Kentucky Forts

American Forts: East

KENTUCKY

Last Update: 15/MARCH/2008

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2008 American Forts Network

Civil War Defenses of Cincinnati
(1862 - 1865), Greater Covington / Newport area
A long series of Union trenches and earthworks that protected Cincinnati, OH from the south. These included (from west to east):
Battery J. L. Kirby Smith (four field guns) at Bromley.
Battery Coombs (trace left)
Battery Bates (trace left in Devou Park)
Battery Rich
Battery Perry (on Amsterdam Road, demolished in 2004)
Fort Mitchel (1861) (five guns) trace left, probably at present-day Fort Mitchel Country Club, but not located in the present-day town of Fort Mitchell.
Battery Kyle
Fort Wright marker at 409 Kyles Lane.
Battery McKee (four field guns)
Battery Hooper still exists in park on Highland Ave. adjacent to the Beargrass Swim Club.
Battery Carlisle
Battery Burbank
Battery Hatch
Battery Buford
Battery Burnett
Battery L. Anderson at the old townsite of Sunnyside on the Licking River.
Battery Wiggins above the mouth of Three Mile Run on the Licking River.
Battery Holt (still exists)
Battery McLean on Locust Hill.
Battery Harrison (three field guns)
Battery Shaler (five guns) (still exists)
Battery Groesbeck
Fort Burnside (1)
Battery Phil Kearny (two guns)
Fort Whittlesey
Battery Lee

Other forts in the area included (from other sources) (undetermined locations):
Fort Covington
Battery J. L. M. Kirby (?)
North Battery
Old Battery
Camp King

Newport Barracks
(1803 - 1894), Newport
Replaced Fort Washington in Cincinnati, OH as the main Federal post in the region. Site located at Newport City Park. Floods in 1884 forced the eventual abandonment of the post to Fort Thomas.

Fort Thomas
(1889 - 1946/present), Fort Thomas
U.S. Army Infantry post that replaced Newport Barracks. Spanish-American War (1898) training camps located outside the post were Camp Allyn Capron just to the north, and Camp Wetherill on the Berry Farm in Southgate, about one mile from the post near the Evergreen Cemetery. These tent camps were outside the post because the barracks had been converted to hospital wards for the sick. The post was transferred to the Veterans Administration in 1946, however parts of the reservation are still in use by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Reserves.

Post at Big Bone Lick
(Big Bone Lick State Park)
(1791), Big Bone
A Kentucky state militia post at Big Bone Lick, garrisoned by 18 men. Big Bone was so-named because of the abundance of exposed fossilized mammoth bones.

Camp Collins
(1860's), Warsaw
A Civil War training camp.

Camp Owenton
(1861), Owenton
A Civil War training camp at Lusby's Mill. Also known as Camp Marshall. A marker is at the highway junction.

Post at the Forks of Licking
(1791), Falmouth
A Kentucky state militia post at the Forks of the Licking River, garrisoned by 12 men.

Camp Kenton
(1861), Maysville
A Union camp.

Shelbyville Blockhouse
(1860's), Shelbyville
A Union blockhouse once located at Fifth and Main Streets. It was demolished in 1870. A replica is currently located at Clear Creek Park.
Union Camp Dumont (1860's) was located nearby.

Camp Bullskin or
(1780's), near Shelbyville
Located west of town on the east-side of Bullskin Creek below (south of) the mouth of Little Bullskin Creek, near the crossing of Brunerstown Road.

John Findlay's Trading Post
(1752), Louisville
A small cabin located at the Falls of the Ohio River. The ruins of the cabin were found by Daniel Boone in 1770.

Fort Nelson
(1779 - 1780's), Louisville
Previously here was the VA state militia blockhouse Corn Island Fort (1778 - 1779) on Corn Island (aka Dunmore's Island) at the Falls of the Ohio River. Also known as Fort at the Falls. It was relocated to the mainland at present-day 12th Street, and known at first simply as Fort On Shore. It was rebuilt nearby on present-day Seventh Street in 1781 - 1782 with log walls, earthen bastions and a moat, and renamed. It later served as the courthouse and jail. A granite monument is at Seventh and Main Streets.

