" 6
Historical Sketch
is famous (Peter, Op. Cit., p. 205).
In 1795 Fayette County had four important roads:· The Wilderness, the V
Nashville, the Lexington-Limestone and the Louisville Roads (R. S. Cotterill,
History of Pioneer Kentuc , p. 256). Today, four federal highways (Nos. 25,
27, 60 and 68 traverse the county.
Small settlements in the county include Athens, Brier Hill, Montrose,
South Elkhorn, East Hickman and Slickaway. ·
_ f A short distance northwest of the city of Lexington a federal narcotic
farm and hospital has been erected. The institution is unique in this part
of the country.
Local nineteenth century historians were fond of applying the rather ex-
travagant soubriquet "Mother of Counties" to Fayette. Even with the limmta-
. tions of a more realistic outlook, however, some truth will be granted the
lesser implication of the title when it is realized that originally Fayette
County embraced approximately one—third of the state of Kentucky, or forty-
seven of its present counties.
Bibliography
Coleman, J. Winston, The Courthouses of Lexington, private-
ly published.
Collins, Richard H., History of Kentucky, Vol. II, John P.
’ I Morton and Company, Louisville, Kentucky, 1924.
Cotterill, R. S., History of Pioneer Kentucky, Johnson
and Hardin, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1917.
Durrett, Reuben, The Centenary of Kentucky, A Filson Club
V Publication, John P. Morton and Company, Louisville, Ken-
· . · tucky, 1895.
Hening, Statutes at Large, Laws of Virginia, Vols. X, XII,
printed for Editor by George Cochran, Richmond, Virginia,
1822 and 1825.
Littell, William, Laws of Kentucky, Vol. I printed for
William Hunter, Frankfort, Kentucky, 1809; Vol. II printed
for William Hunter, Johnston and Pleasants, 1810.
Peter, Robert, History of Fayette County, 0. L. Baskin and
l Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1882.
Robertson, James Rood, Petitions of the Early Inhabitants
of Kentucky, John P. Morton and Company, Louisville, Ken-
tucky, 1914, A Filson Club Publication, No. 27.
The Lexington Leader, December 19, 1956.