KY:Historical Society - Historical Marker Database

KYHistorical Society

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Black Patch War
(Marker Number: 145)

County: Caldwell
Location: Princeton, US 62

Description: Here on December 1, 1906, began Black Patch War, which lasted to the end of 1908. "Night Riders" fought against non-cooperative farmers and businessmen who opposed the dark tobacco pool.

Converging of Indian Trails
(Marker Number: 1916)

County: Caldwell
Location: Big Spring Park, E. Washington St., Princeton

Description: Saline, Eddy, and Varmint traces met at Big Spring (Princeton) and developed into today's roads. First forged by buffalo, later used by Indians and pioneers. A fork of Saline crossed Ohio River at Cave-in-Rock; another at Golconda, Ill. Eddy Trace also known as Palmyra-Princeton Trail. Varmint Trace ran from Princeton to Cumberland River. Presented by Caldwell Co., Ky. Bicentennial and the Ky. Bicentennial Commission.

(Subjects: Indians | Rivers | Roads)

County Named, 1809
(Marker Number: 834)

County: Caldwell
Location: Princeton, Courthouse lawn, US 62

Description: For General John Caldwell. Born Va.; came Ky., 1781. Maj. Gen. in militia; Indian campaigns. With George Rogers Clark, 1786. Member Danville Conventions, 1787, 1788, which adopted petition "demanding admission into the Union." State Senator, 1792-96. Elected Lt. Gov. with Governor Greenup, 1804; served Sept. 4 to death, Nov. 19, 1804. Caldwell formed out of Livingston County.

(Subjects: Clark, George Rogers)

Courthouse Burned
(Marker Number: 579)

County: Caldwell
Location: Princeton, Courthouse lawn, US 62

Description: Gen. Hylan B. Lyon with 800 men invaded Ky., Dec. 1864, to enforce CSA draft law and divert USA from Nashville. In 23 days he burned seven courthouses used by Union forces. (See map on reverse side.) US troops fled Princeton as Lyon came from Eddyville. Courthouse burned on December 15. Records saved. Next day, Lyon stopped US force, then moved toward Madisonville.

(Subjects: Civil War | Courthouses Burned)

Cumberland Presbyterian College
(Marker Number: 1453)

County: Caldwell
Location: Near Jct. US 62 & KY 91, Princeton

Description: Site of college founded March, 1826, by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. First president was Rev. F. R. Cossitt. School opened with six students on some 500 acres of land bought for $6,000. A manual-labor school, students required to work 2 hours a day on farm. Classes in theology aided those interested in ministry. College merged 1858 with Cumberland Univ., Lebanon, Tenn.

Farmersville School
(Marker Number: 1981)

County: Caldwell
Location: Farmersville, just off KY 139, 104 Enon Rd.

Description: First school in Farmersville began here in 1844, when Floyd Nash, age 24, commenced teaching "sixteen schollars" in a log structure at Donaldson Baptist Church. Classes held in various buildings until March 1943, when fire destroyed Farmersville School. Students then transferred to Fredonia. Presented by Alumni of Farmersville School.

(Reverse) Farmersville School - In 1838, William Asherst gave land to Donaldson Church; site later became permanent location for school. With Miss Ercel Egbert as the principal, Farmersville in 1922-23 became 4-year high school. Enrollment stood at 256 when fire in 1943 ended the Farmersville School, which had trained generations of community leaders. Presented by Alumni of Farmersville School.

(Subjects: Baptist Church | Schools)

Fredonia
(Marker Number: 1908)

County: Caldwell
Location: Fredonia, US 641

Description: Town founded 1835 as a voting precinct. Established between Princeton and Salem stage stops, it was first called Midway; name changed to Fredonia two years later. In 1887, the Ohio Valley Railroad ran one-half mile west of town. Kelsey was established there; the two post offices combined in 1906, and retained Fredonia name.

(Subjects: Stagecoach Stops)

Historic Educational Site
(Marker Number: 1903)

County: Caldwell
Location: US 60 & KY 91 [W. Main St.], Princeton

Description: Six educational institutions have flourished here since 1860. Local citizens gave $20,000 and Dr. T.L. McNary six acres to establish Princeton College, 1860-80. Youth also served by Princeton Collegiate Inst., 1880-1911; Princeton High, 1911-23; Butler High 1924-54; Caldwell Co. H.S. until 1972; then Caldwell Middle School, 1972-92. Presented by Caldwell Co. Bicentennial Committee and The Ky. Bicentennial Commission.

(Subjects: Schools)

Ogden Memorial United Methodist Church
(Marker Number: 1932)

County: Caldwell
Location: Princeton, 305 West Main

Description: Congregation organized in 1818 as Methodist Episcopal Church at home of Richard Barnes, a tanner. First meeting house later built beside his home on S. Jefferson St. Became M.E. Church, South, 1845, when national church split over slavery. Renamed to honor Benjamin Ogden, first minister appointed to western Ky. and Tenn. by Bishop Asbury.

