Quicksand, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Quicksand
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 Quicksand
Location in Kentucky
Quicksand
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Breathitt |
| Elevation | 810 ft (250 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
41363
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| GNIS feature ID | 501479 |
Quicksand is a small community in Breathitt County, Kentucky, United States. It is located along the North Fork of the Kentucky River. Quicksand Creek flows into the river directly across from the community.
For over 200 years, Quicksand has been known as the home of the Back family. They were the first settlers to arrive there in 1791. The family's last name is spelled both "Back" and "Bach" today. Many books, like "The Kentucky" by Dr. Thomas D. Clark, have written about their long history in Quicksand.
The community's post office closed in 1996.
Contents
Exploring Quicksand's Early History
The first settlers in Quicksand were Joseph Back (born 1745) and his wife Elizabeth (born 1755). They arrived in 1791 with their four children. The family came from Culpeper County, Virginia. They brought their old Family Bible, which recorded their family history. This Bible is now at the Breathitt County Public Library in Jackson.
Joseph Back had tried to buy land in the area a few years earlier. The Back family became one of the most important families in Breathitt County.
The Back Family and Land Ownership
Joseph's son, John Back (born 1774), married Catherine Robertson. In 1836, John and his son Joseph bought 2,500 acres of land in Quicksand. They paid $2,000 in gold for this large area. The land stretched eight miles along Quicksand Creek.
Two generations later, John's grandson, Miles Back (born 1853), was said to own over 20,000 acres. His large, two-story house was on a hill in Quicksand, looking over the river. Miles was married three times and had at least twenty children.
The Lumber Company's Impact
In 1908, Miles Back sold 15,000 acres of land. He sold it to Fred Mowbray and Edward Robinson, who ran a lumber company. They built a huge sawmill in Quicksand, near Miles Back's house. It was called "The Mowbray-Robinson Lumber Company."
From about 1909 to 1922, their company cut down all the old hardwood trees in the area. They sold the wood to the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Singer used the lumber to make wooden cabinets for their sewing machines. At that time, Singer made about 10,000 sewing machines every day.
Environmental Changes and Recovery
Cutting down all those trees caused big environmental problems around Quicksand. In 1923, Fred Mowbray and Edward Robinson gave the damaged land to the University of Kentucky. The university and taxpayers then had to pay to replant trees and fix the damage.
The university started the Robinson Substation on land donated by Miles Back. This Substation was also near Miles's house, by the river. It was across the Quicksand Bridge from where the sawmill used to be. The people at the Substation replanted some trees. They also worked to improve farming in the community. The Substation is still open today, but its name is now The Robinson Center.
Family Reunions and Genealogy
Starting in 1933, the Back (Bach) family began holding yearly family reunions. These reunions took place on Miles Back's farm for almost seventy years. More than 1,000 people attended each year. Newspaper articles reported that the family's history was discussed at these gatherings. This included their connection to the famous music composer Johann Sebastian Bach.
In 1994, some family members created a group called "The Back-Bach Genealogical Society." They published a family history that caused disagreements within the family. Today, many descendants of Joseph and Elizabeth Back still live in Quicksand and nearby areas.
