Desha Glen Home read more about it here. (pdf)	Crescent Creamery, Rectorville, 1909 Creamery Pike is located off Hwy 10 across from the entrance to the old Rectorville school. The Creamery was located on left hand side of road before starting up the hill.

 

View on the Germantown Pike, Overlooking Lawrence Creek, near Maysville, c. 1865	Ohio River, Maysville, Kentucky, c. 1865	Lawrence Creek,  c. 1865
All three of these paintings are by William Craig (1829-1875).  Born in Dublin, he spent most of his life in upstate New York, but made a trip to Kentucky in 1865.

 

View of the Ohio River at Maysville, Kentucky. c. 1850, and attributed to William Louis Sonntag	Landscape of Maysville, a painting by Prof. Pinquely, a dance instructor at St. Frances de Sales Academy, Maysville, c. 1880	Waterfall in Mason County

 

Aaron Houghton Corwine	Mrs. Andrew McConnell January and Richard January	A. M. January

A site that show some paintings of Maysville scenes, visit the Ohio River Valley Artists Guild, here.

John Rankin
A more courageous man never lived.

The Rev. John  Rankin House, overlooking Ripley, Ohio, c. 1910		The Rankin House from Kentucky, in a 1919 postcard	The Rankin House from Kentucky,  from an 1847 woodcut
The Rankin House was a Major Station on the Underground Railroad. The Ohio Historical Society's Site on this house is here.
Rankin came to Ripley on January 1, 1822, called as the minister to Ripley Presbyterian Church

 

Two Lick Baptist Church, at the Germantown and Bridgeville Roads The old church was struck by lightening and burned, June 13, 1944; the new building was dedicated on December 7, 1947.

Bethany Christian Church, 1965

 

Village Grocery in Stonelick from a Jim Rannes post on Facebook	The Olivet Methodist Church between Orangeburg and Rectorville from a Facebook post by Eddie Donlin

In addition to the Seddon Church picture, Roberson also posted a program from a
1965 Seddon Church Pew Dedication, which contains a history of the church. That pdf is here.

 

County Poor Farm	The Slip Up Grocery, on US 62

 

Heflin's Store, being moved from Maple Leaf & Rt. 11. Earlier, it was Gore's Hilltop Grocery. From a Facebook post by Joy Gore Pollock Before houses got “burdened down” with such frivolities as central heating, indoor plumbing and electricity, it was pretty common to pick buildings up and move them.

 

Smoky Rigdon's Grocery in Highland Heights, 1969	Hank Moyer's Antique Store. Earlier the site of the Franklin Seminary; now the site of Highland Christian Church.

 

Historic Fence?

 

The 1868 price list from the Murphysville Woolen Factory. Details.
From a Facebook post by Brandi Mae

Well's Store in Murphysville

Murphysville declared dry in 1873.

 

Walter E. Neal's, 1876	Mr. T. Neal in 1876	Smoot Farm, 1876	White Farm, 1876

 

Darius Downing's in 1876	Jacob Slack, Fern Leaf, 1876	Samuel McDaniel, 1876

from Facebook posts by Charles William Marshall
South Ripley Ferry, 1906	Mason County Hills from Ripley	Ripley Ferry (We've also seen it identified as the Chilo-Bradford Ferry)

Ripley Ferry

South Ripley
from the Ledger-Independent, September 2, 1992

“This was Dad's (Woody's) place of business one mile east of Rectorville at the fork of Kentucky 10 and KY 1234. Dad was a partner with “Newt” Voiers, of Tollsboro from 1954 until his death in 1977. Before that, he had an auto parts store on Forest Avenue with Jay Toncray, from 1950-1954.” Mike Gardner, on Facebook

Tollsboro 1963-64 team. Key to names.
From a Facebook post by Kirby Wright

Tollsboro Christian Church, c. 1910		Tollsboro Livery From a Facebook post by Kirby Wright

   A Lynching in Tollsboro, details here.

Fern Leaf Standard Station and Grocery, 1969	Fern Leaf, 1884	Germantown Pike, near Fern Leaf

 

Times and routes of the various state coach routes in Mason County in 1875 are here.

