Historical Highway Markers
TITLE |
LOCATION of MARKER |
DESCRIPTION on MARKER |
Augusta College 1822-1849 |
Augusta College Grounds, KY 8 |
In 1822 the trustees of Bracken Academy with the conferences of the Methodist Church of Kentucky and Ohio merged to found Augusta College, the first established Methodist College in the world. |
Augusta in Civil War |
Augusta, KY 8 |
By Sept. 1862, 6,000 Union troops had gone from this district. Only 100 Home Guards left, under Col. Bradford. On Sept. 27, Col. Duke with 350 Morgan Raiders attacked. Guards secreted in houses fought until Raiders penetrated are, burned and cannonaded houses. CSA losses of men and ammunition forced return to Falmouth and abandonment of raid to Ohio. |
A Foster Inspiration |
Frankfort & 5th Streets Augusta, KY 8 |
Stephen Collins Foster, as youth, visited here, May 1833. His uncle Dr. Joseph S. Tomlinson was then President of Augusta College. The musical, harmonious voices from the old Negro church on the hill floated softly over the town. "It can hardly be doubted" Foster was impressed by these since he "put into song at a later time the sorrow their voices reflected." |
Bracken County, 1796 |
Augusta, KY 8 |
Formed from parts of Campbell and Mason. Named for William Bracken, hunter, fisherman, Indian fighter, came here 1773. Birthplace of John Gregg Fee, founder of Berea College, 1855. Birthplace and home of Dr. Joshua Taylor Bradford, 1819-71, world famous surgeon. Site Augusta College, first Methodist College in world, 1822. First White Burley tobacco, 1867, from Bracken seed. |
Casto-Metclafe Duel |
On Mason Co. line, KY 8 |
On the Ohio River shore near here one of the last duels fought in Kentucky under the "code duello" took place on May 8, 1862, between William T. Casto, former Maysville Mayor, and Cpl. Leonidas Metcalfe, u. S. Army, son of former Gov. Thomas Metcalfe. Colts rifles were used at 60 yards. On the first fire, Casto was mortally wounded. Metcalfe was not hit. (Reverse side of Marker) The duel climaxed a bitter Civil War episode. In Oct. 1861, Metcalfe was ordered to arrest 7 men, including Casto, for aiding Confederates. They were sent North to Union prisons; all were later released. Casto in Feb., 1862. His belief that Col. Metcalfe was responsible for his arrest led Casto to challenged him to a duel which ended in his own life. |
Bracken County Wine |
Augusta, KY 8, 19 |
During the 1870s, leading wine-producing county of the US, furnishing over 30, 000 gallons annually, half the entire nation production. Germans, finding soil here similar to that in France and Spain, brought grape cultivation and wine production to this area. This last remaining wine cellar has 3-foot-thick walls of native limestone and a vaulting ceiling. |
Founder of Augusta |
Powersville, KY 10 & 19 |
Captain Phillip Buckner, Revolutionary War soldier, gave 600 acres of land to establish Augusta in 1797. He received many land grants, one in present Bracken County, for service as Commissary Officer in Va. Capt. Buckner was member of 2nd KY Constitutional Convention, 1799; represented Bracken Co. in Legislature. Lived at "Woodlawn" many years; died here in 1830. |
Walcott Covered Bridge |
5 mi. N. of Brooksville, KY 1159 |
This scenic bridge, also known as The White Bridge, is a 75-foot span over Locust Creek and has served Walcott community from 1824-1954. It is of King and Queen type, timber truss construction with hand-hewn joints and beams. First restored by A. L. Murray. Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historical Places, 1975. (Reverse side of Marker) Covered Bridges Covered bridges were first built in the 1790s but did not become widely popular until after 1814. They were covered to protect them from the weather. At one time there were more than 400 covered bridges in Ky. The timbered spans have played a romantic role in our history. Some were destroyed during the Civil War. The remaining ones are a nostalgic link with the past. |
Kenton Ambushes Indians |
Foster, KY 8 |
In summer of 1793 Indians crossed the Ohio River, hid canoes at mouth of Holt's Creek, site of Foster, and proceeded to Bourbon Co. to steal horses. Simon Kenton secured a small group to ambush them on their return. After lying concealed for four days, Kenton's men were successful; they killed six of the enemy, scattered the others, and retrieved the horses. |
Philip Buckner (1747-1820) |
Augusta Public Square |
Captain Philip Buckner, an Englishman, was a Revolutionary War veteran. He came to Va., served adopted colony as issuing commissary, received extensive land grants, then settled here. In 1797, he denoted this lot for Augusta Public Square as part of the land for the town. It become the site of the courthouse until it burned, 1848; pioneer jail still standing. |
John Gregg Fee (1816-1901) |
Germantown, Community Center, KY 875 |
Fee received degree from Augusta College; went to Lane Theological Seminary. Had spiritual experience which began career as nationally known and determined abolitionist. A founder of Berea College who wanted low-cost education for "all persons of good moral character, " regardless of race. Wrote several pamphlets advocating racial reform. (Reverse side of marker) Arnold Gragston While living on the Jack Tabb farm, Gragston, born ca. 1840, helped many slaves escape to freedom. This African American rowed slaves from Dover (Mason Co.) across Ohio River under cover of dark nights. Almost caught returning from one crossing, he escaped to woods. After more than four years of helping others, he crossed river and became a free man. Died, 1938. Presented by the Bracken County Historical Society and the Ky. African American Heritage Commission. |
Fort Ancient Native Americans |
Augusta Appelman Park |
Who were the Fort Ancient people? Fort Ancient people lived in the middle Ohio River Valley from AD 1000 to 1750. They lived in villages, grew crops (including corn, beans and squash), hunted, fished, made salt, and traded goods, like marine shell, with other villages throughout the region. Fort Ancient people preceded Shawnee and other tribes. (Reverse side of Marker) Augusta is located on the site of a major settlement of the Fort Ancient people, who lived here between AD 1500 and 1650. The village consisted of large communal houses built around a central plaza. Archaeologists documented artifacts & burials over a wide area. The village was abandoned by 1650. Presented by Augusta Rotary Club |