Squire Boone's Station, Pioneer settlement site in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
Squire Boone's Station was a fortified settlement built in 1780 with log cabins, a gristmill, and a sawmill positioned along Clear Fork of Brashear's Creek, about 2 miles north of Shelbyville. The site included defensive structures to protect settlers and had multiple buildings that served different functions for daily life and trade.
The station was established in 1780 by Squire Boone, brother of the famous Daniel Boone, making it one of the first major settlements in what is now Shelby County. This marked the beginning of permanent European settlement in the region during the frontier expansion era.
The name 'Painted Stone' came from a creek rock where Squire Boone carved his name and date during his 1776 exploration. This marked a place where early settlers wanted to claim their presence in the frontier lands.
The location sits about 2 miles north of Shelbyville along a creek that provided water for the settlement's operations. Today the site shows remnants and foundations that help visitors understand the original layout and arrangement of the buildings from the pioneer era.
During an attack by Native Americans in April 1781, Squire Boone was shot twice, resulting in permanent disability to one of his arms. This injury stands as a reminder of the dangerous conditions early settlers faced in establishing themselves in this region.
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