Civil War Defenses of Louisville
(1864 - 1865), Louisville
Eleven Union forts/redoubts protected the city in a ring about ten miles long from Beargrass Creek to Paddy's Run. No remains. They included, from east to west:
Fort Elstner between Frankfort Ave. and Brownsboro Road, near Bellaire, Vernon, and Emerald Aves..
Fort Engle at Spring Street and Arlington Ave..
Fort Saunders at Cave Hill Cemetery at 701 Baxter Ave..
Battery Camp at outskirts of New Hamburg.
Fort Hill (2) (1865) between Goddard Ave., Barrett, and Baxter Streets, and St. Louis Cemetery.
Fort Horton at Shelby and Merriweather Streets (now site of city incinerator plant).
Fort McPherson on Preston Street, bounded by Barbee, Brandeis, Hahn, and Fort Streets.
Fort Philpot at Seventh Street and Algonquin Parkway.
Fort St. Clair Morton at 16th and Hill Streets.
Fort Karnasch on Wilson Ave. between 26th and 28th Streets.
Fort Clark (1865) at 36th and Magnolia Streets.
Battery Gallup (1865) at Gibson Lane and 43rd Street.
Fort Southworth on Paddy's Run at the Ohio River (now site of city sewage treatment plant). Marker at 4522 Algonquin Parkway.

Also in the area were:
Infantry entrenchments circled the city limits of the time, first built in 1862.
Taylor Barracks, at Third and Oak Streets, an induction center for Union African-American troops.
Camp Gilbert (1862), undetermined location.
Camp C. F. Smith (1862), undetermined location.

Camp Zachary Taylor
(1917 - 1921), Louisville
A National Army cantonment training encampment for the 84th Division. Later became a field artillery school and demobilization center. Located on the south-side of the city in the area of Poplar Level Road and Preston Highway. Site sold off in 1921, several buildings became private homes. Taylor Memorial Park was the site of the post headquarters.

Early Pioneer Stations and Forts

Henry County:
Emley's Station (1784), near Lacie on Emily Run.
Loudon's Station (date ?), somewhere on the Kentucky River.
Meek's Station (1788), somewhere on Drennon Creek. Built by brothers John and Jacob Meek.

Carroll County:
Capt. Elliston's Blockhouse (1786), Carrollton. Town was originally known as Port William. Garrisoned by the KY state militia in 1791, known as Post at the Kentucky River, garrisoned by 19 men.
Gen. Charles Scott's Blockhouse (1789), Carrollton, at Point Park.

Boone County:
Rev. John Tanner's Station (1) (1785), Petersburg. Also garrisoned by KY state militia in 1791 with five men. Marker located at the elementary school. Town was named in 1818.
John Boswell's Station (date ?), near Burlington.
McCloy's Station (1796), somewhere between Big Bone Lick and Gunpowder Creek.

Campbell County:
Col. John Grant's Station (2) (1779 - 1781), near Grants Lick. Attacked and destroyed by Indians. (info by Jim Geisler)
Major David Leitch's Station (1789 or 1790), near Cold Spring along the Licking River, near intersection of KY 9 and I-275. Actual site on Licking Pike (KY 9) now a manufacturing plant. (thanks to Kevin Scalf for providing correct location)
Taylor Creek Station (1790), undetermined location. The home of John Campbell, not a "station" in the traditional sense.

Grant County:
Campbell's Station (1792), three miles north of Williamstown, on Dry Ridge.
Littell's Station (1) (1790 ?), Williamstown. Settled before 1792.

Pendleton County:
Littell's Station (2) (date ?), somewhere on Fork Lick Creek, southwest of Falmouth.

Bracken County
Buchanan's Station (1794), one mile west of Germantown.
Capt. Daniel Flagan's Station (1790's), located either one and one-half miles west of Germantown, or two miles east of town. Also spelled Feagan.
Leach's Station (date ?), undetermined location.

