Estill Co. Timeline
1775 Boonesborough settlement is established
1778 Several families that would later settle in area that became Estill County joined the garrison at Boonesborough. Ancestors of the Horns, Halls and Proctors were among these
1782
Captain James Estill killed in battle by Indians at "Big Mountain", now called Mt. Sterling. William Irvine is saved by Joseph Proctor.
1785 Madison County formed from Lincoln County
1792 Kentucky established as a State
1792
Clark Co. formed from Fayette and Bourbon counties
1800
Green Clay buys "Sweet Springs" [Estill Springs]
1808
Estill Co. formed from Madison & Clark Counties [50th]
1808
Estill Co. erects its first courthouse of logs
1809Estill Co. erects a jail made of logs
1810
Estill Co. shows a population of 2,082
1812
The town of Irvine established [town plat included]
1812
Estill County men enlist for the War of 1812. [under Green Clay]
1820
Estill Co. shows a population of 3,507
1830
Estill Steam Iron Ore Furnace erected
Estill County's first brick Court House erected1830
Estill Co. shows a population of 4,618
1835
Revolutionary Vet. Elisha Witt dies
1840
Estill Co. shows a population of 5,5351843
Owsley County formed from a part of Estill County
1844
The Rev. Joseph Proctor dies
1844
Irvine Lodge #137 is chartered
1847
Estill Co. men enlist for the Mexican-American War
1850
Estill Co. shows a population of 5,985
1851
Kentucky's new constitution requires that all county offices be elected by the people
1852
Powell County formed from part of Estill County
1854
Cottage Furnace erected1857
Ed Hawkins 1st Estill County man hanged for his crimes
1859
Estill Co. population of 6,886. [includes 600 slaves]
1860
Bibb Lodge #368 is chartered
1861
The 8th Kentucky Vol. Inf. Reg. [Federal] organized at Estill Springs by Sidney Barnes
1863
Jesse Crowe hanged by a mob
1863
Estill County soldiers [8th Ky Inf] place flag on Lookout Mountain
1864
Joe Finnell hanged for his crimes1865Estill County court held at the Methodist Church on Main St. in Irvine
1865
Old courthouse taken down
1868
Estill County's third courthouse erected [completed in 1870]1868Estill Lodge #469 is chartered at Spout Springs
1869
Fitchburg Furnace [twin stack] erected
1870
W.W. Pigg begins stage coach service between Richmond and Irvine.[scheduled 4 hours running time]
Lee County is formed from part of Estill County
1870
Court held in new courthouse
1875
Stafford Lodge #562 is chartered
1890
First train arrives in Irvine
State coach passenger service is discontinued between Richmond and Irvine
1890 New jail built for Estill County
1890 The "Estill Eagle" newspaper begins publication1892William Puckett hanged for his crimes
1894 Alec Richardson hanged by a mob
1896 The "Spout Springs Times" newspaper begins publication
1898 Estill County men enlist for the Spanish-American War
1900 The Mowbry-Robinson Lumber Company built at West Irvine
1905 Estill Collegiate Institute incorporated
1906 The "Spout Springs Times" is moved to Clay City in Powell County and becomes the "Clay City Times"
1907 The Irvine Telephone Company incorporated1909
Irvine Toll Bridge incorporated
1913The "Irvine Sun" newspaper begins publication
1913 The "Estill Tribune" newspaper begins publication
1915 The L&N RR Company builds East Kentucky Headquarters in Ravenna
1916 Estill County Board of Education buys the Estill Collegiate Institute for $7,500
1917 Oil boom in Estill County
1917 Estill County men enlist for World War I
1921The town of Ravenna is incorporated
1924 Estill Springs Hotel burns down and not rebuilt
1927 The "Estill Herald" newspaper begins publication
1930 Estill County shows a population of 17,000 plus
1932 Carhartts starts sewing factory in Irvine
1932 The Estill Herald, the Irvine Times, & the Estill Tribune published weekly
1938 Work is started to take down the old courthouse
1939 Work is started by the WPA to build a new courthouse
1939 Arnold Powell and Bonnie Griffin sent to the electric chair
1940 Old railroad bridge at Irvine demolished for war purposes
1940 New bridge built across the Kentucky