Mt. Washington

By Bobby K. Darnell

When pioneers first ventured off the Wilderness Road in the late 1700s looking for a more direct route to Louisville, they came upon a pleasant area between the Salt River and Floyd's Fork. It provided rich soil for farmland, virgin timber for building, plentiful game, and numerous springs. As roads from Bardstown to Louisville and Shepherdsville to Shelbyville and Taylorsville were forged, the area was nicknamed "The Crossroads." In 1818, the community was named first Mt. Vernon and then Mt. Washington. The town grew tremendously, outgrowing all of its neighboring cities in Bullitt County for decades. As many as five hotels existed in the mid-1800s, and a private school named Mt. Washington Academy, greatly praised as "The Athens of this Place," drew students from miles away.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Feb 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781439649657

Bobby K. Darnell

Bobby K. Darnell is a lifelong resident of Mt. Washington. His passion for history began with the city's beautiful old homes on the shady, tree-lined thoroughfare of Main Street. In 2002, he began collecting vintage images of the city and visiting longtime residents to record their memories and stories. Images of America: Mt. Washington draws heavily on his collection, as well as the collections of the Mount Washington Historical Society and many local residents.

Book preview

experience.

INTRODUCTION

Mt. Washington came to be in a unique variety of circumstances. In the late 1700s, Revolutionary War soldiers with land grants raced to lay claim to the most valuable acreage they could find. David Leach was one of those whose hundreds of acres included the future site of Mt. Washington. Pioneers traveling on the Wilderness Road who veered off the path near McCulloughs Run on Salt River looking for a more direct route to Louisville subsequently ventured through a small borough called Hell’s Kitchen. There a fur trader ran a tavern that catered to rough characters. The possibility of Indian attacks was still certainly a threat. Eventually the Indians were chased out of the area and roads were forged from Bardstown to Louisville and from Shepherdsville to Shelbyville and Taylorsville. That area near Hell’s Kitchen where the roads met was soon labeled the Crossroads.

Joseph Hough, a merchant and Bullitt County deputy sheriff, bought 100 acres surrounding the Crossroads in 1812 with his wife, Catherine, and son Christopher. Tragedy led to the formation of the city of Mt. Washington. Joseph died in 1813, leaving his wife alone with Christopher who had an unknown medical condition. Catherine remarried David Drake and renounced her widow dower. David became Christopher’s guardian and to adequately provide for his special care they sold 50 of the 100 acres at the Crossroads in 1818 to be divided into 82 lots, creating a city called Mt. Vernon. Within a year, most of the lots had been sold and many resold. Large, two-story homes started rising along Main Street, or the Louisville/Bardstown Turnpike, along with numerous businesses and a school. Just south of the Crossroads was a unique area where several springs met, including the Spout Spring that supplied water year-round for manufacturing. William Stevens started one of the first businesses in that area with his gristmill and wool-carding machine that provided lumber for construction and wool for the manufacture of clothing. Godfrey Wolf had a tannery that employed several locals, contributing to the town’s self-sustainability. Many of the Harris, Swearingen, and Hall families who had farms outside of the community moved into the city, and the Baptist, Methodist, and Catholic congregations built churches within city limits.

The first form of government came in 1822 when trustees were appointed, but it was not until 1834 that the town was officially chartered by the state. Between those dates a problem arose that took some time before it was resolved. The city had petitioned for a post office, but to their dismay, found there was already a Mt. Vernon established in the state. To proceed, a name change was necessary, which was a difficult decision for many. The town was originally named Mt. Vernon to honor Pres. George Washington and his estate. Keeping in line with honoring the president, they decided on the name Mt. Washington, and as the city is situated at a high elevation, it was fitting. The transition took several years; the earliest known document mentioning Mt. Washington is from 1828, but an 1838 document still refers to the area as Mt. Vernon. Many maps continued to designate Mt. Washington as Mt. Vernon well into the 1800s.

The city grew leaps and bounds in the 1800s, surviving the Civil War without any serious damage and out-populating all other cities in Bullitt County. By the late 1800s, Mt. Washington was well established and vying for a railroad to be built through or near the city, but Shepherdsville received that honor. It was quite a blow to the city, and Shepherdsville, the county seat, benefitted greatly from the decision. The city also fought hard to get electric rail car transportation from Louisville and was rejected. But as roads improved, the traffic through Mt. Washington increased. As many as five hotels were located in the area and the Masonic lodge, built in 1853, featured a large room with a stage where locals would present plays, politicians would speak, and musicians and actors would entertain traveling guests and locals alike. Maccabee Hall would be built at the Crossroads in 1905 and become the popular event space.

In 1925, the new and improved Jackson Highway, which was essentially Bardstown Road, was paved. This improvement brought traffic and business into the city that changed the landscape dramatically and extended businesses farther north on Main Street.

In the early 1900s, the population declined somewhat and the town population grew little, remaining a quiet, scenic community until the early 1950s when large plants like General Electric and International Harvester were established. These new businesses, among others, initiated the arrival of hundreds of new residents, mostly from farming communities, looking for better jobs. Mt. Washington was a perfect blend of the country and the big city. Mt. Washington has come a long way from its humble origins but retains its small town feel and continues to grow and thrive.

One

AT THE CROSSROADS

Thurston Long on his horse, Deck, looks north on Main Street, the major business district of Mt. Washington. The bulk of the businesses in the early days were located within this block, which included two hotels, a mansion, a blacksmith shop, food and dry goods stores, a Masonic lodge, and a lawyer’s office. Beginning from the Crossroads north on Main Street to Frogtown, it is a short jaunt west on Highway 44, a stroll on South Main Street, and a glimpse of East Highway 44. (Courtesy of Mark and Lisa Rouse.)

The Fraternal Order of Maccabees of Mt. Washington was established in 1903, and property was purchased at the corner of Main Street and Highway 44. Construction began under the supervision of William A. King and was finished around 1906. The official name for the building was Tent Three, but it was known as Maccabee Hall. Several businesses leased space on the first floor, including German Branham’s restaurant, Kenny Snyder’s clothing store, Preston Parrish’s barbershop, and Dr. Asa. C. Overall’s office. The third floor was used exclusively by the Maccabees as their meeting room and offices. The second story had a stage (below) that was used on numerous occasions and was the delight of the community. Locals would have plays they called minstrels and enjoyed watching their neighbors perform. Pictured here is Mary William’s troupe that entertained often at the Maccabee. On November 18, 1940, a blaze broke out between Branham’s restaurant and Snyder’s clothing store, which ultimately