Collins Creek (Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Collins Creek |
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|---|---|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Collins Fork headwaters 36°57′56″N 83°52′27″W / 36.96568°N 83.87409°W |
| 2nd source | Buzzard Branch headwaters 37°01′15″N 83°46′20″W / 37.02072°N 83.77226°W |
| 3rd source | Hammond Fork headwaters 37°01′21″N 83°44′46″W / 37.02250°N 83.74605°W |
| River mouth | Goose Creek 800 feet (240 m) 37°07′13″N 83°45′06″W / 37.12022°N 83.75179°W |
Collins Creek, also known as Collins Fork, is a creek in Kentucky, USA. It flows through Knox County and Clay County, Kentucky. This creek is a branch of Goose Creek.
Collins Creek is about 19 miles (31 km) long. It was named after James Collins, who was one of the first people to settle there. He was a salt maker and a hunter. The creek joins Goose Creek just south of Garrard. For most of its path, Collins Creek runs alongside Kentucky Route 11 and a railway line.
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Exploring Collins Creek's Path
The place where Collins Creek meets Goose Creek is about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) upstream from Manchester. This spot is about 800 feet (240 m) above sea level. About 9 miles (14 km) of the creek is in Knox County, and the other 10 miles (16 km) is in Clay County.
Collins Creek has many smaller streams, called tributaries, that flow into it. These tributaries add to the creek's water as it makes its way to Goose Creek.
- Some of its main tributaries include:
- Engine Branch joins 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream. 37°06′34″N 83°45′15″W / 37.10942°N 83.75418°W
- Buzzard Creek joins 2.25 miles (3.62 km) upstream. It is about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) long. 37°05′39″N 83°45′19″W / 37.09414°N 83.75536°W
- Furnace Branch (also called Little Buzzard Creek)
- Saplings Fork
- Swafford Branch
- Sarvis Branch
- Russell Branch
- Joe Nash Branch joins 4 miles (6.4 km) upstream.
- Whites Creek (also called Whites Branch) joins 6.125 miles (9.857 km) upstream. 37°03′42″N 83°48′11″W / 37.06167°N 83.80308°W
- Cold Spring Branch joins 7.5 miles (12.1 km) upstream. 37°02′44″N 83°48′27″W / 37.04561°N 83.80757°W
- Disappointment Branch joins 10 miles (16 km) upstream. 37°00′50″N 83°49′04″W / 37.01392°N 83.81780°W
- Bull Creek (also called Bull Branch) joins 11.75 miles (18.91 km) upstream. It is about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) long. 36°59′24″N 83°49′51″W / 36.98996°N 83.83070°W
- Turkey Branch
- Upper Turkey Branch
- Hammond Fork joins 12 miles (19 km) upstream. It is about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) long. 36°59′08″N 83°49′38″W / 36.98542°N 83.82724°W
- Horn Branch
- Shop Branch
- Garland Branch
- Left Fork
- Hi Smith Branch (also called Right Fork)
Mines Near the Creek
In the early 1900s, there were some mines along the branches of Collins Creek. For example, Thomas Swafford had a mine on Swafford Branch in 1918. John L. Cottongill also had a mine along Collins Creek itself.
Post Offices Along Collins Creek
Many small communities grew up along Collins Creek and its tributaries. To serve these communities, several post offices were opened over the years. These post offices often helped name the local areas.
Post Offices on Buzzard Creek
- Willowdale post office opened on September 7, 1901. Postmaster Ella White named it because there were many willow trees in the area.
- Lincoln post office started on May 26, 1923. The postmaster, Hughey L. Tanksley, wanted to name it "Harding" first, but there was already a "Hardin" post office. He likely chose names inspired by US Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Warren G. Harding. This post office closed in 1974.
Post Offices on Hammond Fork
- The Abel post office was opened on February 18, 1896, and closed less than a year later in January 1897.
- The Williams post office was established on March 29, 1906, and closed in 1907.
Post Offices on Bull Creek
- Sprule post office began on April 6, 1905. It was named after a local family. The community it served was called Hemlock. This post office moved to different spots over time and closed in 1983.
Post Offices on Collins Creek Itself
- Safe post office was open from 1904 to 1907. It was located in a store near Engine Branch.
- Cottongim post office opened on July 3, 1918. Postmaster Sallie Cottongim Hacker named it after her family. She originally wanted to name it "Jonsee" after a nearby railway station. The railway station was named after John C. White, a landowner. The Cottongim post office closed in 1969.
- The Dallas post office was established on May 5, 1909. It was not directly on Collins Creek but on a small stream nearby. It closed in 1912.
- The Criss post office was named after a local person. It was open from 1917 to 1925.
- The Woollum post office opened on March 5, 1900, named after its first postmaster, Samuel J. Woollum. This post office moved several times along Collins Creek, sometimes crossing the county border between Knox and Clay counties. It finally closed on August 27, 1993.
- The Green Road post office was established on November 30, 1927. It was near a railway station called Green Road Station. This post office closed in 1985.
Bluehole Post Office
The Bluehole post office started on August 4, 1916. It was first going to be named "Gladys," but that name was already in use. So, it was named Bluehole, after a common natural feature in Kentucky called a blue hole.
It moved several times along Collins Creek and Kentucky Route 11 before it closed in 1985. Even today, people still informally call the area "Bluehole" instead of the railway station's name.
Hopper and Fount Post Offices
The first Hopper post office was set up on November 27, 1891. It was named after the Hopper family, who owned land there after the Civil War. It closed in 1893.
The Fount post office had a long history and several names!
- It started as Payne's post office in 1874, not even on Collins Creek.
- In 1881, it moved to Collins Fork.
- In 1888, its name changed to Girdler.
- In 1895, it moved to the same spot as the earlier Hopper post office and took the name Hopper again.
- When the railway arrived in 1916, the post office was moved to the train station. On June 21, 1916, it was renamed Fount after Fountain Fox Rowland, the postmaster and station agent. Fount post office closed in 1974.
Girdler
A second Girdler post office was established on April 28, 1899, after the first one had moved and changed its name. This post office is still open today! It is located where Kentucky Route 11 and Kentucky Route 1304 meet. Around it, you can find a school, stores, and a sawmill.
