Glens Fork, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Glens Fork is an unincorporated community
in Adair County
, Kentucky
, United States
. Its elevation is 810 feet (247 m).
Glens Fork is located in a region of limestone
, so the land is perforated by many sinkholes and small caves. Most of the area is a karst
landscape, where there is no direct drainage into any streams, but instead the rainfall goes directly into sinkholes. There are several undeveloped caves in the area, including the Helms Caves which contained American Indian artifacts.
It is unclear when the first settlers came to Glens Fork, but the first deed at the Adair County
courthouse dates from June 29, 1802. Glens Fork was apparently named for an early land owner by the name of Glen, but almost nothing is known about him. Another possibility is that Glens Fork was named for David Glenn, who was a hunter employed by George Rogers Clark
. The post office was established on September 2, 1857, and discontinued on July 31, 1863, because of the American Civil War
. The post office was re-established on October 10, 1865, and has been in continuous operation since then. The name "Hardscratch" may refer to a Civil War campsite where living was hard.
On March 25, 1872, the town of Glenville was established by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly
. The town boundaries were established as one-quarter of a mile in every direction from the northeast corner of the Masonic Hall, which was established as the center of town.
At some point, the town government was discontinued, and Glens Fork became an unincorporated place again.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Adair County
Adair County, Kentucky
Adair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population is 18,656. Its county seat is Columbia, Kentucky. The county is named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky ....
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its elevation is 810 feet (247 m).
History
This community has been variously known as Glens Fork, Glenville or Glennville, and Hardscratch.Glens Fork is located in a region of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, so the land is perforated by many sinkholes and small caves. Most of the area is a karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
landscape, where there is no direct drainage into any streams, but instead the rainfall goes directly into sinkholes. There are several undeveloped caves in the area, including the Helms Caves which contained American Indian artifacts.
It is unclear when the first settlers came to Glens Fork, but the first deed at the Adair County
Adair County, Kentucky
Adair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population is 18,656. Its county seat is Columbia, Kentucky. The county is named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky ....
courthouse dates from June 29, 1802. Glens Fork was apparently named for an early land owner by the name of Glen, but almost nothing is known about him. Another possibility is that Glens Fork was named for David Glenn, who was a hunter employed by George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
. The post office was established on September 2, 1857, and discontinued on July 31, 1863, because of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The post office was re-established on October 10, 1865, and has been in continuous operation since then. The name "Hardscratch" may refer to a Civil War campsite where living was hard.
On March 25, 1872, the town of Glenville was established by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
. The town boundaries were established as one-quarter of a mile in every direction from the northeast corner of the Masonic Hall, which was established as the center of town.
At some point, the town government was discontinued, and Glens Fork became an unincorporated place again.