Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-05-08
HOPKINSVILLE, KY.
Her SCHOOLS, MANUFACTURERS And
Business INTERESTS REVIEWED,
A SKETCH OF A GROWING CITY
Something About Her People.

the hills and valleys where the early
hunter delighted to chase the red deel
and other game ninety years ago
The country is uneven and ill-ftted
for agricultural purposes, excepting
on the water courses where there
are some very fine farming lands
The hills are covered with a wealth
of fine timber and filled with vein,
Of the finest coal.
Towards the south extend the fa'
nous farming lands Of South Chris
tian, rivaling in fertility the richest
bluegrass fields of Central Ken.
lucky. With these great natural
advantages coal and timber on one
side and rich farming lands on the
other-lIopkinsville must some day
in the near future become a manu-
featuring center Of importance. OF
late years a number of infant indus
tries have been established in the
city aud almost without exception
they havtt prospered and widened
their scope and exist to-day as mon
ey-making establishments. But OF
these more hereafter.
The city of Hopkinsvile is situat-
ed upon several hills. The main por-
ton Of the business part Of the city
Is located on and between two OF
them. The Court House sits upon the
northern one while the business
houses stretch to the south filling the
valley aud reaching half way up the
other, three hundred yards away.
Intersecting this, the Main street,
are number Of cross streets, sever
al of which are important business
thoroughfarcs. Winding its way
from north 10 south Is the West fork
Of Little River, but square from
Main street. There are 10 business
houses west Of this stream aud but
few west of Main street. The see
ond business street in importance Is
Nashville. which leads to the depot
of the l.. Il n. Railroad. half a dozen
squares to the east of Main street.
The valley between the two hills on
Main st. was once a ravine aud
where the Opera House now stands
the earth was excavated for ID feet
before solid dirt was reached. On
the lot where the SOUTH kENTUCKIAN
Office is now being erected the soil
is ten feet from the surface and many
curious articles were dug up by the
workmen, such as old cooking uten-
sils, pieces of boots, shoes, crockery,
etc, etc, probably thrown into a
sink-hole fifty years or more ago.
g. From this 1t will be concluded that
the site Of the city was not chosen oil
account of its beauty or its natural
adaptability, but our fathers never
dreamed that the little town of eigh-
ty years ago would ever aspire TO
the importance of city. Perhaps
in half as many years from the pres
ent time our grandchildren, in the
hustle and confusion of great city
with its hundred thousand inhabit-
ants, may recall the Hopkinsville of
to-day and bless its enterprising cit
liens who aided in developing its
resources and promoting its interests
when its rivals were trying to crush
il, and thereby turned the trembling
balance in its favor.
Hopkmsville was probably laid
out in 1897, though the matter was
not submitted TO record until Sept
ID, 1899. The location Of the town
was determined by the never-failing
spring between Main street and the
river. The ground upon which the
county seat was located was donated
by its first settler, Bartholomew
Wood, the grandfather OF
DR.. b. S. Wood, one OF
our leading citizens. The town
was designed as the county seat OF
Christian county when it embraced
several of the adjacent counties of to-
day. The name given it at first was
Elizabeth, but this was changed in
1904 and the town was named in
honor of Gen. Sam'l Hopkins, an Off
Ger of the Revolutionary war. 1t
would be a tiresome and difficult
task to follow the town through the
march of time. 1t had become a
considerable little town prior TO the
war, but il was not till after the war
was over and it had a railway con-
nection with the outer world that the
town began TO grow. In 1870 the
population was something over 1000
and in 1880 it had doubled itself, aud
was put down at 1929. Since that
time the city has grown more than
ever and if the same rate Of increase
continues her population will not lie
far from 10000 five years hence. The
city has been almost entirely burned
down within the last three years. Ii
1882 seven squares of business houses
were destroyed, last July two Others
followed aud in December still anoth
er, making nine entire squares within
n little over two years, besides several
othel'fires of considerable magnitude
In almost every instance the build
ings destroyed have been replaced by
modern brick structures, which are
an ornament to the city, The las
square burned is being put in readi
ness for the erection of one OF tn
4E