The Beginning of the Fort

Harrodstown was established in 1774, on the south side of Town Creek.  The first structures were simple log cabins close to the Big Spring.  A wagon path was cleared following the course of the Town Creek, which originated at the Big Spring, and ran through town past the site where the first fort was built in 1775.

James Harrod and his men arrived here in 1772 and laid out a town site of simple log cabins alongside the creek.  The cabins were abandoned briefly because of fear of Indian attacks, but were re-occupied in 1775.  Fort Harrod was built further to the west and the pioneers moved there when it was finished.

Fort Harrod was originally built on Old Fort Hill.  When it was decided to build a new replica of the fort, they moved it several hundred feet from its original location.  The area with the original fort has since been used for a fort parking lot. 

Kentucky Pioneer Memorial

Old Fort Harrod State Park was the result of years of effort by members of the Kentucky Pioneer Memorial Association organized in, and let by Harrodsburg residents in 1923.  Its goal was a tribute to the first permanent white settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains.  The Association selected the site of the present state park and raised support for the construction of a replica of James Harrod’s for.  The “frontier cradle of advancing cultivation in pioneer America” now preserves Kentucky’s pioneer history in the display of tools, furniture, and various other artifacts and by the use of interpreters in period clothing to perform pioneer tasks such as blacksmithing, weaving, and wood working.

Inside of the stockades

Old Fort Harrod State Park was the result of years of effort by members of the Kentucky Pioneer Memorial Association, organized in, and led by, Harrodsburg residents in 1923.  Its goal was a tribute to the first permanent white settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains.  The Association selected the site of the present state park and raised support for the construction of a replica of James Harrod’s fort.  This “frontier cradle of advancing civilization in pioneer America” now preserves Kentucky’s pioneer history with displays of tools, furniture, and various other artifacts and through interpreters in period clothing performing pioneer tasks such as blacksmithing, weaving, and wood working.

Replica of Fort

The beginning of th replica of Fort Harrod being built was 1927, 153 years after the original fort was built by James Harrod and his men.  Court documents researched by local attorney and historian, W.W. Stephenson gave information on its accurate reproduction.  Due to changes in the landscape where the original fort was located, the replica was placed a little to the south.

James Harrod

Harrodsburg was founded in 1774 by James Harrod, and is the first and oldest settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. Located in central Kentucky it is close to the cities of Lexington, Frankfort and Louisville. Harrodsburg is noted for many firsts in Kentucky: the first school, the first physician, the first religious ceremonies and the first court system. Harrodsburg is also noted for having the first corn in Kentucky, raised on the east side of town. The book will give you a glimpse of the fort replica James Harrod built, which is now called Old Fort Harrod State Park and is furnished with handmade utensils and craftsmenship from the early 1770s. The park also contains the Mansion Museum, the Lincoln Marriage Temple, the first cemetery and a monument dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This book will also go into other areas of Harrodsburg life: churches, historic homes, educations, entertainment, government and business, Main Street and historic homes.

And it Begins

This is the blog for the new book I am researching on Old Fort Harrod State Park.  I want to publish a book about Old Fort Harrod State Park to bring more tourists to Harrodsburg and to educate people in the community.  I have already started research for this project at the Public Library and the Harrodsburg Historical Society.  Writing the book will be the next step.  I will take my information and photos and put together a cohesive book.  This will be the longest part of the project, just collating the information with the photographs. Getting the book published will be the hardest part.  I mainly want to get the information into the hands of the public.  I will have a choice to make at this point because I can easily go to a vanity publisher, or I can submit to publishing houses and take my chances on finding a publisher