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Shelby County · Frontier · 1780 – 1800

Shelbyville

Shelby County was carved from Jefferson County in 1792 and named for first governor Isaac Shelby.

That October, at the first county court, Revolutionary veteran William Shannon donated about 50 acres on Clear Creek (plus an acre for public buildings) so the new seat would sit on the Frankfort-to-Falls road. Trustees required 1½-story hewed-log houses with brick or stone chimneys; by 1800 the town had 262 people. Nearby Squire Boone's Painted Stone Station (1780) had been the earlier foothold — Shelbyville won the courthouse.

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Published . Last revised .

Chicago

Snowden, Shannon. "Shelbyville." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 12, 2026. Last revised September 15, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/shelbyville/.

MLA

Snowden, Shannon. "Shelbyville." Kentucky History Drive, published 12 Sept. 2026, last revised 15 Sept. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/shelbyville/.

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