KY:Historical Society - Historical Marker Database

KYHistorical Society

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"Morgan's Men" Here
(Marker Number: 625)

County: Clark
Location: Winchester, Courthouse lawn, US 60 & KY 627

Description: CSA Gen. John H. Morgan's cavalry first raided Kentucky July, 1862. Took Cynthiana but, faced by large USA forces, withdrew. Destroyed arms here on 19th and went to Richmond. On last raid, June 1864, after two battles at Mt. Sterling, they moved by here to Lexington and to Cynthiana where they met defeat on 12th and retreated to Virginia. See map on other side.

(Subjects: Civil War | Cynthiana, Battle of | Lexington | Morgan, John Hunt | Mt. Sterling)

Canewood - 1-1/4 miles
(Marker Number: 116)

County: Clark
Location: 61/2 mi. N. of Winchester, KY 627

Description: Home of two Revolutionary War officers: built about 1793 by Col. Nathaniel Gist 1735-1796 and Gen. Charles Scott 1739-1813, Governor of Kentucky 1808-1812 who married the widow Gist, 1807.

(Subjects: Governors | Revolutionary War)

Capt. John Strode
(Marker Number: 1047)

County: Clark
Location: 1 mi. W. of Winchester, US 60

Description: Came from Va. to Boonesborough, 1776. Builder of Strode's Station, 1779, the largest and most important fortified area in Clark County during the early settlements and bloody Indian wars. Indians attacked station 1781, and later. Two men killed first attack, none in later ones. Old burial ground unearthed, 1965, and the remains reinterred in Winchester Cemetery.

(Subjects: Cemeteries | Forts and Stations | Indians)

Captain Isaac Cunningham, 1778-1842
(Marker Number: 2302)

County: Clark
Location: 3375 Van Meter Road, Winchester

Description: Commanded a company of Kentucky Mounted Volunteer Militia from Clark and Bourbon counties during the War of 1812. Served in state legislature 1816 and 1827. Sheriff & Clark County magistrate. Visitors to his farm included Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Gov. James Clark, and Hon. Richard Menifee.

(Reverse) Grave of Capt. Isaac Cunningham- Isaac, and brother Robert, brought bluegrass seed from Virginia. They were among the first to cultivate bluegrass and use it as a crop in Ky. Also prominent in importing, breeding, and raising shorthorn cattle and thoroughbred horses. Isaac and his wife, Sarah Harness, are buried near this spot.

(Subjects: Cemeteries | Clay, Henry | Horses | War of 1812)

Captain John Holder
(Marker Number: 1048)

County: Clark
Location: Athens-Boonesboro Rd., Howard's Creek

Description: An outstanding pioneer at Fort Boonesborough, 1776-81. Among the rescuers of Callaway and Boone girls captured by Indians. Named colonel of militia, 1779. Engaged in expeditions against Indians. In 1781 built Holder's Station and operated boatyard at the mouth of Howard's Creek. Led in the Battle of Upper Blue Licks, 1782. Trustee of Winchester, justice Co. Court.

(Subjects: Blue Licks, Battle of | Boonesborough | Forts and Stations | Indians)

Caveland
(Marker Number: 1318)

County: Clark
Location: Jones Nursery Rd., 7 mi. N. of Hootentown-Fayette Co. Line Rd.

Description: Home of Richard Hickman. Born in Va., 1757. Built house in 1797. Clark County's first legislative representative, 1793-98. Member 1799 Ky. Constitutional Convention. General in the Kentucky Militia. State senator, 1800-8, 1811-12, 1819-22. Lt. Gov., 1812-16, serving briefly as Governor in 1813 while Gov. Shelby led Ky. troops in War of 1812. Died in 1832. Buried here.

(Subjects: Constitutional Convention (1799) | Shelby, Isaac | War of 1812)

Clark County Courthouse
(Marker Number: 2256)

County: Clark
Location: Courthouse, 34 S. Main St., Winchester

Description: Clark County, named in honor of Revolutionary War hero General George Rogers Clark, was created in 1792. A two-room log cabin courthouse built here in 1794 on land donated by John Baker. Replaced by two-story brick bldg. in 1797. Third courthouse, built 1821, was where Henry Clay argued his last case before a jury, 1849.

(Reverse) Today’s courthouse, designed by noted Lexington architect John McMurtry, was completed in 1855 at a cost of over $40,000. Clock tower raised and courtroom moved upstairs in 1889. Courthouse was expanded in 1938 by addition of a rear block matching the front. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

(Subjects: Clark, George Rogers | Clay, Henry | Courthouses | National Register of Historic Places)

Clark County Hemp
(Marker Number: 1319)

County: Clark
Location: 5 mi. W. of Winchester, US 60

Description: One of the ten Bluegrass counties which produced over 90 percent of the entire country's yield in late 1800s. Production increased from 155 tons in 1869 to over 1,000 tons in 1889, valued at about $125 per ton. In 1942, Winchester selected as site of one of 42 cordage plants built throughout country to offset fiber shortage during war. See over.

