Pool 6
Jessamine and Mercer Counties
1. Singleton Landing (J) (RM 113.0)
This landing is referred to in an 1845
letter to the Louisville Journal written from the
packet boat Kentucky. The letter states that the turnpike
from Lexington can be seen from this landing and that Mundy’s Landing
(Woodford County) is half dozen miles away.
2. Cogar Ferry (J-M) (RM 113.0)
Captain Thomas Cogar, a flatboat man, moved his
operation from the mouth of Hickman to the Brooklyn area in 1847
which was by then becoming a thriving river community with houses,
stores, a meat packing facility for downstream shipment of meat
(in winter) , and in 1858 a post office. Toll House #5 at this
point on the Lexington-Harrodsburg & Perryville Turnpike was
leased to him for $500 per year and the ferry franchise for $400
per year in 1855.
3. Brooklyn Bridge (J-M) (RM 113.2)
The 1871 Brooklyn Bridge
The first bridge at this site, built in 1871,
was a 250 foot long iron truss bridge with wooden planking and was
accessed through the first tunnel built for highway traffic in Kentucky.
This bridge was built for 18th century traffic, not late
20th century vehicles. In 1955 a food service delivery
truck was going south and one complete span of the bridge collapsed
into the river under its weight. The fall broke the drivers back
in three places, but he managed to get out of the truck, thinking
it might catch on fire. He survived, sued the state for its unsafe
bridge, and was awarded $50,000 by the judge. The Governor, having
such power at that time, reduced the award to $10,000 saying that
no man was worth $50,000. There was no appeal.
The 1871 Brooklyn Bridge after collapse.
The bridge used today was one of the
first in the area to be built as a curve, but it will hold 21st century traffic.
4. Wilmore Water intake (J) (RM 114.2)
The 2 million gallon per day water intake tower for the
City of Wilmore.
Stage
Crossing (J-G)
Toll roads were privately built for profit (if
any) in conjunction with specific ferries. The Fulkerson Ferry was
chartered at this site in 1789 and was in use when a toll road was
built in the mid-1800’s for travel between Lexington, Harrodsburg,
and the Shaker community at Pleasant Hill in Mercer County. Prior
to its use as a stage crossing, it was a major buffalo crossing
at the shallow sand bar here.
Stage coach houses were built on both sides of
the river to accommodate travelers and horses. Known stage lines
using this crossing were The Smith Stage Coach Line and the Lexington-Harrodsburg
Line.
Hutton
Ripple (J)
Named after John Hutton, the first
known European to be killed by Indians in Jessamine County (1781)
Fulkerson’s
Ferry and ShakerWarehouse (M)
In 1790 Abraham Fulkerson established a ferry
and landing at Brooklyn near the present-day Wilmore water intake
tower site. The Shakers purchased this site from Fulkerson in about
1815, (as it was more convenient than the one they were using further
upstream owned by John Curd) built warehouses and operated their
ferry and landing here. Ultimately they purchased land further upstream
and the Fulkerson site was referred to as “Lower Shaker Ferry”.
Pool 7
Jessamine, Mercer
and Garrard Counties
5. Lock 7 (J-M) (RM 117.0)
Lock 7 is a timber-crib dam with a stone lock
chamber built in 1896-97 by the Corps of Engineers for barge navigation.
The land on which it was built is was owned by “Dug” Hughes who
operated a profitable sawmill here. “Dug” was not inclined to sell
his land to the Corps making it the only dam site on the river the
Corps had to condemn. He then moved his sawmill to a site above
present High Bridge park and began sawing timber again, including
some for the Corps of Engineers.
Lock and Dam 7 when newly completed in 1897.
This is a guide
of historic sites on the Kentucky River published by the Jessamine
County Kentucky River Task Force. As you travel the Kentucky River
you will notice signs along the bank in the shape of Jessamine,
Mercer, Garrard, or Madison County. Each sign has a number which
corresponds with this map and the accompanying booklet text. The
numbers are sequential traveling upstream.