from Maryland and Virginia, where their land was exhausted from tobacco cultivation. Plantations in the Bluegrass region used slave labor on a smaller scale than the cotton plantations of the Deep South.

What was the Woodland era?

The Woodland era represents the "middle" era between the mostly hunter-gatherers of the Archaic era and the agriculturalist Mississippian culture era. The Woodland era is a developmental stage without any massive changes but is constituted by a continuous development in shelter construction, stone and bone tools, textile manufacture, leather crafting, and agricultural cultivation. Archaeologist have identified distinctly separate cultures during the Middle Woodland period. Examples include the Armstrong culture, Copena culture, Crab Orchard culture, Fourche Maline culture, the Goodall Focus, the Havana Hopewell culture, the Kansas City Hopewell, the Marksville culture, and the Swift Creek culture. The remains of two distinct Woodland groups, the Adena (early Woodland) and the Hopewell (middle Woodland), have been found in present-day Louisville, and in the central Bluegrass and northeastern Kentucky areas.

Why did Kentucky support the Mexican American War?

Some citizens enthusiastically supported the war, at least in part because residents believed victory would bring new lands for the expansion of slavery. Others—especially Whigs, who followed Henry Clay, opposed the war and refused to participate. The quest for honor was especially important, as a rising generation sought their self-identity and a link with heroic ancestors. The state easily met its quota of 2500 volunteer troops in 1846 and 1847. Although the war's popularity declined after a year or two, clear majorities supported it throughout.

What are the evidences of early human activity in the Americas?

Based on evidence in other regions, humans were probably living in Kentucky before 10,000 BCE; however, archaeological evidence of their occupation has not yet been documented. Stone tools, particularly projectile points ( arrowheads) and scrapers, are primary evidence of the earliest human activity in the Americas. Paleo-Indian bands probably moved their camps several times per year. Their camps were typically small, consisting of 20 to 50 people. Band organization was egalitarian, with no formal leaders and no social ranking or classes. Linguistic, blood-type and molecular evidence, such as DNA, indicate that indigenous Americans are descendants of east Siberian peoples.

Why did the Kentuckians want to separate from Virginia?

Traveling to the Virginia state capital from Kentucky was long and dangerous. The use of local militias against Indian raids required authorization from the governor of Virginia, and Virginia refused to recognize the importance of Mississippi River trade to Kentucky's economy. It forbade trade with the Spanish colony of New Orleans (which controlled the mouth of the Mississippi), important to Kentucky communities.

Where was the first pioneer settlement in Kentucky?

They named it Harrod’s Town, centered around Fort Harrod. Fort Harrod was located approximately 250 miles from the nearest English settlement.

When did Kentucky become a state?

US #904 – Kentucky became the 15th state on June 1, 1792.

When was the first doctor in Kentucky?

The first doctor in Kentucky established a practice in Fort Harrod in 1776, and in 1777, Kentucky’s first court opened there. Harrod went on to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates and as a trustee for the settlement. He also served in the militia, reaching the rank of colonel in 1779.

When was Harrodsburg established?

In 1785, the town was formally established by the Virginia General Assembly as Harrodsburg. It was incorporated by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1836. In 1927, the fort was reconstructed as the centerpiece of Old Fort Harrod State Park. And in 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated a monument in the town honoring it as ...

When did the French and Spanish first come to Kentucky?

French and Spanish explorers first came to Kentucky via the rivers of the Mississippi basin in the 17th century, and traders from the eastern colonies entered the region during the early 18th century, primarily by way of the Ohio River and Cumberland Gap.

What was the name of the town in Kentucky that was established by James Harrod?

Following the Revolution, immigrants poured down the rivers and traveled the Wilderness Road, the trail blazed by Boone through Cumberland Gap. Harrodsburg, Kentucky’s oldest town, was established (as Harrodstown) near the head of Salt River by James Harrod and a party of 37 men in 1774. Other settlers also founded towns, and before long they began to call for separation of the judicial district of Kentucky from Virginia. Although statehood conventions at Danville in the 1780s were initially ruffled by the “Spanish Conspiracy” of James Wilkinson and others to ally the region with Spain, they led ultimately to the adoption of a constitution and, on June 1, 1792, Kentucky’s admission as the 15th state of the union. The organization of state government took place three days later in a Lexington tavern. Isaac Shelby was appointed governor, and a committee was appointed to select a permanent site for the capital. Frankfort was chosen, and the General Assembly met for the first time on November 1, 1793.

What was Kentucky known for?

Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Kentucky region was inhabited by indigenous agricultural and hunting peoples who left behind burial and ceremonial mounds that remain prominent features of the landscape today. Later the area became a hunting ground and battlefield for other native peoples, such as the Shawnee from the north and the Cherokee from the south. French and Spanish explorers first came to Kentucky via the rivers of the Mississippi basin in the 17th century, and traders from the eastern colonies entered the region during the early 18th century, primarily by way of the Ohio River and Cumberland Gap. Although native resistance and rough terrain hindered European exploration during the 1750s and ’60s, Virginian physician Thomas Walker and a survey party in 1750 established the region’s southern boundary—the so-called “Walker Line,” at 36°30′ N—as an extension of the Virginia–North Carolina boundary. (Kentucky was to remain part of Virginia until 1792.) The French and Indian War (1754–63) secured the Ohio River as a major entryway to the region for successive waves of European settlers. In 1769 Daniel Boone and a hunting party penetrated to the central plateau region, or Bluegrass country. Boonesborough was established there in 1775.

