KY:Historical Society - Historical Marker Database

KYHistorical Society

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Andrew Jackson Smith
(Marker Number: 2107)

County: Lyon
Location: Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, approx. 3 mi. S. of Grand Rivers

Description: This Medal of Honor recipient was born a slave in Lyon County, Ky., on September 3, 1843. Andrew Jackson Smith escaped to Union Army at 19 and fell in with 41st Illinois. Wounded at Battle of Shiloh. Recuperated at Clinton, Illinois, where he heard that blacks could join the Union Army. He mustered in Co. B, 55th Mass. Colored Infantry, May 16, 1863.

(Reverse) Medal of Honor - Posthumously awarded Medal of Honor in 2001 for gallantry for saving regimental colors when color bearer was killed at the Battle of Honey Hill in South Carolina, Nov. 30, 1864, during Civil War. He lived, bought, and sold land in Between The Rivers area after war. Died 1932. Buried at nearby Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Presented by Between The Rivers, Inc.

(Subjects: African American | Cemeteries | Medal of Honor Winners | Shiloh, Battle of | Union Army)

Dr. George M. Huggans
(Marker Number: 1598)

County: Lyon
Location: Water St., Eddyville, KY 730

Description: Home of G. M. Huggans (1815-1866), an early doctor of Eddyville. He was asked to judge sanity of William Kelly. Kelly's dream of a material more malleable and stronger than iron and experiments using cold air led to charges of insanity. Huggans, familiar with iron ore, found Kelly sane and judged his idea practical. Kelly won patent to manufacture steel in U.S. in 1857.

(Subjects: Iron Industry | Steel | Physicians)

Eddyville
(Marker Number: 509)

County: Lyon
Location: Eddyville, intersection of KY 730 & KY 1055

Description: Several brisk skirmishes took place in this area because of the importance of Cumberland River navigation. Oct. 17, 1864, General H. B. Lyon with small CSA force attacked Union garrison, which surrendered and was taken from town. Union gunboat "Silver Lake" shelled town, took Lyon's wife hostage. Lyon then released Capt. Hugh M. Hiett and 8 USA officers.

(Subjects: Civil War)

Eddyville Furnace
(Marker Number: 1326)

County: Lyon
Location: 1 mi. E. of Kuttawa, KY 295

Description: Also called Jim and I. A brick blast furnace for smelting iron, burning charcoal fuel, built 1832 by John and Samuel Stacker and Thomas Tennessee Watson. Later owned by members of Cobb family, then by William Kelly, inventor of the so-called Bessemer process for making steel. Much of its iron was forged at Kuttawa. Last blast about 1850. 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 by the growth of railroads. See over.

(Subjects: Bessemer Process | Iron Industry)

Fulton Furnace
(Marker Number: 1340)

County: Lyon
Location: Jct. KY 453 & Lookout Tower Rd., 1.2 mi. N. of Conservation Center Sta. Rd.

Description: Built 2 miles east in 1845 by Thomas Tennessee Watson, Daniel Hillman. A brick stack 33 ft. high, 11 ft. across at the widest point, it produced 1044 tons of iron in 22 weeks of 1857. After 1856, it had ovens to heat the air for its blast, which was powered by steam. Charcoal fuel made and ore mined locally. Last blast 1860. 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)

Gov. Keen Johnson, 1896-1970
(Marker Number: 1768)

County: Lyon
Location: KY 453 & Brandon Chapel Road

Description: Born at Methodist parsonage at Brandon Chapel, he was son of the Rev. Robert and Mattie H. Johnson. Entered politics from Madison Co., where he was editor-publisher. Elected lt. gov., 1935; gov., 1939-1943. A frugal administrator, Johnson supported legislation which brought cheap TVA electric power to state. He was appointed first Under Secretary of Labor by President Truman.

(Subjects: Tennessee Valley Authority | Truman, Harry S.)

Kelly Furnace
(Marker Number: 61)

County: Lyon
Location: Kuttawa, just behind furnace, US 62 & 641

Description: Here William Kelly (1811-1888) discovered a steel making method, later known as the Bessemer Process, which made it possible for civilization to pass from the Iron Age to the Steel Age.

(Subjects: Bessemer Process | Steel)

Kelly Kettle
(Marker Number: 946)

County: Lyon
Location: Kuttawa, US 62

Description: One of many kettles made in this area by William Kelly, used for making sugar down South. In 1851, Kelly discovered process, known as Bessemer, for manufacture of steel. An Englishman, Bessemer, obtained patents on same process in England 1855 and in U.S. 1856. Kelly filed priority claim, 1857. U.S. awarded patent to Kelly and later refused renewal to Bessemer.

