Way We Were: WHERE IN ANDERSON COUNTY IS ________?

Wyatt Shely, who wrote a weekly column called “Our Heritage” in the 1960s and 1970s was asked by some men making a survey of Kentucky place names in 1971  to help compile some information about some of Anderson County’s place names.
Mr. Shely was the resident historian at that time and wrote many columns about the family names found in Anderson County and how they came to be here.
There are about 65 places that he came up with, some you may have heard and others you may not.

Photo furnished

Wyatt Shely, local historian and educator, wrote ‘Our Heritage’ column for The Anderson News for many years.

1 — BURGIN JERKS — A rough horse-and-buggy road near old Friendship Baptist Church on Willow Creek about 15 miles west of Lawrenceburg. It was named for David Burgin, who owned land that the road ran though. Traces of the road still can be found though not used for more than 50 years.

2 — HUGHES SCHOOL — Neighborhood located 15 miles west of Lawrenceburg on Highway 62. School is extinct. It was named for Joseph T. Hughes, a confederate soldier, businessman, church leader and landowner.

3 — ROUGH AND READY — Located four miles north of Lawrenceburg. Named for President Zachary Taylor, during whose presidency the post office was established (1850). The name change about 1880 to Alton, but we don’t know why.

4 — ALTON STATION — The Alton Train Station Depot was built about 1890, two miles west of Alton. Sometimes it has been called New Alton.

5 — GOSHEN BAPTIST CHURCH — 1812 — First located in Mercer County near Luctow. It was relocated in 1889 to the present site eight miles southwest of Lawrenceburg. It was named for the biblical Goshen by charter members from Salt River Church. John Penney was pastor.

6 — COVE SPRING — Located five miles south of Lawrenceburg on Highway 127. Named McAfee Party in 1773. It was later called Lillard’s Spring from Thomas Lillard, who lived there after 1795. It is now known as McCall’s Spring for Thomas and son, James McCall, who owned the property from 1828 until after 1900.

7 — HEBRON SCHOOL COMMUNTY — School is extinct. The church named by congregation (1827 for ancient Hebron, where Abraham erected an altar (Gen. 13:18). the meeting house is still in use. It is located on a hill near McCall’s spring. (A well-kept cemetery.)

8 — SPARROW’S NEST — There was an early church called Sparrow’s Union 17 miles west of Lawrenceburg on US 62. It was named when the post office was established in 1883 because of many Sparrow families in the area. The church was rebuilt and relocated and renamed New Liberty in 1862.

9 — ASHBROOK — Located 12 miles southwest of Lawrenceburg on Beaver Creek — 1878 — Post office was established in 1890. Capt. J.H. McBrayer named it when he conducted business there. Ash trees were abundant.

11 — RIPYVILLE  — Is located four miles south of Lawrenceburg on Highway 127.  It was incorporated in 1858 and the Post office came in 1867. It was named for its first merchant, John Ripy, but the name is now seldom used.

12 — CEDARBROOK — Is located four miles east of Lawrenceburg. Cedars are still plentiful in the area. Distilling was established there in 1844 and named by Judge McBrayer.

13 — WELCOME HALL — A private home located eight miles east of Lawrenceburg on Jenny Lillard Road. L. B. Bush built it in 1850. Later it was owned by Miss Lucy Bush and named Welcome Hall by her. She entertained extensively. Many celebrities visited there.

14 — BOND’S MILL — A community on Salt River (1817) first known as Hudgin’s Mill. It was named for David Bond, long-time owner. It was destroyed by fire in 1847 and rebuilt by Jessee Waterfill.

15 — TYRONE — A thriving village by 1850, it was located four miles from Lawrenceburg on the Kentucky River. It was incorporated 1879 and the post office was established in 1882. It took its name from Tyrone County, Ireland, ancestral home of Ripy immigrants.

16 — VAN BUREN — Located 18 miles west of Lawrenceburg, it was first surveyed and lots sold in 1835 on Spencer County line. It was laid out again during presidency of President Martin Van Buren and named for him. Post office was established in 1850.

17 – CAMDEN (origin unknown) It was laid out in lots in 1860 by W. E. Bell. It was changed to Orr in 1881 for Elijah Orr, an early settler and church leader in whose store the post office was first located in 1848. It was renamed Glensboro in 1904 by local citizens who engaged services of Champ Clark in getting name of post office changed.

18 — VAN DYKE — 1865. A mill and small village on Salt River located 15 miles west of Lawrenceburg. It was named for Dick Van Dyke, the miller.

19 — HOOPHOLE ROAD COMMUNITY — Located 16 miles west of Lawrenceburg near Rutherford School. Post office was established around 1893. It was so named because of the many hickory poles cut there that were used for making barrel hoops.