When was the Mississippi River added to Kentucky?

The southwestern boundary shifted to the Mississippi River when the Purchase was added in 1818 . Events leading to the adoption of a second state constitution in 1799 revealed an internal occupational division that has in some ways continued to characterize Kentucky.

Who was the leader of Kentucky in the War of 1812?

Henry Clay. The first half of the 19th century was one of the most eventful in the state’s history. Kentucky took a lead in the War of 1812, much of which was fought in the adjacent Northwest Territory against combined British and native forces.

What was the first state to be admitted to the Union?

Kentucky was the first state west of the Appalachian Mountains to be admitted to the union. At the time of its admission it was bounded on the southwest by the Tennessee River and on the north and northwest by the low-water line on the north shore of the Ohio River. The southwestern boundary shifted to the Mississippi River when the Purchase was added in 1818.

Early Exploration of Kentucky

Kentucky was a thriving land with rich soil and full of game. This drove many explorers into the land hoping to find settlement and even create a state.

Episode 4: Early Exploration

In this episode we discuss the early exploration of Kentucky and the first contact these explorers had with Native Americans. We also discuss how the French and Indian War contributed to colonist moving to Kentucky.

Episode 9: Fort Logan & Other Forts in Kentucky

In this episode our host discuss Fort Logan and the many other forts you can find in Kentucky. What was life like in the forts? How were the forts similar? Many struggles and hardships faced the many who braved to come and settle in Kentucky.

Who was the first English colonist to settle in Kentucky?

June 16, 1774 • James Harrod and 37 men, while on a surveying expedition ordered by Lord Dunmore, royal governor of Virginia, claimed the territory in what is now Mercer County, Kentucky as the first English settlement west of the Alleghenies, Harrod's Town; in July they abandoned the few buildings there when called into military service, but returned the next spring with women (like Ann Kennedy Wilson Poague Lindsay McGinty) to build up what became a bustling frontier town at Old Fort Hill.

What was the name of the town in Kentucky?

This may also have been the town that the Wyandot (of the Iroquois nations) referred to as Kentucky or "Meadow" and so the name for the nearby river came to serve as the name for the whole area. Eskppakithiki was probably the last permanent non-European town in the area that became Kentucky; later European-American settlers called the well-kept farmlands around the stockaded village location the "Indian Old Fields."

What tribes lived in Kentucky before 1750?

Topics: African-Americans - Cities - Politics. United States portal. v. t. e. Before 1750, Kentucky was populated nearly exclusively by Cherokee, Chickasaw, Shawnee and several other tribes of Native Americans See also Pre-Columbian. April 13, 1750 • While leading an expedition for the Loyal Land Company in what is now southeastern Kentucky, Dr.

What was the last non-European town in Kentucky?

Eskppakithiki was probably the last permanent non-European town in the area that became Kentucky; later European-American settlers called the well-kept farmlands around the stockaded village location the "Indian Old Fields.".

Where did Levi Todd settle?

1777 • Levi Todd moved to Kentucky and settled in Harrodsburg where he became the first clerk of Kentucky County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. May 27, 1778 * (1778) George Rogers Clark arrives at the Falls of the Ohio and establishes Corn Island settlement.

Who won the first Kentucky Derby?

May 17, 1875 • The first Kentucky Derby was won by a colt named Aristides ridden by African-American jockey, Oliver Lewis in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people.

Who was the first governor of Kentucky?

June 1, 1792 • Kentucky became the fifteenth state to be admitted to the union and Isaac Shelby, a military veteran from Virginia, was elected the first Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

What was the first settlement in Kentucky?

Fort Jefferson, the first settlement in western Kentucky, was one of the first Kentucky positions occupied by Union Troops after the Confederates seized the area surrounding Columbus in September 1861. 1862 -. The first major battle on Kentucky soil during the Civil War was fought near Prestonsburg, January 10, 1862.

What is the history of Kentucky?

Offers a chronological timeline of important dates, events, and milestones in Kentucky history. Kentucky's first inhabitants are descendants of prehistoric people who migrate from Asia over the Arctic land bridge. Archaic people grow squash in the area, and Woodland people cultivate corn and beans. Kentu cky was granted statehood in 1792, becoming ...

How many governors were there in Kentucky in 1899?

1899-1900 - Kentucky experienced four different governors in less than three months time, between early December of 1899 and early February of 1900.

How many troops did Kentucky have in the Civil War?

Civil War Kentucky had supplied about 86,000 troops to the north and 40,000 troops to the south. Ironically, south-central Kentucky was the birthplace of both the Union president, Abraham Lincoln, and the Confederate president, Jefferson Davis, further enhancing the state's dualistic role in the Civil War.

What was the longest siege in the history of the United States?

1778 - The longest siege in United States frontier history was the thirteen-day siege of Fort Boonesborough in September 1778.

When was Kentucky annexed?

1818 - Westernmost region of the state was annexed, following its purchase from the Chicasaw Indians. 1819 - The first commercial oil well was on the Cumberland River in McCreary County Kentucky in 1819. 1830 - Louisville and Portland Canal opened.

When was Kentucky granted statehood?

Archaic people grow squash in the area, and Woodland people cultivate corn and beans. Kentucky was granted statehood in 1792 , becoming the first U.S. state west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Overview

Early European settlement

Pre-European habitation and culture

First Europeans

Etymology and nickname

Antebellum period (1792–1860)

Civil War (1861–1865)

Reconstruction to World War I (1865–1914)