(Reverse) Hemp in Kentucky - First crop grown, 1775. From 1840 to 1860, Ky.'s production largest in U.S. Peak in 1850 was 40,000 tons, with value of $5,000,000. Scores of factories made twine, rope, oakum to caulk sailing ships and cotton bagging. State's largest cash crop until 1915. Market lost to imported jute, freed of tariff. As war measure, hemp grown again during World War II. See over.

(Subjects: Hemp | World War II)

Colbyville Tavern
(Marker Number: 1358)

County: Clark
Location: 5 mi. W. of Winchester, Colby Rd., KY 927, at Jct. of Becknerville Rd.

Description: Built in 1820s by Colby Taylor as a place of rest and entertainment on stage road from Winchester to Lexington. In 1832, President Andrew Jackson visited here on his trip to Winchester. During antebellum heyday in late 1840s, popular stop for those on way to Olympian Springs in Bath Co. These grounds were used as muster-and-drill area for the Winchester Light Infantry.

(Subjects: Jackson, Andrew | Springs | Taverns)

Colonel William Sudduth
(Marker Number: 2266)

County: Clark
Location: Wade's Mill Road (off of US 60), Winchester

Description: Born in Virginia on November 25, 1765, he was an early settler of Clark Co. He served under Anthony Wayne in the campaign of 1794 & was Clark Co. surveyor for 30 yrs. A justice of the peace & sheriff, Col. Sudduth was last surviving member of the 1799 convention that framed Kentucky’s second constitution. He died in 1845.

(Subjects: Constitutional Convention (1799) | Early Settlers)

County Named, 1793
(Marker Number: 1217)

County: Clark
Location: Winchester, Courthouse lawn, US 60

Description: For General George Rogers Clark, who came to Kentucky territory from Virginia, 1775. He commanded expedition into Illinois territory in 1778-79, taking the British forts which held the northwest for future US settlement, and capturing commander of area. Originally taken from Bourbon and Fayette; covered area of 5 present counties and parts of 8 others.

(Subjects: Clark, George Rogers | Revolutionary War)

East Broadway Cemetery
(Marker Number: 1399)

County: Clark
Location: E. Broadway & Park Ave., Winchester

Description: In 1833 town trustees bought about an acre for $45 for public burial ground. First cholera epidemic in U.S. reached here. Seventy-five victims were buried here in 1833. John Ward, town trustee and a leader in forming cemetery, and his wife were both plague victims. The cemetery used until 1854. Maintained as a memorial of that terrible tragedy.

(Subjects: Cemeteries | Cholera)

East KY. Power Cooperative
(Marker Number: 1894)

County: Clark
Location: 4758 Lexington Rd., Winchester

Description: On July 7, 1941, thirteen of Kentucky's rural electric co-ops formed East Kentucky Power Cooperative to relieve the electric power shortage common in rural areas. In 1951, Hugh L. Spurlock became EKPC's first general manager. Construction began soon after on its first power plant, William C. Dale Station.

(Reverse) East KY. Power Cooperative - Before 1937, only 3% of rural homes in Ky. had electricity. Today, electricity is available to all. EKPC supplies wholesale power to 18 electric co-ops that serve electricity needs of farms, homes, and businesses in eastern 2/3 of state. With headquarters here, EKPC operates three coal-fired generating plants in Somerset, Ford, and Maysville.

(Subjects: Coal)

Governor James Clark
(Marker Number: 127)

County: Clark
Location: Colby Rd., Winchester, KY 627

Description: Home and monument of James Clark 1779-1839. Governor of Kentucky, 1836-1839. Member of Congress; Judge, Court of Appeals. As Circuit Judge he rendered his famous decision which set off the old and the new court fight in 1821.

(Subjects: Governors)

Hanson Home Site
(Marker Number: 951)

County: Clark
Location: Lexington Ave., Winchester, US 60

Description: Here lived five Hanson brothers, Civil War soldiers, USA and CSA. For USA: Col. Charles S., hero of Battle of Lebanon, July, 1863; Pvt. Samuel K.-died in service. For CSA: Brig. Gen. Roger, mortally wounded in the Battle of Stone's River, Jan. 2, 1863; Pvt. Richard H. and Pvt. Isaac S. Sons of the Hon. Samuel and Matilda Hickman Hanson.

