Corinth

by Clarence Brewsaugh

Corinth was established in 1828 and it was first called Mullinixville.  It is situated on “seven hills,” in the extreme southern end of Grant County, where it meets Scott County at the city limits; it touches Harrison County on the east, and it is not far from the Owen County line on the west.  When the old stagecoaches traveled the turnpike from Lexington to Cincinnati, the drivers stopped for meals and for a change of horses at the John Minor property, situated at the Scott County line.  

Corinth had three toll gate house: one on the Owenton Road near the John Saylor farm, one on the Cordova Road near the residence of Ralph Blakey, and one at the intersection of the Hinton and Stringtown Road near the home of Leo Brewsaugh.  The Queen and Crescent Railroad was built through Corinth in 1876.  Later it was called the Southern Railroad. 

In 1876, Corinth had a population of an even one hundred.  There were two good hotels here: the Marshall Hotel and the Lancaster Hotel.  Corinth also had the best bank in the county and the largest flour mill.  Among the leading businessmen were Breck Williams and W. H. Daughtery, the two local physicians.  Store owners were Jeremiah Barnes, Joseph Bradley, D. Nash, Tobias Rose, and James Sames.  G. W. Trimnell and F. S. Whittin ran general stores, and C. H. Hutchinson operated the flour mill.  

In 1878 the Corinth Academy was training most of the teachers of this county.  Dr. W. H. Daughtery was president of the academy, and G. W. Trimnell, grandfather of the present chairman of the Grant County School Board, was secretary and treasurer of the Academy school board.   Dr. Daughtery was influential in getting a law passed that no saloon could be erected within a mile of the church.  

According to an account in the Williamstown Courier, the town of Corinth was wiped out by fire November 3, 1904.  Losses were estimated at $50,000.  The fire started in the home of Mrs. Alice True on the west side of the turnpike, and swept through the town, taking the post office, the drugstore, barber shop, harness shop, two hotels, the doctors offices, and many residences.  Since then Corinth has suffered loss by fire many times.  

The oldest buildings still standing in Corinth are the J. W. Kennedy building (Hammond's Grocery), the Corinth Deposit Bank building, the Elmer Alcoke Hardware Store (later owned by the late O. C. Jones), the old Trimnell Building.  The upper part of the Corinth Bank building faces Main Street, and the lower part is on U.S. 25.  The old Lancaster Hotel Building is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dixon.  The Marshall Hotel on the Cordova Road, well known for its revolving table loaded with good food and its pleasant hosts, Mr. And Mrs. Walter E. Marshall.  

In 1927 Corinth built a new school building with Mr. E. B. Whalin as its first principal. In 1930, the Corinth basketball team, coached by Ted Hornback, not only won the Kentucky State Championship, but went to the National tournament in Chicago to take third place in the nation.  The "fabulous five" m Jones, Wilbur Odor, Bear Lawrence, Dave Lawrence, and Roscoe Rogers.  The money for the Chicago trip was raised by John Juett, the late Frank Craig, and others.  Corinth now has a population of 283.  

From a collection of essays written in American Literature Eleven.  The class was taught by Ms. Hazel Ogden of Grant County High School in the 1963-1964 school year, and was typed by the typing classes of Mrs. Mattie Cox.  It is copyrighted by the Grant County Schools, and is used here with their kind permission. We found a copy in UK's King Library.