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| Rockcastle County History
(Briefly) |
Presenting a complete history of Rockcastle County would be well beyond the
bounds of this site, so below is a very brief version with a table of dates for
some important events.
Rockcastle County was formed in 1810 from primarily Lincoln and Madison
Counties, with a small area on the southwestern edge coming from Pulaski County
and a very small area on the east from Knox County. Portions of Rockcastle
County were later taken to help form Laurel County in 1825 and Jackson County
in 1858. About a quarter of the county is considered as part of the Daniel
Boone National Forest.
The county has a wide range of terrain features, from the rugged hills near the
Rockcastle River in the south, to the much flatter arable land in the
northwest.
Perhaps the county's greatest historical significance derives from the roads
leading through it. Two major thoroughfares, the Wilderness Road and Scaggs'
Trace, ran through the county, ushering hundreds of thousands of pioneers into
Kentucky in the late 1700s and early 1800s. For most families, the expanse
which would become Rockcastle County wasn't a destintation–it was a
particularly arduous section of a long journey to a hoped-for better life.
Of course, a few families did settle in the area, otherwise we wouldn't have a
need for a Rockcastle KyGenWeb site. The standard line, repeated often
(including in the table below), is that Stephen Langford led the first settlers
in the county in 1790. While Langford was a major figure in the early
settlement, there were undoubtedly a few scattered settlers in the county prior
to 1790, as evidenced by the early Lincoln County tax lists and perhaps by land
grants prior to 1790. It's also not unreasonable to believe there were a few
taverns or inns servicing the weary travelers established by enterprising
fellows along both major roads through the county.
Land grants were issued in what was to be Rockcastle County at least as early
as 1781. Most were to land speculators, notably Jacob Myers.
Native Americans used the Rockcastle area as they used much of Kentucky, as
hunting grounds and temporary camps. There is evidence on the south section of
the East Fork of Skeggs Creek and on Eagle Creek near the Rockcastle River of
perhaps a more permanent inhabitance, at least of the establishment of
returned-to encampments.
Mount Vernon, the county seat, came into existence in 1811 (it may not have
been called Mt. Vernon from the beginning). The town grew from settlements
surrounding Langford's Station, which was established about 1792.
The railroad came through the county after the Civil War. For a time, both Pine
Hill and Livingston were more important towns, and, in the case of the former,
more populated, than Mt. Vernon. The railroad, and today's U.S. 25 (formerly
called the Dixie Highway), roughly follows parts of the Wilderness Road through
the eastern section of the county. Economic development activities thrived on
the improved transportation systems, to the great benefit of the communities
along them. Ultimately, Interstate 75 bypassed those long-established routes.
The western part of the county, especially the lower part of the Skeggs Creek
watershed, never had the transportation advantages afforded by the improved
infrastructure. Although used more heavily than the Wildness Road early on,
Scaggs' Trace was an incredibly rough path, with numerous difficult creek
crossings. Other than coal extraction, there was no industry to speak of in the
western section. Families living there were more reliant on farming and seemed
to connect more with eastern Pulaski County families than with those who lived
in Mt. Vernon, Pine Hill, or Livingston.
For genealogy researchers, the most important (or infamous) single event is the
burning of the courthouse in 1873. Virtually all local records–marriage,
estate, court, land–were destroyed. Needless to say, it has made
researching in Rockcastle very challenging.
|
| About 1792 |
Stephen Langford and his family, including Elizabeth
Ross Brown and several slaves, establish Langford's Station |
| 17 Jun 1796 |
Langford, Valentine Harmon and William Henderson purchase the 2,000-acre
"Barbour survey" which included most of present-day Mt. Vernon.
|
| 1 Apr 1810 |
Rockcastle County formed from Knox, Lincoln, Madison
and Pulaski Counties |
| 1811 |
Lots for a new town, which came to be Mt. Vernon, are surveyed and
sold. |
| 1818 |
Mt. Vernon (presumably named after George
Washington's home) was incorporated |
| 1826 |
Form of county changed when a portion was given to Laurel
County |
| 1858 |
Form of county changed again when a portion was given
to Jackson County |
| 21 Oct 1861 |
Battle of Camp Wildcat in the Rockcastle Hills |
| 12 Feb 1867 |
Fish Point established (present day
Livingston) |
| 1868 |
Stigall's Stand becomes city of Brodhead |
| 1868 |
L&N Railroad reaches Mt. Vernon and
Brodhead |
| 1870 |
Fish Point becomes terminus of Railroad |
| 15 Aug 1873 |
Fire at the courthouse destroys most records and
documents |
| 4 Aug 1879 |
Fish Point name changed to Livingston Station |
| 11 May 1882 |
Livingston Station name changed to Livingston (as it
is know today) named after James Livingston one of the first settlers in the
town |
| 1887 |
First paper, the Mountain Signal (later Mountain Eagle and
now Mount Vernon Signal) established by Colonel James Maret |
| 1891 |
Oak Hill School established |
| 1909 |
First public school established in Brodhead, called Brodhead High
School |
| 1910 |
Mt. Vernon High School established |
| 1927 |
Mt.Vernon Elementary School established |
| 1953 |
Rockcastle Public Library established |
| 1959 |
Roundstone Elementary school established |
| 1963 |
Founder of Signal, Colonel James Maret, dies
|
| 1964 |
3rd Court house built |
| 1969 |
Harry Sparks Vocational School established |
| 8 Aug 1992 |
4th Court house built called the Rockcastle County Judicial
Complex |
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