"Many heroic exploits and chivalrous adventures are related to me which exist only in the regions of fancy. With me the world has taken great liberties, and yet I have been but a common man." ....Daniel Boone

At the unveiling of the bust of Colonel Daniel Boone of Kentucky in the Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 1926, he was memorialized as "the founder of the First American democracy in 1775, with the building of its capitol, Fort Boonesborough, on the site of Boone's Kentucky home of 1770."

Fort Boonesborough, named for Daniel Boone, was begun in April, 1775 and is called the "Birthplace of Kentucky." This is a sketch of what the fort looked like when the Boones lived there according to Moses Boone, son of Squire Boone, brother of Daniel Boone. Moses lived at the fort with his family.

Moses Boone [23 Feb 1769, NC - 08 Mar 1852, IN] stated that the fort contained about one acre and was one-third longer than wide. This calculates to about 180 feet by 240 feet. Moses's sketch of the fort agrees with Col. Richard Henderson's sketch in almost all areas. Moses stated that after his uncle Daniel returned from captivity (with the Indians) in 1778 the fort was put in repair with new stocking added where needed and the walls were extended to the east. He said that a second story was added to the stockades (on each corner) but that they were not roofed as they ran out of time before the attack which resulted in the fort remaining under seige by Indians for 11 days.

The "town" of Boonesboro was layed out in 1775 by Daniel Boone, Richard Henderson and the Transylvania Company, and was the first chartered town in Kentucky. Town lots were sold at the very first lottery held in what would be the state of Kentucky. After peace was established with the Indians, Boonesborough served as a trading place until the early 1800s. The population of the town dwindled to 68 people by 1810, and by 1820, the year that Colonel Daniel Boone passed away, was no longer considered a town. Collins' 1847 "History of Kentucky" refers to Boonesborough as "a small and dilapidated village."

Boonesborough State Park is southeast of Lexington at the end of Athens-Boonesborough Road. It is in northern Madison county along the Kentucky River on KY 627 and KY 388.

Fort Boonesborough Website

Sources: Fort sketch and statements from Moses Boone to Lyman C. Draper; Draper papers, 19C12.