Stanford got its name after Benjamin Logan, who along with other early settlers, repeatedly and successfully fought off Indian attacks. Logan’s Fort, which was located near the existing Stanford downtown district, was the final jewel of the “triple crown” of forts in Kentucky. Cumberland Trace which goes to Nashville and turns into the Natchez Trace, began at Logan’s Fort. Court was held within the walls of the fort from 1781 to 1783, the original beginnings of many Kentucky counties south of the Kentucky River. The settlement, which evolved into the present day town of Stanford is the second oldest permanent settlement in the state. Historic downtown Stanford is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Wilderness Trail, originally called the “Great Road,” passes through Lincoln County. The trail, which was the gateway to the west, runs along St. Asaph’s Creek of present-day Stanford.
Formed in 1780, Lincoln County is one of Kentucky’s three original territories. Named in honor of Revolutionary Army Officer Benjamin Lincoln who was asked by Congress to conduct the war in the southern states. The original territory of Lincoln comprised about one-third of the state but was reduced by cutting off sections to form other counties until its present area of 450 square miles. Lincoln County is “The Land of Firsts.” It’s home of Kentucky’s first governor, Isaac Shelby; first chartered school in the state; first brick house in Kentucky; first courthouse west of the Alleghenies; first bank west of the Alleghenies; as well as America’s first circular race track.
Lincoln County’s rich heritage is revealed in its vast array of communities. Preachersville is the only community so named in the United States. The first settlers were part of a traveling church, Gospel Christian Church (also known as Halls Gap Christian Church). The church bell is 203 years old. Carrie Nation and U. S. Ambassador to Russia, Carlos Brittain, once lived in the area. The old Waynesburg Bank and Post Office stands in the center of two cross streets which entirely surround it. Waynesburg Masonic Lodge holds the oldest continuous charter in Lincoln County. Hubble was settled by the Irish and Scotch. The McKendree Methodist Church, built in 1886, is one of the oldest in the county. Eubank is home of the 1944 Miss America.
Lt. Richard Caswell Saufley was born and reared in Stanford. This pioneer aviator was the first man to fly an American plane over enemy territory, the first to be filmed in action in a war plane, the first to fly a plane off the deck of a ship, and he set world endurance and altitude records. Named in his honor are NAS Saufley Field in Pensacola, Florida and U. S. Navy Destroyer, U.S.S. Saufley, DD-465.
Come see where the past meets the present in historic Lincoln County. Kentucky’s rich heritage awaits you in “The Land of Firsts.”