Columbia & Adair County History

Pre-historic people occupied this land with its abundance of game and water. They left mounds and artifacts. Later, Native Americans had no permanent settlements but came to hunt and fish. Their trails followed the animals' trails. This was part of a vast expanse of unexplored land considered the western portion of Virginia when Virginia was still a colony of England. When early frontiersmen poured through the Cumberland Gap, Native Americans fought to save their hunting grounds. England claimed land as did France - both countries, at times, inciting Native Americans to attack forts of the settlers.

In 1770, Long Hunters from Virginia and North Carolina, led by Col. James Knox, came to this area to explore and hunt and they stayed away from home for a long time. This frontier land offered abundant game, timber for building, fresh water springs and waterways. Daniel Boone probably was in this area, too. They stored animal furs and skins in a temporary shelter called the "skin house" beside a stream still called the Skin House Branch. It flows into Russell Creek named for a Long Hunter named Russell. A church now occupies the site of the Long Hunters' camp.

In 1789, Col. William Casey and his wife, Jane (Montgomery), with their family and about 30 other families established the Casey/Butler Fort - the first permanent settlement in what is now Adair County. They came from Logan's larger fort at Stanford, Kentucky, and crossed the Green River at Plum Point. In 1793, the Caseys bought land away from the fort and developed a large farm. Their 1816 house, indicted by a historic marker, is on KY Highway West 80. (Photo below.)




In 1792, Kentucky became the 15th state and Green County, including land that is now Adair County, was formed. One of the Caseys' great-grandsons was Samuel, a.k.a. Mark Twain. Samuel's parents, Jane Lampton and John Marshall Clemens, were married in Columbia in 1823. A year later, they moved to Tennessee and later to Missouri where Samuel, their sixth child, was born in 1835. As a young girl, Jane lived in a house (no longer standing) near the public square. (Photo below.)

In 1794, frontiersmen defeated Native Americans in the Battle of Fallen Timbers in Ohio. The same year men from this area went to Tennessee and destroyed Native American villages. These two events stopped further attacks by Native Americans in this part of Kentucky. The influx of settlers, some bringing slaves, greatly increased. Many came to claim land that Virginia had set aside between the Green and Cumberland Rivers as payment to men who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Early settlers followed trails made by bison between water and mineral licks. These trails became many of our major roadbeds. In 1801, Adair County - Kentucky's 44th county - was formed from Green County. It was named for General Adair, who never lived here, but served with Col. William Casey in early Kentucky government. Adair was Speaker of the House in Kentucky at that time. Casey's name was given to a county five years later. He is the only Adair County resident to have a county namesake.

A place of crossing trails called for trading posts and taverns or inns for people and stables for their horses. It meant the need for food supplies, builders, teachers, blacksmiths and many service providers. Three men with vision - William Caldwell, Col. Daniel Trabue and Creed Haskins - bought 50 acres where the crossing trails caused a settlement to begin. They speculated that their acreage would be a fitting place for a county seat. An influential land owner, James Walker, who also wanted the county seat to be near his property, donated 20 acres adjacent to the 50. Governor Garrard then appointed men to the first Adair County government with a settlement called Columbia as the county seat. Elections for county officials were not held in Kentucky until 1851.

Frontier people loved their new county. Choosing a name, Columbia, which means the United States, seemed fitting. That word was in common usage in 1800 as having that meaning. Hail Columbia was the national anthem. (Not until 1931 was the present national anthem adopted.)

Col. Daniel Trabue, one of Columbia's founders, wrote a first-hand account of his many adventures in frontier Kentucky. Now in book form, Westward into Kentucky by Chester Young, tells about his many experiences: delivering a message from LaFayette in the Revolutionary War, supplying the forts, bringing his family on a flat boat down the Ohio River and being a part of early Columbia.


Also, see the Adair County Genealogy Society which meets the first Monday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Library

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Early Buildings and Businesses are Still Part of Columbia's Landscape
(*indicates National Register status)


*The Adair County Courthouse was built 1884 - 1887 in the middle of the Public Square as the original deed dictated for the seat of justice. It replaced the first 1806 court house that was renovated in 1847. The McDonald brothers, famed courthouse architects, designed seven courthouses that were built in Kentucky. Columbia's is one of the two remaining.

*1880; The Zion Baptist Church and school building have been renovated to serve as the offices of Gaddie Shamrock Stone Company.

*The log home of late authors Henry and Janice Holt Giles is located in the community of Knifley. They co-authored four books. Janice wrote 20 books which are based on historical situations and people. Their log home is being gradually restored.

Three Columbia institutions have a history of at least 100 years: Bank of Columbia (1866), First & Farmer's National Bank (1904) and Lindsey Wilson College (1903). Jeffries Hardware has been a business since 1898, although at one period under the name of Davis Hardware.