(Reverse) Ogden Memorial United Methodist Church - The first meeting house of Ogden Memorial was on South Jefferson Street. Several other evangelical denominations were organized there. The second building was erected in 1878 on South Seminary Street between Main and Washington. The present edifice, honoring Benjamin Ogden, erected 1928-29. Presented by Mary McCamey Smith.

(Subjects: Methodist Church)

Preacher to Pioneers
(Marker Number: 1278)

County: Caldwell
Location: Princeton, KY 293 at Dogwood La.

Description: Bishop Asbury named two itinerant Methodist preachers to Kentucky in 1786. One, Rev. Benjamin Ogden, had dedicated himself to religion after the Revolution. He preached in what is now Kentucky and Tennessee area. While inspiring countless pioneers, he endured a lifetime of sacrifice and suffering. Born in New Jersey in 1764, he died here in 1834. Monument, gravesite .3 mile east.

(Subjects: Asbury, Bishop Francis | Bishops | Methodist Church)

Princeton First Baptist Church
(Marker Number: 2195)

County: Caldwell
Location: 300 West Main St., Princeton

Description: First Baptist Church, organized on March 30, 1850, under the leadership of the Rev. James Mansfield and a presbytery from Donaldson, Harmony, and New Bethel Baptist Churches, began with 11 members. The 1st church, built in 1851, stood on Vine Street. It was used by Union troops as a hospital stable for their horses.

(Reverse) A 2nd building was built in 1881 on the SW corner of this site. This church burned in 1893. A 3rd church was built by July 1896. In 1927, Frank Blackburn was hired to supervise the construction of the current sanctuary with the 1st educational annex. In 1959, the church added the present educational wing and chapel.

(Subjects: Baptist Church | Civil War | Union Army)

Ranger Leader Blinded
(Marker Number: 751)

County: Caldwell
Location: 6 mi. SE of Princeton, KY 91

Description: Confederate Gen. Adam R. Johnson with 1700 Partisan Rangers were in area seeking recruits and supplies. Learning of Union troops under Gen. E. H. Hobson camped at Grubb's Cross Roads, Johnson attacked, Aug. 21, 1864. In the skirmish that followed, Johnson was wounded, losing sight of both eyes. CSA became demoralized and retreated to Paris, Tennessee.

(Subjects: Civil War | Johnson, Adam R.)

Shandy Hall (Princeton)
(Marker Number: 1902)

County: Caldwell
Location: Big Spring Park, E. Washington St., Princeton

Description: Shandy Hall, two-story frame home built on bluff above Big Spring, built by William Prince on his 200-acre survey made in 1798. Prince, a Rev. War veteran from S.C., began town on waters of Eddy Creek. In 1817, Princetown became county seat of Caldwell Co. Changed to Princeton the next year, it was situated on 50-acre donation of Prince heirs. Presented by Caldwell Co. Bicentennial Committee and The Ky. Bicentennial Commission.

(Subjects: Creeks | Revolutionary War)

Site of Dotson School
(Marker Number: 2183)

County: Caldwell
Location: Calvert and Donnavan Sts, Princeton

Description: In 1910, Princeton High School was the only high school in the vicinity for blacks. In 1920s name was changed to Dotson High School in honor of John Dotson, a prominent black businessman in Princeton. In 1938, Federal WPA officials approved construction of a new building to house grades 1-12. It was completed in 1941. Over.

Known for basketball, Dotson’s 1962-63 team won the regional tournament. Dotson served the black community until 1966, when students were integrated into county schools. The building was destroyed by fire in 1968. In 1984, the property was leased to the city of Princeton for a park. Presented by the Dotson Park Board.

(Subjects: African American | Schools | Dotson, John)

Skirmish at Grubb's Crossroads
(Marker Number: 1630)

County: Caldwell
Location: 61/2 mi. S. of Princeton, KY 91

Description: Most Caldwell County Confederates enlisted in Gen. Adam Johnson's Co. K, 10th Ky. Partisan Rangers. His purpose was to gather recruits and supplies, to secure state for CSA. In August, 1864, he attacked a Union regiment here, was blinded permanently. Rangers then retreated over Cumberland and Tennessee rivers to Paris, Tenn., where they reorganized for another Ky. raid.

(Subjects: Civil War | Johnson, Adam R.)

Trail of Tears
(Marker Number: 142)

County: Caldwell
Location: Big Springs Park, E. Washington St., Princeton

Description: At this point on the "Varmintrace" Road from Princeton toward Cumberland River the Cherokee Indians in 1838 camped on the 1200-mile "Trail of Tears." The enforced trek began in the Great Smoky Mountains and led westward to Indian Territory, costing the Cherokees nearly one-third of their population.

(Subjects: Cherokee Indians | Roads)

U.S. Research and Education Center
(Marker Number: 2118)

County: Caldwell
Location: U.K. Research and Education Center, 1205 Hopkinsville Rd., KY 91

Description: Established by Ky. legislature in 1924 as Western Ky. Sub-experiment Station of the Univ. of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Original 400 acres donated by Caldwell Co. citizens. S. J. Lowry was supt., 1924-63. First office/service building was completed in 1931. The Research and Extension Building was dedicated in 1980.

(Subjects: University of Kentucky)