(Subjects: Civil War | Lebanon, Battle of)

Homer C. Ledford
(Marker Number: 2250)

County: Clark
Location: College St. in College Park, Winchester

Description: Homer Ledford (1927-2006) was a master craftsman, musician, and teacher. Born in Tennessee, he came to Kentucky to attend Berea College & graduated from Eastern Ky. University. Ledford founded the Cabin Creek Band in 1976 & led it for 30 years, entertained on four continents, and performed for five of Kentucky’s governors.

(Reverse) Ledford crafted thousands of musical instruments. His banjos, violins, guitars, mandolins, and dulcimers are sought by musicians worldwide. The Smithsonian Institution houses three of his creations— a fretless banjo, an Appalachian dulcimer and a dulcitar, which he copyrighted. He played 13 musical instruments.

(Subjects: Berea College | Music | Teachers | Eastern Kentucky University)

Indian Old Fields
(Marker Number: 1274)

County: Clark
Location: 11 mi. SE of Winchester, KY 15

Description: Site of Eskippakithiki, sometimes called "Kentake," located on the Warrior's Path. This meeting place for traders and Indian hunters was the last of the Kentucky Indian towns. Occupied by the Shawnees, ca. 1715-1754. John Finley had a store here and traded with the Indians, 1752. Daniel Boone viewed "the beautiful level of Kentucky" from this point on June 7, 1769.

(Subjects: Boone, Daniel | Indians | Shawnee Indians)

Lulbegrud Creek
(Marker Number: 137)

County: Clark
Location: Clark-Powell Co. line, KY 15

Description: Near site of winter camp of Daniel and Squire Boone, Alexander Neeley, and John Stuart, 1769-70. Creek named by these pioneers after "Lorbrulgrud" of Gulliver's Travels, first known book brought to Kentucky. Corrupted to Lulbegrud.

(Subjects: Books | Boone, Daniel | Boone, Squire)

Old Providence Church
(Marker Number: 1068)

County: Clark
Location: 5 mi. S. Winchester-Richmond Rd., at Old Stone Rd.

Description: Daniel Boone attended; Squire, Jr., Samuel and Mary Boone baptized here. Church name changed, 1790, from Howard's Creek to Providence. William Bush, a member of Boone's second Kentucky expedition, built the present stone structure of native limestone. United Baptists formed here in 1801. Building was passed to Negro Baptists, 1870. Restored after slight fire damage, 1949.

(Subjects: African American | Baptist Church | Boone, Daniel)

Rare 1860 Tombstones
(Marker Number: 710)

County: Clark
Location: 3 mi. S. of Winchester, KY 15

Description: In the burial ground, one-fourth mile east, are two rare Carrara marble tombstones carved in Italy by Joel Tanner Hart, the world renowned sculptor. He brought the stones to America, 1860, at time of unveiling of his great statue of Henry Clay in Richmond, Va. Visiting his birthplace near here, he placed stones in memory of his parents, Josiah and Judith Hart.

(Subjects: Clay, Henry | Sculptors)

Roy Stuart Cluke
(Marker Number: 679)

County: Clark
Location: 6 mi. W. of Winchester on KY 1927

Description: Site of home and farm from which Cluke enlisted in the Confederate army. Commissioned Colonel of 8th Regt. Ky. Cavalry CSA, Sept. 1862. Immediate action in Ky. won the confidence of Gen. John H. Morgan; was with Morgan in Dec. 1862 and July 1863 raids when captured in Ohio. He died December 31, 1863, in U.S. prison, age 39. Buried near Morgan in Lexington Cemetery.

(Subjects: Cemeteries | Civil War | Lexington | Morgan, John Hunt)

Sculptor's Birthplace
(Marker Number: 731)

County: Clark
Location: 1 mi. E. of Winchester, US 60

Description: Birthplace of Joel Tanner Hart, 1810, sculptor and poet. Began as stone-cutter, 1830. Went to Florence, Italy, 1840. Famed for busts: John Jordan Crittenden, Cassius M. Clay, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson. Marble statues: Woman Triumphant, Il Penseroso, Henry Clay, Angelina and others. Died, Italy, 1871. By Legislative Act, reburied Frankfort, 1887.

(Subjects: Frankfort | Sculptors)

Spring Hill
(Marker Number: 948)

County: Clark
Location: 6-1/2 mi. W. of Winchester on Colby Rd.

Description: Home of Hubbard Taylor, soldier, surveyor, politician. Born, Va., 1760; in Am. Revolution, 1776-78. Came to Ky. as surveyor, 1780. In 1790 brought family, built this home. In first Ky. Const. Conv., 1792; in Ky. Senate, 1796-1800 and 1815-19. Presidential elector six times. Died in 1840. His kinsman, Pres. James Madison, visited here; also Henry Clay, other statesmen.

(Subjects: Clay, Henry | Constitutional Convention (1792) | Madison, James | Revolutionary War)