Mason County:
Maysville Blockhouse (1784), Maysville, built by Edward and John Waller and George Lewis.
Capt. Henry Lee's Station (1785), Maysville.
Simon Kenton's Station (3) (1784), on Limestone Creek three miles southwest of Maysville. The town was originally named Limestone.
Bailey's Station (2) (1791), three miles west of Maysville, one mile north of Washington.
Arthur Fox's Station (date ?), Washington.
Basley's Station (1790's), Washington. (same as Bosley's Station below ?)
Bosley's Station (1793), south of Washington, one mile above the main fork of Wells Creek.
Wells' Station (2) (date ?), undetermined location.
George Mafford's (Fort) Station (1787), Washington, built of flatboat planks after family descended down Ohio River. Also spelled Mefford. Marker on Main Street. Original structure preserved on Maple Leaf Road.
John Kenton's Station (1780's), one-half mile south of Washington.
Curtis' Station (date ?), about two miles southwest of Washington.
Thomas Waring's Station (1785), two miles from Maysville.
James McKinley's Blockhouse (1785), near Lewisburg.
George Lewis' Station (1789), Lewisburg. Originally known as George Clark's Station (2) (1785 - 1788). A cabin may have been built here as early as 1780.
Strode's Station (2) (1785), near Lewisburg on the North Fork Licking River at Strodes Creek. Also spelled Stroud.
Edmund Bryne's Station (date ?), somewhere on the North Fork Licking River. Also spelled Byne.
Whaley's Station (date ?), undetermined location.

Robertson County:
David Tanner's Station (1784), Blue Licks Spring.
Blue Licks Station (1788), Blue Licks Spring. Also known as the "Lower Blue Licks". Nearby is Blue Licks Battlefield State Park, site of one of the last battles (August 1782) of the American Revolution (admission fee).

Shelby County:
Hume's Station (date ?), near Conner.
Williams' Station (2) (date ?), north of Montclair on the west-side of Little Bullskin Creek, one mile west of Samuel Wells' Station.
Samuel Wells' Station (1784), on Bullskin Creek near the mouth of Fox Run, near Scotts Station. Later owned by Squire Boone after he sold Painted Stone Station.
Brown's Station (2) (date ?), near Shelbyville on Bullskin Creek.
Van Cleave's Station (date ?), on or near Bullskin Creek southwest of Shelbyville.
Newland's Station (1780's), south of Shelbyville, west of Clear Creek on the old Harrod's Trace, probably on grounds of present-day Weissinger Hills golf course. Probably only a single log cabin.
Brackett Owen's Station (1785), Shelbyville on the south-side of Clear Creek. Probably only a single log cabin.
Capt. Aquilla Whitaker's Station (2) (1784 or 1785), on the north-side of Clear Creek southwest of Shelbyville.
Capt. Robert Tyler's Station (1783 - 1788), three miles east of Shelbyville on Tick Creek (Guist Creek Lake) near the Keys Rd. bridge. First settled in 1781. Also known as Major Bland Ballard's Station. Attacked by Indians in 1788 (Tick Creek Massacre) and then abandoned.
Capt. Squire Boone's Station (1780), two miles north of Shelbyville on the north bank of Clear Creek. Also known as Painted Stone (Fort) Station due to graffitti painted on creek stones in 1776 by Squire Boone, Daniel's brother. One or two log cabins were built here in the fall of 1779. Attacked in 1781.
Charles Lynch's Station (1803 - 1840), located on the south bank of Clear Creek, opposite Squire Boone's Station. Consisted of only a single log cabin and a few slave cabins.
James Hoagland's Station (1784 or 1785), near Cropper on Clear Creek, about one-half mile northwest of the intersection of KY 241 and KY 43. About eight miles north of Painted Stone Station. Also spelled Hogland.
Daniel Ketchum's Station (1784), on East Clear Creek near Christiansburg.

Oldham County:
Moses Kuykendahl's Station (1782 or 1783), on or near Harrod's Creek, east of Twelve Mile Island. Lasted for only a year or two.
Curry's Station (1785), on Currys Fork near Crestwood.
Floyds Fork Station (date ?), near Pewee Valley.