“We learn that John L. Scott has sold his peach crop to a Cincinnati firm for $14,000, the purchaser to gather the fruit, pay all expenses, and take all risks. We learn that the crop is very large and the quality of the fruit good. The orchard contains fifty acres and cost Mr. Scott, some years ago, $4,000. A good profit, certainly.” from the Louisville Daily Journal, July 18, 1867, reprinting an item from the Maysville Eagle.

Springdale	Springdale Depot	W. T. Pogue's Springdale Stock Farm, 1876

 

Daily Commonwealth, September 6, 1883

South View of Springdale  Post Office	US Post Office, Springdale  Along the river just above Maysville.  Dravo Gravel bought the town in the 60's. “US Mail, W. S. Tulley Groceries, Springdale Post Office” above door.

The last resident moved out of Springdale in July, 1974

Covered Bridge on 419 over the North Fork, before and after an overweight truck in 1937 Photos by the Lillian Pyles

Mason - Flemingsburg Road, c. 1927		South of Maysville, 1928	Maysville - Lexington Road, 1929

 

 

Powersville Couple

 

 

Two photo's and a caption, on the L&N at Helena, in 1950

Helena is incorporated as an official town in 1854.

 

The Old Helena Methodist Church

 

Helena Methodist (pdf) is on the National Register of Historic Places.

A visit to Helena Methodist is at this site

from the Chicago Packer, September 16, 1916

 

James Pyles, his chickens (left) and his sheep, 1931 (right). Ron Bailey has more on Pyles.			1937 Flood Levels, Camp Spring Hollow

  Point-Au-View Farm, 1910,  is described here.

	Point-Au-View is one of three Mason County Farms on the National Register of Historic Places. All pdf's.
	Point-Au-View	Woodlawn	Stone Barn on Lee's Creek

 

Beasley Creek Church, 1948

	Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, Lewisburg	Lewisburg Bridge, c. 1919. Destroyed c. 1930.

 

The Mutual Telephone Company, Lewisburg
Later, Charles Lee's grocery
From a Facebook post by Lisa Collins

Read about Lewisburg's “Uncle Sam” Jackson, here. (pdf)	Lewisburg distillery burns in 1869, here
History of the Lewisburg Baptist Church is here. (pdf)	Lewisburg, then spelled Lewisbourgh, established in 1795.

 

The Pyles Site

Pyles is an archaeological site of a Newtown village, from the 1499-1000 A.D. period. On a ridge on the North Fork of the Licking, about a mile west of Lewisburg.

 

   

Rust House (pdf) is about halfway between Lewisburg an Wedonia.
There's a large cave on the property.

Over 2,000 items excavated as part of the Curtis Collection from “the Fox farm” in Mason County, are donated to the Kentucky Historical Society; others to the Smithsonian.

 

Gwendolyn Dieterich Wilson at Charleston Bottoms, ready to fly. From a Facebook post by Jim Wilson

 

Charleston Bottoms From a Facebook post by Ron Bailey, of a Bob Chamblin picture.	Charleston Bottoms From a Facebook post by Camilla Kehoe

Charleston - then named Charlestown - was established by Virginia before Kentucky statehood, in 1791.

 

	Charleston Bar	Island View Farm
	From a Facebook posts by Bob Chamblin. Bob has written about the island here.

 

 

Notice that there's a town between Ripley and Maysville called “Charleston,”
in this steamboat distance chart from 1855's The Western Tourist and Emigrant's Guide.
It was where International Paper and the Spurlock Power Plant are today.

Here's a description of it from 1795. 1795!!

And in this 1804 map, note Charleston and Washington exist; Maysville does not.

