Barbourville and Knox County

Knox County was created in 1799, and the town of Barbourville sprang up on the banks of the Cumberland River, at the mouth of Richland Creek. The site of one of the first small battles of the Civil War, Barbourville grew from a sleepy little community into a center of trade and travel in Kentucky. Both the town and the county are celebrated and explored in this unique collection, one that showcases the pioneering spirit and achievements of the area’s earliest settlers. History was made in Knox County even before the county was formed, as Daniel Boone blazed the trails known as the Wilderness Road; his legacy left an indelible mark on the community, present today in its most popular tourist attractions and annual festivals. Just as Boone altered the course of the county’s history, so too did the advent of coal mining, the discovery of gas, the coming of the railroad, the devastation of floods, and the development of schools. These and many other fascinating elements of Knox County’s heritage are brought to life in photographs culled from the collections of the Cumberland Gap Historical Park, The Knox County Historical Museum, The Filson Club, The Kentucky Historical Society, and numerous private collections.