The Forks of Troublesome facts for kids

The Forks of Troublesome, often called The Forks, is where two parts of a river, the Left Fork and Right Fork, join together. These two forks are tributaries (smaller streams that flow into a larger one) of Troublesome Creek. This area is located in what is now Knott County, Kentucky.

The name "The Forks" was used for this meeting point until the city of Hindman was started in April 1884. Hindman became the main town, or county seat, for Knott County. At that time, The Forks was part of Letcher County, Kentucky.

The Left Fork is about 6 miles (9.7 km) long, and the Right Fork is about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) long.

Some of the first settlers in this area were Samuel Cornett, who built a home and a watermill on Left Fork. Later, the families of Peyton M. Duke and Anderson Hays also settled here.

Rivers and Streams of The Forks

The city of Hindman is about 42.75 miles (68.80 km) upstream along Troublesome Creek from where it joins another river. The elevation (height above sea level) at the courthouse in Hindman is about 1,032 feet (315 m).

Many smaller streams flow into the Left and Right Forks. Here are some of the main ones:

Right Fork Tributaries

• Right Fork joins Troublesome Creek at an altitude of 1,015 feet (309 m).
  • Baker Branch joins about 0.375 miles (0.604 km) upstream at 1,020 feet (310 m).
  • Perkins Branch joins about 1.25 miles (2.01 km) upstream at 1,035 feet (315 m). Its mouth is at 37°19′21″N 82°58′02″W / 37.32254°N 82.96731°W / 37.32254; -82.96731 (mouth of Perkins Branch).
  • Cave Branch joins about 1.75 miles (2.82 km) upstream at 1,040 feet (320 m). Its mouth is at 37°19′11″N 82°57′37″W / 37.31982°N 82.96016°W / 37.31982; -82.96016 (mouth of Cave Branch).
  • Parks Branch joins about 1.875 miles (3.018 km) upstream at 1,045 feet (319 m). Its mouth is at 37°19′09″N 82°57′30″W / 37.31905°N 82.95828°W / 37.31905; -82.95828 (mouth of Parks Branch).
  • Trace Fork joins about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) upstream at 1,060 feet (320 m). Its mouth is at 37°18′56″N 82°56′52″W / 37.31547°N 82.94790°W / 37.31547; -82.94790 (mouth of Trace Fork).
    • Trace Fork itself splits into two smaller forks:
      • Right Fork of Trace Fork, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream at 1,175 feet (358 m).
      • Left Fork of Trace Fork, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream at 1,175 feet (358 m).
  • Saw Pit Branch joins about 3 miles (4.8 km) upstream at 1,065 feet (325 m). Its mouth is at 37°18′51″N 82°56′19″W / 37.31419°N 82.93854°W / 37.31419; -82.93854 (mouth of Saw Pit Branch).
  • Calhoun Branch joins about 3.125 miles (5.029 km) upstream at 1,070 feet (330 m). Its mouth is at 37°18′47″N 82°56′12″W / 37.31308°N 82.93678°W / 37.31308; -82.93678 (mouth of Calhoun Branch).
  • Cy Branch joins about 3.75 miles (6.04 km) upstream at 1,090 feet (330 m).
  • Sams Branch joins about 4 miles (6.4 km) upstream at 1,100 feet (340 m). Its mouth is at 37°18′09″N 82°55′34″W / 37.30247°N 82.92616°W / 37.30247; -82.92616 (mouth of Sams Branch).
  • Reynolds Fork (also called Runnells Fork) joins about 4.625 miles (7.443 km) upstream at 1,125 feet (343 m). Its mouth is at 37°18′10″N 82°55′07″W / 37.30272°N 82.91853°W / 37.30272; -82.91853 (mouth of Reynolds Fork).

