Fort Boonesborough State Park
Encyclopedia
Fort Boonesborough was a frontier fort in Kentucky
, founded by Daniel Boone
and his men following their crossing of the Kentucky River
on April 1, 1775. The settlement they founded, known as Boonesborough, Kentucky
, is Kentucky's second oldest European-American settlement.
The fort was the scene of much action during the western theater
of the American Revolutionary War
. In September 1778, the fort withstood an attack by American Indians
in what would later be called "The Great Siege
". The settlement was later moved to Henderson, Kentucky
.
, Fort Boonesborough State Park was rebuilt as a working fort, containing cabins, bunkhouses and furnishing. During the in-season, the fort also houses resident artisan
s such as blacksmith
s and potters
who do open demonstrations to give visitors a taste of what pioneer
life in Kentucky was like.
The Kentucky River Museum
is located in the park, at the home of a former lock operator. The museum focuses on impact of the river on area families and commerce, and tells about the locks and dams in the 1900s.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, founded by Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
and his men following their crossing of the Kentucky River
Kentucky River
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, long, in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The river and its tributaries drain much of the central region of the state, with its upper course passing through the coal-mining regions of the Cumberland Mountains, and its lower course passing through the...
on April 1, 1775. The settlement they founded, known as Boonesborough, Kentucky
Boonesborough, Kentucky
Boonesborough is an unincorporated community in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. It lies in the central part of the state along the Kentucky River. Boonesborough is part of the Richmond–Berea Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, is Kentucky's second oldest European-American settlement.
The fort was the scene of much action during the western theater
Western theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Western theater of the American Revolutionary War was the area of conflict west of the Appalachian Mountains, the region which became the Northwest Territory of the United States as well as the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri...
of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. In September 1778, the fort withstood an attack by American Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in what would later be called "The Great Siege
Siege of Boonesborough
The Siege of Boonesborough took place in September 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. The attack on the Kentucky settlement of Boonesborough was led by Chief Blackfish, a Shawnee leader allied to the British. Months before the battle, Blackfish had captured and adopted Daniel Boone, the...
". The settlement was later moved to Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
.
State Park
Located in what is now Madison County, KentuckyMadison County, Kentucky
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2008, the population was 82,192. Its county seat is Richmond. The county is named for Virginia statesman James Madison, who later became the fourth President of the United States. This is also where famous pioneer Daniel...
, Fort Boonesborough State Park was rebuilt as a working fort, containing cabins, bunkhouses and furnishing. During the in-season, the fort also houses resident artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
s such as blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
s and potters
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
who do open demonstrations to give visitors a taste of what pioneer
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
life in Kentucky was like.
The Kentucky River Museum
Kentucky River Museum
The Kentucky River Museum is located in Boonesborough, Kentucky, in Fort Boonesborough State Park.Established in 2002, the museum occupies the former lock operator's home and storage and maintenance building for Lock 10, one of fourteen locks on the Kentucky River which were originally built by the...
is located in the park, at the home of a former lock operator. The museum focuses on impact of the river on area families and commerce, and tells about the locks and dams in the 1900s.