20 — LICK SKILLET — The story is that about 1870 a fish-fry was held there and because the supper of fish was too soon exhausted the late-comers had to lick the skillets.

21 — NINEVAH — Located four miles north of Lawrenceburg. It was the name of a road and community, formerly known as Providence. The post office was established in 1895. It was probably named for the biblical city of Ninevah.
 
22 — HUTCH COMMUNITY — Located 17 miles west of Lawrenceburg near Rutherford School. The post office was established in 1908. The community was named for George W. Hutchinson, postmaster at Lawrenceburg.

23 — NEVINS and NEVINS STATION — A village four miles south of Lawrenceburg. The post office was established in 1890. It was named for prominent citizen, John T. Nevins, first postmaster.

24 — HETTIE COMMUNITY — The post office was established in 1890 and named for Hettie M. Etherington, first post-mistress.

25 — DOWLING COMMUNITY — Located near the Clifton Post Office, it was changed to Murphy for leading families of community.

26 — COKE — Post office established in 1882 and named for Postmaster John T. Coke. It was changed to Tyrone in 1883 because of the location in the village of Tyrone.

27 — CHESSER’S STORE COMMUNITY — Located six miles west of Lawrenceburg on Anderson City Road, the post office was established in1857. It was named for storekeeper — Chesser. It was changed in 1861 to Buckner, later to Horace, then Hawkins and in 1885, to Fox Creek.

29 — ANDERSON CITY COMMUNITY — Located eight miles west of Lawrenceburg on Highway 44 near center of county. A thriving village by 1850 and considered for the county seat after the Lawrenceburg courthouse burned in 1859. It was named for the county. The school and other public buildings are now gone.

30 — HAMMOND CREEK — A tributary of Salt River, northwest of Lawrenceburg, was named for Nathan Hammond (ca 1785), who came to this area with Capt. James Harrod in 1775.

31 — BENSON CREEK — (Big, Little, North and South) Located in the northeastern part of county, it is named for Richard Benson (ca 1780), who made claim mostly to Franklin County for 400 acres of land. He built a cabin on Kentucky River in what is now Anderson County near the mouth of Little Benson.

32 — MARLOWE SCHOOL — (ca 1865) Located near Corinth. The school was named for James M. Marlowe, who donated the land that the one-room log schoolhouse was built. It later was consolidated, but now discontinued.

33 — CORINTH CHURCH — (Christian) It was organized in 1870 by Rev. Lavin Merrit. A building was erected at the present site in 1886. Probably named for ancient city of Corinth.

34 — PIGEON FORK CHURCH — (Baptist) It was organized in 1825 and named for its location near Pigeon Fork Creek, a tributary of Benson Creek.

35 — CORA COMMUNITY — Could be found 14 miles west of Lawrenceburg on U.S. 62. The Post office was opened in 1890 in Utterback Store. It was named for Miss Cora Bond, popular belle of the community.

36 — CLAYLICK CHURCH — Established in 1870 seven miles southeast of Lawrenceburg near Mercer line. It was so named because clay soil contains salt, which in early days attracted animals in search of salt.

37 — PETTY — A neighborhood, hill, and graveyard near Anderson City, eight miles west of Lawrenceburg on Highway 44. It was named for Revolutionary War soldier, Rhodman Petty (1752-1843) who came here from Virginia before 1800. Post office established in 1889.

38 — CARPENTER LANE — Graveyard. Near southeast city limits of Lawrenceburg was named for John B. Carpenter (1812-1864), the first person buried in the family graveyard and his son, H.B. Carpenter, extensive landowner during last of 19th, first of 20th century. Part of the old road is still in use. (After the development of the land there, the road was paved to connect Business 127 and Highway 127. It was later changed to Carlton Drive in honor of long-time magistrate John Willie Carlton, who also lived on the road.

39 — INDIAN CREEK — Tributary of Salt River located eight miles west of Lawrenceburg. It was so called since around 1800 because of Indian relics found in the area and because (according to legend) early white settlers were slain on this stream by Indians.

40 — GUDGEL COMMUNITY — located six miles west of Lawrenceburg on Highway 44. Post office was established in 1895. The Gudgel family was prominent in the county before 1830.

41 — HERNDON COMMUNITY ROAD SCHOOL — Located seven miles north west of Lawrenceburg. The school was named for David Herndon on whose land the schoolhouse was built.

42 — FELLOWSHIP CHURCH — Located seven miles northwest of Lawrenceburg. It was organized in 1882 on Hammond Creek. It was relocated in 1941. The Akins Cemetery is near church.

43 — GRAFTON COMMUNITY — Located four miles west of Lawrenceburg on Highway 44. The post office was established in 1900.

See the rest in Wednesday’s paper