Athawominee - The Warrior's Path
Athawominee - The Warrior's Path
Mt. Sterling to Eskippakithiki - 12 miles
KY 11 to Kidville Rd.
The Lulbegrud Creek valley is the only logical way into Eskippakithiki from or to the north. Farther east, Bowles Branch is an alternative route, but is less direct. Mt. Sterling was an important Native American cultural center and would have been a natural way-point for the Warrior's Path. Today, the Eskippakithiki site is commonly referred to as "Indian Old Fields" or "Indian Fields". Although Eskippakithiki is recognized as the site of the last Native American village in Kentucky, no effort has been made to preserve the site where it is believed to have stood. An interchange for the Mountain Parkway was recently constructed in the center of the site. Much of the site is actively used farmland and there is no public access and very little acknowledgement that Eskippakithiki ever existed. In all likelihood, the highway interchange will bring intense commercial and residential development, and the Eskippakithiki site will be irretrievable damaged and eventually lost. Early accounts of Eskippathiki report that the community covered some 3,500 acres. That's an area of about 5.5 square miles. Assuming that the vast majority that was cleared agricultural lands, then the amount of cleared land may have exceeded what stands as cleared agricultural/grazing land in that vicinity today! Eskippakithiki acreage representation.
"Indian Old Fields, Home Of The Shawnee" By Patsy Woodring
"Eskippakithiki (Indian Old Fields)" by R. S. Cotterill
Because no public land has been set aside in the Eskippakithiki area, access is very limited. A portion of the site is a trail riding facility that is open to the public. There is some limited access to Lulbegrud Creek where public roads pass close to it. Warrior's Path access points
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