“The Maysville Eagle says the Democratic Barbeque at Helena, on the Maysville and Lexington Railroad, the 31st, is to be the largest thing ever seen in Eastern Kentucky. Gov. Allen, of Ohio, J. Proctor Knott and other distinguished Democrats are expected to address over 30,000 people.” Courier-Journal, August 26, 1876
“Fox Springs, near Maysville, have been opened for the summer under the charge of Mrs. Eliza F. Fleming.” Courier-Journal, July 4, 1873	History of the Stonelick Baptist Church is here. (pdf)
“We record the largest sale of mules ever made in our county.  On Saturday, July 2d, Messrs. Benedict Kirk and Corbin Gallagher of this county sold to Messrs. Hall and McCann, or Fayette county, one hundred head of fat two year old mules, at $150 per head round, a total of $15,000.”  from the Maysville Eagle, as quoted in  the Gallipolis Journal, July 14, 1853	History of the Mill Creek Christian Church is here. (pdf)
	“A letter from one of our subscribers states that Indian Creek, a tributary of Fox, has become famous for its burning mountain. It is supposed to have been on fire internally for over four months; kept up, very likely by the oil in the coal and slate. It breaks out occasionally.” Courier-Journal, reprinting an item from the Maysville Bulletin, March 15, 1874
“The Colored citizens of Helena and Mill Creek met at John W. Gray's on Tuesday last for the purpose of organizing a school board.  S. S. Breckinridge was chosen chairman and E. C. Natas, clerk.” - Maysville Republican, January 1, 1876
The Mason County town of Woodville was officially established on March 22, 1851.	The 1907 Flood in Wellsburg.
“Esculpia. This delightful watering place, situated in one of the wildest and most romantic spots in Kentucky, but is short distance from Maysville, has undergone many improvements during the last year, and since it has passed into the hands and been under the superintendence of M. T. C. Gould, Esq., of Cincinnati. We are glad to hear that Mr. Gould has been so fortunate as to secure the services of our friends, M. Kean, Esq., late of the Louisville Hotel, who will, during the coming season, have the superintendence and direction of the entire establishment.  Mr. K's connection with Esculpia will doubtless induce many of his Western and Southern friends to make t their stopping place during the sultry months of summer.  We can answer for him that they will be well cared for and attended to.”  Courier-Journal,  May 26, 1847	“I have been riding as an evangelist of some nine churches for six months, without making any communication of my success.  I will now exhibit the fruits of repentance by showing where I labor and what I have done: churches in Mason county, Ky., Maysville, Washington, Germantown, Bracken, Beasley Creek, Lawrence Creek, Brown county (Ohio), Georgetown [Ohio], Red Oak [Ohio], and Liberty [Ohio].  This is my boundary.  Immersions, between 24 to 26 - additions - 20. . . .The additions were mostly from those who oppose the gospel as preached by the Apostles.  Three of that number were Methodists.  R. C. Ricketts”  from The Millennial Harbinger, edited by Alexander Campbell, 1836
“Johnson Junction, Ky., March 23.-At Helena, Mason County, the gunshop of John h. Wood and the storehouse of Joseph Patton, with the entire stock of goods and Patton's dwelling, were all burned to-day. The only insurance was $2,000 on Patton's goods. Wood's lass, $3,000; Patton's loss, $5,000.” Cincinnati Enquirer, March 24, 1880	A massive downpour on Bull Creek washes out the C&O, and kills several, here.
“Maysville Bulletin: Among the many relics of historical interest our Historical Society has lately received is a copy of the last will and testament of Hancock Taylor, one of the surveyors who came to Kentucky in 1774, and was shot by Indians on the Kentucky river, near where Frankfort now stands, July 17 of the same year, and died shortly afterwards in what is now Madison county. This will, written in the wilderness, so far as is known is the first legal document ever executed in Kentucky. The society is indebted for the is valuable relic to its energetic secretary, Mr. W. D. Hixson.” Courier-Journal, July 24, 1876	“Uncle Sam Hamilton, now ninety years old, who lives near Powersville, Bracken County, Ky., was the first white person born where the city of Cincinnati now stands. He is blind, and yet walks from his home to Powersville, whenever he feels like taking a stroll, and generally goes by himself. He has been one of the stoutest men in this section of the country.” Cincinnati Enquirer, November 10, 1884

Slack, c. 1858
Slack was at the intersection of Germantown Road and Big Pond Road

Remember the town of Newtown? Founded by Kenton and others on the Licking, 1793.