Class II Kentucky River, KY

The mouth of Hickman Creek in Jessamine County is one of central Kentucky's most historic places. The waters of the creek pushed rock into the Kentucky River here for millennia. This created a natural shallow fording spot passable by foot or wagon for much of the year before the coming of the locks and dams on the river. A branch of the Wilderness Road crossed the Kentucky here and was the site of the second ferry established in Kentucky in 1785. The low bank at the mouth of Hickman created an ideal spot for a river landing. Many shipments of tobacco bound for New Orleans left from here as did the first steamboat built in Kentucky. Showboats stopped at the landing to provide area dwellers with some rare live entertainment. Citizens called this spot Fitchport until the Civil War, but became Camp Nelson. Flowing water through the ages created one of the few breaks in the formidable Kentucky River Palisades for many miles in either direction. This break proved beneficial for pioneers who needed to cross the river going south from Lexington to Danville, Lancaster and points beyond. Daniel Boone considered this spot one of his favorites in Kentucky. (KYFWR)