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Barren County · Early commonwealth · 1798 – 1809

Glasgow & the Barrens

Barren County was authorized December 20, 1798, from Green and Warren, named for the open "barrens" prairie.

In 1799 settlers chose John Gorin's Big Spring site over Richard Garnett's Beaver Creek spring for the county seat; Gorin opened a tavern in his cabin that year and put land and cash toward public buildings on a pea-vine hill that became Glasgow's square. The legislature recognized the town in 1809; the spring's steady water made the square possible.

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Published . Last revised .

Chicago

Snowden, Shannon. "Glasgow & the Barrens." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 18, 2026. Last revised September 18, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/glasgow-the-barrens/.

MLA

Snowden, Shannon. "Glasgow & the Barrens." Kentucky History Drive, published 18 Sept. 2026, last revised 18 Sept. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/glasgow-the-barrens/.

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