The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-11-13
! sARRENs OF KENTUCKY.
How the Name Of Rich AericuItur-
al-District Originated.

For the first time in perhaps a
quarter Of a century there win not be
more than half crop of corn raised
in that portion of Barren county
known as the "Barrens." SO say re-,
ports from many who have recently
had occasion to visit that section.
TO many who are familiar with that
section this will come in the nature Of
a surprise, as that part of the county
has been relied on to furnish corn for
the balance of the county when
drought made it impossible to raise
corn on upland.
That portion of the county known
as the "Barrens" has had an uninter-
rupted series of good crops and the
people had come to regard the land
even better and more sure of corn
crop than river bottom, better because
more accessible and more desirable for
homes than near a large stream, and
not subject to overhows as is low
lands; then too this land has been as
certain to produce for the length of
time stated above as river bottom.
The "Barrens." of which so little is
known and which are so highly priced
for agricultural purposes, begins near
Bowling Green, KY, and extends
through Warren, Barren, Hart and in
to Hardin county, almost parallel with
the Louisville and Nashville railroad
track, the length being something like
SO miles. The width varies from one
to 10 miles. When this country was
first settled this land was not taken
up, being considered worthless from
the fact that at the time no trees and
very little vegetation grew on the
land, besides there was no water.
This is how it came to be called the
"Barrens." The settlers were unani-
nous in the belief that if the land
would not grow vegetation it was I'M
fit for cultivation.
Traditions tell that one man who
had settled near this barren" coun-
try, at what is now known as Bear
wallow, traded 125 acres of this land
to neighbor for an old buck sheep.
This gives some little idea how the
land was valued. 1t is claimed that the
records in an adjoining county will
show this transaction.
No definite conclusion or explana-
ton has ever been given of this
strange land. Several years ago work
men found the trunk of tree 20 feet
below the surface of the ground. 1t
was never known to what variety the
tree found belonged.
At present this former barren"
land is the finest farming land in this
section and is not equalled by the
Justly famed Bluegrass section. Near
Munfordville, in the "Barrens" re-
ferred to. is hole in the earth of fun
mel shape. 1t is about 75 feet in di-
ameter at the top, but gradually de-
creases to about IL feet, and is sup
posed to be bottomless. Visitors have
thrown hundreds of carloads of rocks
into this place, but the bottom seems
never to have been reached. Many
attempts have been made with ropes,
wires and other things to find the bot
tom, but all to no avail
In addition to the above there are
many sink holes" smf- caves, etc.,
in fact, the portion which lies in Bar
rem county is known to be undertake
with caverns and underground pas
sages. Horse cave, Mammoth cave and
Colossal cavern all lead out under this
section.
This land now when sold, which is
seldom, brings all the way from $50
to $3.50 per acre, and to say Il own a
Barren" farm and am out of debt
means that the speaker is in easy cir
cumstances, usually what is termed
rich in this, section.
1t is no wonder that a report of
half crop of corn in that section is
surprising to those conVersant with
the country. Glasgow correspond
ence, Louisville Courier-Journal.