Left Fork Tributaries

• Left Fork joins Troublesome Creek at an altitude of 1,015 feet (309 m).
  • Owens Branch joins about 0.875 miles (1.408 km) upstream at 1,020 feet (310 m). Its mouth is at 37°20′42″N 82°58′35″W / 37.34500°N 82.97625°W / 37.34500; -82.97625 (mouth of Owens Branch).
  • Possum Trot Branch joins about 2.25 miles (3.62 km) upstream at 1,040 feet (320 m). Its mouth is at 37°20′52″N 82°57′22″W / 37.34782°N 82.95602°W / 37.34782; -82.95602 (mouth of Possum Trot Branch).
  • Mill Creek joins about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) upstream at 1,045 feet (319 m). Its mouth is at 37°20′50″N 82°57′00″W / 37.34709°N 82.94997°W / 37.34709; -82.94997 (mouth of Mill Creek).
  • Jones Fork joins about 4 miles (6.4 km) upstream at 1,080 feet (330 m). Its mouth is at 37°21′20″N 82°55′36″W / 37.35549°N 82.92678°W / 37.35549; -82.92678 (mouth of Jones Fork).
  • Nealy Branch joins about 4.375 miles (7.041 km) upstream at 1,090 feet (330 m). Its mouth is at 37°21′05″N 82°55′18″W / 37.35148°N 82.92161°W / 37.35148; -82.92161 (mouth of Nealy Branch).
  • Alum Cave Branch joins about 4.75 miles (7.64 km) upstream at 1,115 feet (340 m). Its mouth is at 37°20′47″N 82°55′08″W / 37.34626°N 82.91887°W / 37.34626; -82.91887 (mouth of Alum Cave Branch).

The KGS once listed Jones Fork as a branch of Left Fork. They also showed Nealy Branch and Alum Cave Branches as direct streams flowing into Left Fork. However, some newer maps have changed the name "Jones Fork" and now call that part of the river "Watts Fork."

Post Offices and Local History

Early Post Offices

The first post office in the area was called Cornett's Valley. It opened on October 12, 1854, with Samuel Cornett as the postmaster. In February 1861, Peyton M. Duke became the postmaster, and the name changed to Cornett's Mill. This post office closed in October 1863. Duke reopened it on February 17, 1874, under the new name McPherson. It served Cornett's mill, several families, and a store owned by Lewis Hays. Lewis Hays also worked as a postmaster there.

It's not fully known where the name "McPherson" came from. Some think it was named after a general, James Birdseye McPherson. Others believe it was named after an official from the U.S. Post Office.

When Hindman became a city, the post office there was renamed Hindman on October 7, 1884. Franklin Pierce "Chick" Allen was the postmaster.

Post Offices in Knott County

The Brinkley post office started on September 29, 1892, with Randolph Adams as postmaster. It was first located at the top of Trace Branch. In 1913, it moved about 1 mile (1.6 km) downstream and then moved to several other spots nearby over the years. It closed in June 1993.

The Ivis post office opened on March 21, 1902, with Laura A. Hammons as postmaster. It was first at the mouth of Trace Fork. It moved east in 1912 and again in 1933 to the mouth of Calhoun Branch. It closed in 1956.

Mallie Post Office

The Mallie post office was established on April 24, 1895, by Thomas J. Craft. It's thought by some that it was named after Craft's daughter, but she was born later. This post office was, and still is, located at the top of Right Fork. It has moved to a few different spots in that area over time.

Leburn Post Office

The Leburn post office began on July 26, 1908, with Minta Pratt as postmaster. It was first at the mouth of Mill Creek. Before 1911, it moved about 0.4 miles (0.64 km) west to the mouth of Possumtrot Branch, where it is still located today.

Garner Post Office

The Garner post office was established in 1936 by Mollie Gayhart. She had wanted to name it either "Mollie" or "Farley." It was named after John Nance Garner, who was a famous politician. It was, and still is, at the mouth of what used to be Alum Cave Branch, but that part of the river is now called Watts Creek.

Early Settlers and Community Leaders

Samuel Cornett was the son of William Cornett, a soldier from the American Revolutionary War. Samuel's wife, Polly Adams, came from a settlement near the start of the Kentucky River. We don't know exactly when Samuel arrived at The Forks of Troublesome. When he did, he built a watermill and a two-story log house.

Solomon Everidge, known as "The Granddaddy of Troublesome," was another early settler. Peyton Duke, from North Carolina, also settled here.

The Hays family included Captain Anderson Hays, his wife Rachel Sizemore Hays, and their son, Lewis Hays. Anderson Hays was born in Lackey and had been a soldier in the Confederate army. He settled on a stream then known as Hays Creek, about 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream from The Forks, where he built a watermill. Lewis Hays later married Solomon Everidge's daughter, Margaret.

By the time Knott County was formed, there were also farmers and business people living there. These included Franklin Pierce "Chick" Allen and Robert Bates. Allen married Bates's daughter, Mary. Robert Bates owned a lot of land at The Forks and was very important in creating Knott County. Because of his efforts, he was called "The Father of Knott County." He helped plan the city of Hindman and was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives.

In 1885, a newspaper described The Forks as "nothing but two or three log houses not grouped together with any view of making a beginning for a town." It also mentioned "vast forests exist[ing] in every direction." The article noted that roads connected The Forks to other towns like Whitesburg, Hazard, Jackson, and Prestonburg.