KY:Historical Society - Historical Marker Database

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Alma Wallace Lesch
(Marker Number: 2159)

County: Bullitt
Location: Abbott St. & State Rd. 44, Shepherdsville

Description: A pioneer of the contemporary crafts movement, Lesch was an internationally exhibited textile teacher and artist, noted for work with fabric and found objects. Wrote influential book, Vegetable Dyeing, in 1970. Named Master Craftsman by World Crafts Council in 1974; received Ky. Governor's Award in 1987. Over.

(Reverse) Born in McCracken Co., Lesch lived and died in Bullitt Co., where she worked from her home studio. A founding member of the Kentucky Guild of Arts and Crafts, Lesch was one of five U.S. artists to have fiber work in the first World Crafts Exhibition (1974).

(Subjects: Artists | Authors | Women)

Belmont Furnace
(Marker Number: 1136)

County: Bullitt
Location: Across from Belmont, KY 61

Description: Stone stack 500 yds. east, 33 ft. high originally, 10 ft. across inside. Built in 1844, perhaps by John H. Baker, rebuilt in 1853, it burned charcoal fuel, smelted iron ore from Cane Run. The air blast machinery was powered by steam. In six months during 1857, it produced 1140 tons of pig iron, shipped to Louisville, mainly for making nails. See other side.

(Reverse) Iron Made in Kentucky - A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads. See over.

(Subjects: Iron Industry)

Brashear's Station
(Marker Number: 1944)

County: Bullitt
Location: Shepherdsville, 2003 KY 44 East

Description: An early station on the Wilderness Road between the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville) and Harrodsburg, Brashear's Station was a haven for pioneer hunters and travelers. It was built at mouth of Floyd's Fork near bank of Salt River, 1779. Founded by William Brashear, a famed woodsman from Maryland, who was killed by Indians, 1781. Presented by Bullitt Co. Genealogical Society.

(Reverse) Brashear's Station - Also known as Salt River Garrison or Froman's Station. Bullitt's Lick, major salt-producing area and hub of system of buffalo roads, was nearby. Early families who resided here for protection from the Indians included Froman, Ray, Briscoe, Crist, Collings, Overall, Pope, McGee, Hawkins, and Phelps. Presented by Bullitt Co. Genealogical Society.

(Subjects: Falls of the Ohio | Forts and Stations | Harrodsburg | Rivers | Salt Works | Wilderness Road)

Bullitt's Lick
(Marker Number: 133)

County: Bullitt
Location: 3 mi. NW of Shepherdsville, KY 44

Description: Located by Captain Thomas Bullitt, 1773. Site of early commercial production of salt in Kentucky. This lick provided salt for Kentucky settlements and the Illinois country.

(Subjects: Salt Works)

County Named, 1796
(Marker Number: 890)

County: Bullitt
Location: Shepherdsville, Courthouse lawn, KY 44, 61

Description: For Alexander Scott Bullitt, a leader in the political formation of Kentucky. Member conventions, 1788, seeking statehood and, 1792, drafting first Ky. Constitution. President Ky. Senate, 1792-99, and second constitutional convention, 1799. Elected first Lieut. Gov. of Ky., 1800-04, then re-elected to Senate, one term. Born in Va., 1762, came Ky., 1783, died, 1816.

(Subjects: Constitutional Convention (1792) | Constitutional Convention (1799))

L & N Bridge in Civil War
(Marker Number: 1296)

County: Bullitt
Location: KY 61 at crossing of Salt River, near Shepherdsville

Description: Destroyed three times by CSA. Partially razed on Sept. 7, 1862, by troops under Col. John Hutcheson. During the occupation of Shepherdsville, Sept. 28, Braxton Bragg's troops again destroyed it, but new bridge was up by Oct. 11. After Battle of Elizabethtown, Dec. 27, John Hunt Morgan's men moved along tracks, destroying everything on way to trestle works at Muldraugh's Hill.

(Subjects: Bragg, Braxton | Civil War | Louisville and Nashville Railroad | Morgan, John Hunt | Railroads)

Mile Stones, ca. 1835
(Marker Number: 1022)

County: Bullitt
Location: Near Mt. Washington Baptist Church, US 31-E & 150

Description: Along the early turnpikes the law required mile posts. Some were cut from stone and some cast in iron. They showed the distance to each end of the turnpike. Typical of the stone markers are 14 along the east side of the present highway, at their approximate initial locations beside the old Bardstown-Louisville Turnpike. See over.

(Reverse) An Early Turnpike - The Bardstown-Louisville Turnpike Company, chartered by the Kentucky Legislature in 1831, was capitalized at $130,000, increased to $200,000. Shares owned half by individuals, half by state. Turnpike completed July 1, 1838, at cost of $203,598. Length of road 29 miles, width 60 feet cleared with 40 graded. Tolls collected during the year ended Oct. 1841: $9,755. See over.

Morgan-on to Ohio
(Marker Number: 1413)

County: Bullitt
Location: Near bridge crossing Salt River, KY 61

Description: July 2, 1863, CSA Gen. J. H. Morgan began raid to prevent USA move to Tenn. and Va. Repulsed at Green River, July 4. Defeated a USA force at Lebanon, July 5. Moved through Bardstown, July 6. After night march, crossed here July 7. Rested troops few hours and proceeded to Brandenburg. Crossed to Indiana, July 8. He continued raid until captured in northeast Ohio, July 26.

(Subjects: Bardstown | Lebanon, Battle of | Morgan, John Hunt)

Mystery Cemetery
(Marker Number: 1415)

County: Bullitt
Location: KY 245 near Jct. with KY 1604

Description: Decades-old graveyard discovered near here. Graves, with unmarked headstones, believed to be those of itinerant railroad workers struck down by cholera epidemic during the construction of the Bardstown-Springfield-Louisville Railroad around 1854, or burial ground for Civil War soldiers killed during one of the many skirmishes occurring in this area.

(Subjects: Cemeteries | Cholera)

Salt River Furnace
(Marker Number: 1162)

County: Bullitt
Location: Beech Grove Rd. & KY 61, Bardstown Junction

Description: Stood one mile west. It was a stone stack 33 ft. high with a maximum inner diameter of 10 ft. Its fuel was charcoal, and its air blast machinery was driven by a steam engine, blowing preheated air through the stack. Built in 1832, perhaps by John H. Baker, it produced 700 to 800 tons of iron and castings annually until operations ended, 1853. See over.

(Reverse) Iron Made in Kentucky - A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads. See over.

(Subjects: Iron Industry)

Sherman Here
(Marker Number: 1324)

County: Bullitt
Location: Lebanon Junction, KY 434 at railroad crossing

Description: USA General William T. Sherman with 4,000 troops made headquarters here, late September, 1861. Object to secure Muldraugh's Hill against anticipated onrush of Confederates toward Louisville and to rally Kentuckians to Union cause. CSA Gen. Simon B. Buckner took Bowling Green, establishing Confederate line across Ky., but failed to push north. No major action occurred.

(Subjects: Buckner, Simon Bolivar | Civil War | Sherman, William T.)