Learn about the History of Boone Creek


The History of Boone Creek and the Kentucky Region
	The History of Boone Creek Site:

			Many don't know that the 23 acres of Boone Creek Outdoors and Anglers Club is located on a site that was formerly a gas station and more! Located on a rare wide spot just before ascending to the old U.S. 25 bridge over the Kentucky River and just off I-75 at the Clays Ferry Exit (Exit 95), this site has hosted several highway related businesses; from gas stations, restaurants, and a cathouse operation, reputedly frequented by many prominent locals. This site was put up for auction in 1974, while it was being operated as a Texaco Gas station and restaurant with an outdoor barbecue. The site at that time was known as the "Jolly Roger".
		The actual auction clipping from the newspaper is on the right. To view larger, click on the image.

		The site was then purchased in the late 70's by a locally known businessman and converted into a private residence. In the early 1980's, the house (which is now the lodge) and the road down to it (the property's most unique feature) were constructed. The property was abandoned in the late 1980s, and the house at the bottom of the hill was empty for several years. Burgess Carey acquired the property in 1994, finally getting title under the name Boone Creek Properties in 1995.Access to the gorge is gained via a cliff hanging switch-backed road that was blasted out of the side of the cliffs. Accessible only by 4WD, this is nevertheless the only spot on The Gorge where the creek's banks can be reached by vehicle, which as you can see from the photograph above, the trip to the bottom is well worth the effort.

The Boone Creek Project including the Anglers Club, Outdoor Center, and Adventure Travel program was began in February 2000 along with in the renovations and improvement of the lodge got underway in the summer of 2000.

The gasoline and diesel tanks that were located on the property were removed by Carey Technologies/AD Brighton Engineering personnel assisted by the C.F.U.C.G. D.E.E.M. and the Kentucky underground storage tank removal fund. Our tax dollars at work!

This removal will ensure that a gas station will never be relocated on this site despite its proximity to the interstate and long commercial/retail history.

The image below demonstrates the property as it is now, functioning as Boone Creek Outdoors and the Boone Creek Anglers Club.

It is the hope of Boone Creek Properties that the "highest and best use" of the property is through the enjoyment and education of the outdoor resources to be found there. Resource renewal at its best!

Now that you know the history of Boone Creek, we encourage those of you to take the time to learn a little more about the rich history of Kentucky.

The History of Kentucky
			Known for gently rolling hills, fertile soil, excellent pasture land, and bluegrass, Lexington, Kentucky is the horse capital of the world. Those of us who live in Kentucky have seen the majestic Appalachian Mountains, epic whitewater, lakes, and know the historical significance of the region. "Dark and Bloody Ground" was the loose translation of the Indian name given the respectfully shared but unanimously coveted hunting grounds south of the Great Chilocathe Lodges of the Central Ohio Region. To the Native Americans, Kentucky was hallowed ground. It was very difficult to live in but rich in the resources that they needed to prosper.
		In 1763 a group of "long hunters" crossed into Kentucky through Cumberland Gap. These brave explorers followed the path of bison through the Cumberland Gap, a major break in the formidable Appalachian Mountain chain. Success of the hunt brought others to Kentucky, including Daniel Boone, a colonel in the Virginia militia. Boone founded Fort Boonesborough on the Kentucky River. The first years at Boonesburough were unfathomably harsh with the endurance of famine, disease, Indian attacks, kidnappings, and isolation. Boone's narratives (autobiographical and those described by Nathaniel Hawthorne and others) describe his capture by the Shawnee Indians, his adoption by Chief Black Fish as his son, and his daring escape on foot through the forests covering 160 miles in 4 days. In
	putting pen to paper, America's most famous of all "long hunters" recounts events of singular courage during this eventful 13-year period of his life, providing us with a fascinating insight into the character of an American icon. Boone's tales became glamorized and popularized beyond the limits of reality in many areas, but the public romance with Boone was founded on solid ground. Boone's trailblazing efforts, and those who like him, opened a door beyond the Alleghany Mountains, establishing a route used by thousands in the first westward migration. From 1775 to 1810, between 200,000 and 300,000 men, women, and children crossed the Gap into the unknown land of Kentucky. Authors, painters, and performers adapted in this pioneering era to communicate their reflections on human existence. The American public began to see itself both individually and communally through the exploits both accurate and sensationalized as pioneers ventured into this previously pristine Eden. For Kentucky, a tradition began of woodsmanship and outdoor proficiency that lasts to this day. The hills of Southeastern Kentucky offer as impressive a setting for outdoor enjoyment everywhere you can roam. The western slope of the Appalachians and the Cumberland Plateau one described by Boone as "God awful piles of intimidating and terrifying heights" these hills, largely spared development due to the geographical and geological obstacles hosts clear running mountain streams, remote gorges, old growth forests, scenic hiking, and epic white water.