(Subjects: Bessemer Process | Steel)

Last Skirmish in Ky.
(Marker Number: 1231)

County: Lyon
Location: State Penitentiary overlook, Eddyville, KY 730

Description: Overlooking site, now underwater, where last significant Civil War skirmish east of the Miss. River occurred, Apr. 29, 1865. US force under Captain S. M. Overby driven back after attacking about 140 Confederates from Army of Northern Virginia, under Colonel L. A. Sypert. Casualties on both sides; supplies captured. By May 6, most of the Confederates killed or captured.

(Subjects: Civil War)

Lyon County, 1854
(Marker Number: 1245)

County: Lyon
Location: Eddyville, Courthouse lawn, US 62, 641

Description: The 102nd Kentucky county. Formed from a part of Caldwell, it was named for Col. Chittenden Lyon. Born in Vermont, 1787. Came here with father, Col. Matthew Lyon, in 1801. Had large mercantile and farming interests. Member state legislature, 1813-14, 1822-25; US Congress, 1827-35. Eddyville first settled, 1799, and became county seat in 1854.

Mammoth Furnace
(Marker Number: 1364)

County: Lyon
Location: Land Between The Lakes, Bethlehem Church Rd., KY 58

Description: Built 3 1/4 miles west in 1845 by Charles and John Stacker, a stone stack 31 1/2 ft. high, 9 ft. across inside at widest. Steam-powered, charcoal-fueled, it made white unusually hard pig iron from ore deposits near furnace, producing 1514 tons in 48 weeks, 1857. CSA Army obstructed Tenn. River at Fort Henry with iron spikes made here. Last blast 1874. 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. Charcoal-furnace era ended in 1880s with depletion of ore and timber and use of modern methods. Over.

(Subjects: Civil War | Forts and Stations | Iron Industry)

Matthew Lyon Grave
(Marker Number: 130)

County: Lyon
Location: At Cemetery, Overlook Dr., .6 mi. off KY 730

Description: Grave of Matthew Lyon (1750-1833). Soldier, politician, pioneer. Protested Sedition Acts. Moved to Eddyville 1801. Kentucky Representative 1802; Congressman 1803-1811. Died Spadra Bluff, Arkansas. Reinterred Eddyville Cemetery 1833.

Mineral Mound
(Marker Number: 779)

County: Lyon
Location: 2 mi. S. of Eddyville, KY 93

Description: Site of the home of Willis B. Machen, 1810-93, farmer, manufacturer, lawyer, legislator. A courageous leader of strong convictions and unimpeachable integrity. Member Ky. Constitution Convention 1849, State Senate 1853, House of Rep. 1856-60, Congress of Confederate States 1862-64, U.S. Senate 1872. A leader in Grange (Farmers') movement in Ky. for twenty years.

(Subjects: Constitutional Convention (1849))

New Union Forge
(Marker Number: 1332)

County: Lyon
Location: Kuttawa, KY 295

Description: Stood 1/4 mile SE. Built 1846-47 on site of older facilities by Wm. Kelly to process pig iron from nearby blast furnaces. Kettles to refine sugar, boiler-plate iron among products. Here Kelly began to develop the so-called Bessemer steel-making process, for which he received the patent. Closed in 1857. Chas. Anderson laid out the town of Kuttawa here in 1870.

(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: Bessemer Process | Iron Industry)

Suwanee Furnace
(Marker Number: 1327)

County: Lyon
Location: 11/2 mi. W. of Kuttawa, US 62, 641, at Jct. with Suwanee Road

Description: Was built by 1851, 200 yds. NW, by William Kelly, whose experiments there perfected his invention of the so-called Bessemer method of making steel, for which Kelly was granted the patent. The blast furnace was a brick stack 35 ft. high, 10 ft. maximum inner width, steam-powered, charcoal fueled. Made 1700 tons of iron in 1857, its last year. 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: Bessemer Process | Iron Industry)

Tenn. Rolling Mills
(Marker Number: 1423)

County: Lyon
Location: Near Confederate, KY 274

Description: Moved from Nashville to a site one mile west, 1845-46, by Thomas Tennessee Watson and Daniel Hillman. Pig iron from charcoal-fueled blast furnaces in this vicinity was processed into boiler plate, sheets, beams and other articles here for shipment all over the Mississippi Valley. Operations transferred to Louisville in 1884 by the L. P. Ewald Iron Co.

(Subjects: Iron Industry)