Kentucky Forts

American Forts: East

KENTUCKY

Last Update: 26/APRIL/2013

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2013 American Forts Network

Civil War Defenses of Cincinnati
1862 Map of Defenses
(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) on the river at Bromley.
Battery Coombs trace remains in Devou Park on Montague Road, Covington.
Battery Bates still exists in Devou Park on Montague Road, Covington.
Fort Covington at Covington, an early defense protecting the pontoon bridge across the Ohio River.
Battery Rich, site now the Glengarry residential community.
Battery Perry on Amsterdam Road, demolished in 2004 for residential homes.
Fort Mitchel (1861) (five guns) traces remain at present-day Fort Mitchell Country Club, located outside the present-day town boundary of Fort Mitchell. The clubhouse sits on the site of the main work. (note spelling between fort and town names)
Battery Kyle near Wolf Road and the I-75 interchange.
Battery McRae, site now residential homes.
Fort Wright (2) marker at 409 Kyles Lane at the Fort Wright city hall.
Battery McKee (four field guns)
Battery Hooper (two guns) still exists in Battery Hooper Park at 1402 Highland Ave. The James A. Ramage Civil War Museum (opened 2005) is located here.
Battery Carlisle, site now the St. Charles retirement home.
Battery Burbank near the Fort Wright town line.
Battery Hatch
Battery Buford
Fort Henry at Buena Vista.
Battery Burnett
Battery Larz 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 at or near the Vista Pointe Apartment complex on Moock Road (remnant still exists ?).
Battery McLean on Locust Hill.
Battery Harrison (three field guns)
Battery Shaler (five guns) still exists in Evergreen Cemetery in Southgate.
Battery Groesbeck at the Beverly Hills Supper Club site.
Fort Burnside (1) at the Highland Country Club.
Battery Phil Kearny (two guns), site now the Canon Ridge residential community.
Fort Whittlesey at the Fort Thomas Stone Tower.
Battery Lee at the Fort Thomas Officers' Quarters.

Other forts in the area included (from other sources):
North Battery
Old Battery
Camp King at Covington, site now Meinken Field and the Marathon oil depot.

The Behringer - Crawford Museum at Devou Park at 1600 Montague Road in Covington (admission fee) has exhibits on the Defenses of Cincinnati.

(See also OHIO page 2 for Cincinnati Civil War Defenses)

Newport Barracks
(1803 - 1890), Newport
Replaced Fort Washington in Cincinnati, OH as the main Federal post in the region. Site located at Newport City Park. Floods in 1884 and other years forced the eventual abandonment of the post to higher ground at Fort Thomas. The city took over the land in 1894. Historic Photos and Images from Northern Kentucky Views.com

Fort Thomas
(Fort Thomas V. A. Medical Center)
(1889 - 1964/present), Fort Thomas FORT WIKI
The U.S. Army Infantry post that replaced Newport Barracks. The local landmark Stone Water Tower was built in 1890. A Spanish-American War (1898) training camp for Negro troops was Camp Allyn Capron, a tent camp located just to the north of the post because all the barracks had been converted at the time to hospital wards for the sick. Army Regulars returning from Cuba in late 1898 to regarrison the post were forced to establish Camp Wetherill on the Berry Farm in Southgate, about one mile from the post off of Alexandria Pike, just north of Evergreen Cemetery, also for the same reason. Most of the old garrison post was transferred to the Veterans Administration in 1946, however the fort itself was still active until 1964. The city took over most of the remaining post in 1970. Several of the former Officers' quarters are now private condos. The former post Mess Hall is now the city's Community Center. The old Armory is now a city recreational facility. The city's Tower Park (86 acres) encompasses the former parade ground and other green areas. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Reserve continue to operate on the former post. The city was originally two towns named Mount Vernon and Mount Pleasant, within the District of the Highlands, until renamed in 1914. Historic Photos and Images from Northern Kentucky Views.com || More Historic Photos from Northern Kentucky Views.com

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 Union training camp.

Camp Owenton
(1861), Owenton
A Confederate recruiting camp at the Vallandingham Farm near town. A marker is on KY 227.

A second CSA recruiting camp, Camp Marshall (1861), was located seven miles east of town at Lusby's Mill.

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
(1865), Shelbyville
A blockhouse once located at Fifth and Main Streets, built by the townspeople in response to outlaw and criminal gang raids on the town at the end of the Civil War. It was demolished several months later when law and order was restored by Federal troops. One source claims it was built in 1858 and 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
A militia camp 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
(1781 - 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 (between present-day Fourth and 14th Streets). Also known as Fort at the Falls. It was relocated to the mainland in 1779 at present-day 12th and Rowan Streets, and known at first simply as Fort On Shore. It was rebuilt again 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. Corn Island disappeared in the 1920's after the dam was built.

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 (1864 - 1870 ?), at Third and Oak Streets, established as an induction center for Union African-American troops.
Camp Gilbert (1862), St. Matthews, located about one-half mile from Camp Irvine.
Camp Irvine (1862), St. Matthews, at the then Kentucky state fairgrounds, now the present-day Masonic Widows and Orphans Home along Frankfort Ave.. (thanks to Louis Mosier for providing location)
Camp Sigel, undetermined location.
Camp C. F. Smith (1862), undetermined location.

Camp Zachary Taylor
(1917 - 1921), Louisville
A National Army cantonment and training encampment for the 84th Division. Later became a field artillery school and demobilization center. Located on the south-side of downtown mostly between Poplar Level Road (KY 864) and Preston Highway (KY 61). Site sold off in 1921, several buildings became private homes within the present-day "Camp Taylor" neighborhood. Taylor Memorial Park was the site of the post headquarters. Bellarmine College and Audubon Park are also located on the former camp site. See also Camp Zachary Taylor Postcards || Gjenvick Archives || Camp Zachary Taylor info

Fort DeWolf
(1862 - 1865), Salt River
A Union stockade fort protecting the railroad bridge across the Salt River was built in December 1862. An earthwork fort (three guns) was built in March 1863. It was still uncompleted when Bardstown Junction was attacked. Located just south of Shepherdsville. The railroad went through the defensive lines of the fort. No remains. Markers at site on KY 61.

Bardstown Junction Fort
(1862 - 1865), Bardstown Junction
A Union stockade fort protecting the railroad. Attacked by the CSA (Morgan's Cavalry) in July 1863.

Belmont Fort
(1862 - 1865), Belmont
A Union stockade fort protecting the railroad.

Lebanon Junction Fort
(1862 - 1865), Lebanon Junction
A Union stockade fort protecting the railroad.

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:
Elliot's Blockhouse (1784), Carrollton. Burned in 1785.
Capt. Elliston's Blockhouse (1786), Carrollton. Abandoned in 1788 or 1789.
Gen. Charles Scott's Blockhouse (1789), Carrollton, marker at Point Park. Palisaded and occupied by the KY state militia in 1791, known as Post at the Kentucky River, garrisoned by 19 men. Possibly still in use as late as 1805. The town was originally known as Port William from 1794 until 1838.
(see also History of Carrollton and Carroll County from Carroll County Tourism Office)

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 Mefford's (Fort) Station (1787), Washington, built of flatboat planks after family descended down Ohio River from Pennsylvania. Also spelled Mafford. Original cabin preserved on Old Main Street. See also Mefford Station from Mefford.org || Mefford's Cabin
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). See also Battle of Blue Licks

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. In May 1786 Capt. Abraham Lincoln, the grandfather of the 16th President, was killed near here by Indians.
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. See also History of the Low Dutch Company
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 Breckenridge Lane and Hillsboro Road. The stone springhouse and the family cemetery still exists. (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.

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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