Jefferson County:
Burk's Station (1785), on Goose Creek, possibly near Glenview.
Peter Coleman's Station (1785), on Goose Creek.
Hughes' Station (1780), on Long Run about two miles northeast of Eastwood.
Lynn's Station (2) (1780), Lyndon, on Middle Fork Beargrass Creek. Also spelled Linn.
Peter Sturgus' Station (1779), St. Matthews, on Middle Fork Beargrass Creek. Rebuilt in 1785 as a stone house by Col. William Christian, nicknamed Fort William. One log cabin from the original station still exists behind Oxmoor Center on Shelbyville Road. Marker located at US 60 and Whipps Mill Road. (NOTE: not to be confused with Fort Williams in Glasgow.)
Dutch Station (1780), St. Matthews, on Middle Fork Beargrass Creek. Also known as Low Dutch Station (1) or New Holland Station. Settled by Dutch pioneers from Pennsylvania. Marker at Brown's Lane, Bowling Parkway, and Kresge's Way.
Col. John Floyd's Station (1779 or 1780), three miles east of Louisville on Middle Fork Beargrass Creek. Also known as Woodside and Bear Grass (Fort) Station. Also sometimes referred to as Middle Station. Marker located at Breckinridge Lane and Hillsboro Ave. (some info provided by Jim Geisler)
Hogland's Station (1) (1780), on Middle Fork Beargrass Creek below John Floyd's Station, probably on the site of present-day Big Springs Country Club. Also spelled Hoglin.
Keller's Station (1780), on Middle Fork Beargrass Creek.
Spring (Fort) Station (1) (1780), Louisville, on Beal's Branch Beargrass Creek, northwest of John Floyd's Station. Marker located at McCready Ave. and Trinity.
William Oldham's Station (1785), on the headwaters of South Fork Beargrass Creek.
Pope's Station (1779 or 1780), six miles east of Louisville on South Fork Beargrass Creek, site located on Bardstown Road about 500 feet southeast of the Waterson Expressway. Also known as Sullivan's Old Station. Used as the county court in 1782.
Sullivan's New Station (1781), on South Fork Beargrass Creek west of Pope's Station. Site located east of present-day Norris Place between Eastern Parkway and Trevillian Way.
Richard Chenoweth's Fort (1785), possibly on Chenoweth Run, somewhere between Seatonville and Jeffersontown. Attacked by Indians in July 1789.
George Wilson's Station (1785), somewhere on Floyds Fork Salt River or one of its tributaries.
James Moore's Station (1785), near Bethany at the "Fishpools". First settled in 1783.

Spencer County:
(James ?) Finn's Station (1780 ?), undetermined location, possibly somewhere on the Salt River.

Bullitt County:
William Brashear's Station (1779 - 1781), east of Shepherdsville on the Salt River, about one-quarter mile below the mouth of Floyd's Fork Salt River. Brashear was killed by Indians in 1781. Later renamed Isaac Froman's Station (1780's), aka Froman's Folly and Fort Nonsense because Froman did not own the land. Also known as the Salt River Garrison or Garrison at Bullitt's Lick in 1780. In 1791 later known as the Post at the Salt River, garrisoned by the KY state militia with 10 men.
Green's Station (date ?), two miles from Bullitt's Lick.
Mud Garrison (1778 or 1780), Shepherdsville. Two rows of log stockades located about midway between Bullitt's Lick and the Falls of the Salt River. Protected the salt makers for the nearby settlements. Possibly also called the Lower Garrison (in reference to the "upper" garrison at Brashear's Station).
Dowdall's Station (1781), Shepherdsville, about one mile downriver from the mouth of Floyd's Fork Salt River at a ferry crossing.
Clear's Station (1783), on Clear Run near Hubers, four miles north of Shepherdsville near Blue Lick Gap.
Capt. Aquilla Whitaker's Station (1) (1781), unknown location.

Special thanks to Charles Bogart, Council of America's Military Past (CAMP), for providing information on the Civil War forts and Pioneer stations of Kentucky.

NEED MORE INFO: Additional posts garrisoned by the KY state militia in 1791 included (at undetermined locations): Three Islands with 20 men, Locust Creek with 18 men (near Locust, Carroll Co. ?, or near Wellsburg, Bracken Co. ?), Drennan's Lick with 10 men (Drennon Springs in Henry Co. ?), Patten's Creek with 10 men (along Oldham/Trimble county line ?), Widow Wilson's with five men, Lackey's Station with eight men, and Wales' Lick with nine men. Some of these may be in another region of the state.

Mulberry Station (date ?) somewhere on Floyds Fork Salt River (county ?)
Fort Pickens Road near La Grange in Oldham County.

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