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Churches and Schools were an Important Need for Early Settlers

Settlers in the early 1800's were mostly Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians. Col. Casey donated land on his farm for the 1804 Shiloh Presbyterian - the beginning of Columbia's Union Presbyterian Church. Rev. and Mrs. Tucker were Methodists stationed near the Casey/Butler Fort in 1793. They were killed by Native Americans and their congregation relocated to build the first church building in Columbia.
Daniel Trabue, pioneer founder of Columbia, was active before 1800 in the Russell Creek Baptist Association; he helped organize the 1827 congregation in Columbia with the help of the established congregation of Zion Baptist. The Columbia Christian Church has its beginning in 1868. Numerous small "meetin' houses" of various congregations were built throughout the county providing places of worship in communities isolated by the lack of roads.

Columbia Academy, a school for boys, was built in 1812 and closed in the 1850's. Girls of that era were taught in the Methodist Church building. In 1857, the Male and Female School - the name indicates the change to include both boys and girls - was built in Columbia on East Guardian Street and a historical marker shows the location. These were "subscription" schools that required fees to attend. There were also many small, one room schools around the county. In 1909, Columbia's first public school was built, requiring no fees, but it was only for white children.

There were a few schools for African American children in contrast to most Kentucky counties that had none. In 1925, Jackman School for African American children was built with help from community donations, the county school system and the Rosenwald Foundation. Jackman became a senior high school in 1934 and students from surrounding counties as well as Adair County attended there. When it burned in the 1950's, Earl Willis, a parent, pursued the matter of integration, taking the case to court in Louisville. This was the first Kentucky county to file suit for desegregation. Integration in Adair went well following the court case. Another Rosenwald school still stands on KY 61 S., maintained by the Santa Fe Church.

From the time the Louisville Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church decided on Columbia as a location for the college, the town began to take on new life. In 1904, Methodist-affiliated Lindsey Wilson Training School opened as a place to train preachers and teachers. Its dedication speech was given by Adair Countian, Judge James Garnett, whose son was Kentucky's attorney general in 1913. In 1923, a college department raised the standards to a junior college. In 1986, a four-year baccalaureate program was implemented. In 1994, a masters program in counseling and human services began. The John Begley Chapel, designed by world-renowned architect E. Fay Jones, was added in 1997. Lindsey continues to grow and a major building program is underway.

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Columbia is on the John Hunt Morgan Civil War Trail

In July 1863, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan, with 2400 cavalry, thundered through Columbia at the beginning of Morgan's longest raid. Residents were ever vigilant because Columbia lay on a route to Lebanon with the nearest railroad and warehouse full of supplies for the Union. Morgan's and his troop's purpose was to disrupt the supply lines and divert the Union army by destroying bridges, warehouses and rail lines while living off the land for their food and fresh houses to ride. (Photo right.)

Union Col. Frank Wolford from here, recruited soldiers in the summer of 1861 at Camp Nelson. He organized the 1st Kentucky Cavalry that fought in numerous battles, guarded supply wagons and procured food for the troops. Wolford and his "Wild Riders" chased Morgan and the Raiders during Morgan's longest raid and capture in Ohio. Before being sent to the Ohio State Penitentiary, Morgan gave Wolford, a fellow Kentuckian, his silver spurs. (Photo left.)

Col. Thomas Bramlett lived in Columbia and led the 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. He had been U.S. District Attorney before the war. He declined promotion to general and instead ran for governor and was elected to serve 1863 - 1867. Union Captain James Hindman of the 13th Kentucky Infantry was elected Lieutenant Governor 1883 - 1887. The Knott County seat was named for him. Union Camp Boyle, later called Camp Gilbert, in Columbia and Camp Billy Williams on the Dunnville Road were two Civil War camps.

War-time killing and pillaging continued as the lifestyle of some after the war ended - Champ Ferguson and Jesse James were two who continued killing and robbing. James robbed the Bank of Columbia. He murdered a teller and wounded a witness before escaping with a large sum of money.


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Those Who Contributed Through the Years

Adair Countians have participated in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. The local VFW has a marker at the Fairground's entrance and in front of the Courthouse Annex. A still-active VFW was chartered in 1946. They own the fairgrounds and hope to make it into a community memorial park honoring all veterans.
Two Adair County men have lent their names to buildings because of their past achievements - Ed Diddle to the Diddle Arena at Western Kentucky University and Dr. James Salato to the Salato Education Center in Frankfort. Columbia native Paul Hughes, a respected journalist, has no building with his name: his legacy is the fleet of 110 bookmobiles that were made a reality in 1954 through his tireless efforts statewide to provide books to rural Kentuckians.

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Not Exactly Like the Long Hunters Found It

Two major changes in the landscape were the completion of Green River Dam in 1969 and the opening of the Nunn/Cumberland Parkway in 1973. The dam created the Green River Lake for flood control and to expand outdoor recreation opportunities. The parkway provided a safe and efficient route connecting Somerset and Bowling Green with now two Columbia interchanges. Other major roadways have been straightened and a bypass now connects Ky 55 around the west side of Columbia providing easier north-south access.

Two hundred years have brought many changes - but this area still retains the natural beauty and resources that Native Americans, Long Hunters and both residents and visitors today consider a special place.


Historical information and photographs provided by George & Vonnie Kolbenschlag.