Royal Spring Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Royal Spring Park
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Royal Spring
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | Between Clinton and Jefferson Sts. W of Water, Broadway, and Georgetown Sts., Georgetown, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1774 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000842 |
| Added to NRHP | April 02, 1973 |
Royal Spring Park is a special place in Georgetown, Kentucky. It has a very large spring that has given water to the area for a very long time. The park also has an old log cabin that was built by a man named Milton Leach. He used to be a slave. This park is so important that it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on April 2, 1973.
Contents
Park History and the Spring
The Royal Spring's Importance
The Royal Spring in Georgetown, Kentucky, is a huge natural spring. It has been the main source of water for people living here since the very first settlements. In 1889, a company started to deliver this spring water to homes. Later, in 1945, the City of Georgetown bought that company. They created the Municipal Water Works Plant. Today, more than 13,000 homes and businesses in Georgetown get their water from this amazing spring.
First People Arrive
In 1774, a man named John Floyd came to Kentucky. He was looking for land for soldiers who fought in the French and Indian War. On July 7, 1774, John Floyd found this big spring. He received the spring and about 1,000 acres (4 square kilometers) of land for his work. At first, the spring was called "Mr. Floyd's Spring."
In 1775, John Floyd gave the spring to John McClelland. McClelland had already built a cabin on the land. In 1776, a small army fort called McClelland's Fort was built nearby. It was placed close to the spring so soldiers could easily get water. But in 1777, there were more attacks from Native Americans, so the fort was left empty.
A New Use for Spring Water
In 1789, a preacher named Elijah Craig set up a grain mill near the spring. He used the spring water to make a special kind of whiskey. Many people believe that Elijah Craig was the first to make this type of whiskey using a special "sour mash" process.
Royal Spring Park is located off West Main Street in downtown Georgetown. It's a great place to visit. You can see the Royal Spring and explore a real, old log cabin that has been fixed up to be a museum. The park also has several historical markers and monuments. These markers tell stories about the spring, the first settlers, and local war heroes.
The Leach Cabin
In 1874, a former slave named Milton Leach built a log cabin. This was his home. Later, the log cabin was carefully moved to Royal Spring Park. It was restored and now serves as a museum. It helps people learn about the past.
The park was officially added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on April 2, 1973.
