Kentucky History Drive

History is all around us.

Pioneers, Native nations, long hunters, soldiers and distillers. Explore the stories that made Kentucky, on a living map you can travel through time.

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Big Sandy and Pine Mountain

From Pound Gap on Pine Mountain down the Big Sandy valley: Pikeville's heritage center, the 1861–62 battles at Ivy Mountain and Middle Creek, Jenny Wiley's story and a mountain farm community.

Stops

  1. 1. Pound Gap, Pine Mountain (KHS #510)

    PublicMarker only1751; 1862; 1864. US 23 roadside marker at the state line.

    Christopher Gist passed here in 1751. On March 16, 1862, James Garfield's Union troops drove Confederates from the gap; in June 1864 Morgan's raiders came through on their last Kentucky raid. Sources: KHS marker #510: Pound Gap; Wikipedia: Pound Gap

    No story yet for this stop.

  2. 2. Big Sandy Heritage Center Museum (Pikeville)

    PublicLimited hoursRegional museum. Museum; check hours.

    The upper Big Sandy Valley's largest collection of historical artifacts, with an archive of books, papers and photographs. Sources: Wikipedia: Big Sandy Heritage Center

    31.7 mi, about 37 min from stop 1
    No story yet for this stop.

  3. 3. Ivy Mountain battlefield marker (KHS #164)

    PublicMarker onlyNov. 8, 1861. Roadside monument and marker.

    On November 8, 1861, Union troops under Gen. William Nelson defeated Confederates under Capt. Andrew Jackson May; the Confederates withdrew from Pikeville the next day. Sources: KHS marker #164: Battle of Ivy Mountain; Wikipedia: Big Sandy Expedition

    27.1 mi, about 35 min from stop 2
    No story yet for this stop.

  4. 4. Middle Creek National Battlefield

    PublicJan. 10, 1862. Battlefield park with walking trails.

    Fought January 10, 1862; the only battle personally commanded by James A. Garfield, then a Union colonel. Sources: Grokipedia: Battle of Middle Creek

    4.3 mi, about 7 min from stop 3
    No story yet for this stop.

  5. 5. Jenny Wiley State Resort Park

    PublicCaptured 1789. State resort park.

    Named for Jenny Wiley, captured in 1789 in Virginia by a Native war party who killed her brother and children; she escaped after about 11 months. Sources: Wikipedia: Jenny Wiley; Wikipedia: Jenny Wiley State Resort Park

    8.1 mi, about 15 min from stop 4
    Jenny Wiley’s captivity and escape →

  6. 6. Mountain HomePlace (Staffordsville)

    PublicPaid admissionLimited hoursOpened 1995. Admission; open about April–October.

    A living history farm community of the mid-1800s: cabin, church, one-room school, blacksmith shop and barn, all moved in the 1980s ahead of Paintsville Lake. Sources: Wikipedia: Mountain Homeplace

    20.6 mi, about 31 min from stop 5
    No story yet for this stop.

Directions cover the public stops only. Access, fees and hours are general; verify before visiting. Context: The Slone Site in Pike County is protected and is context only.

Route map