The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-11-19
BARRENS OF KENTUCKY
HOW NAME OF RICH COUNTRY
ORIGINATED.
Strange Land Full of Sink Holes and
Caves, but Rich in Fer
tility.

For the first time in perhaps a quar-
ter of a century there will not be more
than a half crop of corn raised in that
portion Of Barren county known as the
"Barrens," SO say reports from many
who nave 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 up
land. +
That portion of the county known as
the "BarrenS'' has had an uninterrupted
series of good crops and the people had
come to regard the land even better and
more sure of corn crop than river bot
tom, better because more accessible and
more desirable for homes than near a
large stream, and not subject to over
flows 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 into
Hardin county, almost parallel with the
Louisville & Nashville railroad track,
the length being something like fifty
miles. The width varies from one to
ten miles. When this country was first
settled this land was not taken up, be.
ing considered worthless from the fact
that at the time no trees n 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 unanimous in the belief
49, &c 4lo Land uyorI1 not GRO" voUoro-
ton it was unfit for cultivation.
Traditions tell that n man who had
settled near this barren country, at
what is now known as B~earWallOw, trad
ed 125 acres of this land to a neighbor
for an old buck sheep. This gives some
little idea how the land was valued. 1t
is claimed that the records in an adjoin-
ing county will show this transaction.
No definite conclusion or explanation
has ever been given of this strange land.
Several years ago workmen found the
surface of the ground. 1t was never
known to what variety the tree found
belonged. 4
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' referred to-, is a hole IN
the earth of funnel shape. it is about
LIS feet in diameter at the top. but grad
/ ually decreases to about - feet, and is
supposed to be bottomless. Visitors
have thrown hundreds of carloads of
rocks into this NNace, but the bottom
seems never to have been reached. Many
attempts have been made with ropes,
wire and other things to find the bot
tom, but all to no avail.
In addition to the above there are
many ''sink holes" small caves, etc.; in
fact the portion which lies in Barren
county is known to be underlaid with
caverns and underground passages.
Horse cave, Mammoth cave and Colossal
cavern all lead out under this section.
This land now when sold, which is sell
dom, brings all the way from 500 to $50
per acre, and to say 81 own a Barren
farm and am out of debt" means that
the speaker is in easy circumstances,
usually what is termed rich in this sec
ton.
1t is no wonder that a report of a half
crop of corn in that section is surprising
to those conversant with the country.