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Lincoln County · Frontier · 1787 – 1794

William Whitley / Sportsman's Hill

Near Crab Orchard, William Whitley finished Sportsman's Hill (1787–1794), often called Kentucky's first brick house — thick walls, elevated windows, and hiding places against raids.

AI illustration of William Whitley, Kentucky frontiersman, about 1790
William Whitley AI illustration · Kentucky History Drive; no known likeness exists

Beside it he ran a clay oval where horses raced counter-clockwise, a pointed break from English turf clockwise. The house and hill remain a Lincoln County historic site.

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Published . Last revised .

Chicago

Snowden, Shannon. "William Whitley / Sportsman's Hill." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 12, 2026. Last revised September 15, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/william-whitley-sportsmans-hill/.

MLA

Snowden, Shannon. "William Whitley / Sportsman's Hill." Kentucky History Drive, published 12 Sept. 2026, last revised 15 Sept. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/william-whitley-sportsmans-hill/.

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