Adairville, Kentucky

Andrew Jackson shot and killed a man here once.

In 1806, at a spot a few miles west of town on the banks of the Red River, Andrew Jackson and Charles Dickinson settled a lengthy and heated dispute over a canceled horserace and comments made about Jackson's wife. It takes a bit of research to find the spot where Jackson killed Dickinson, but the general area is the north shore of the Red River along Barren Plains Road.

The general area where the Jackson-Dickinson Duel occurred. Off of Barren Plains Road - Adairville, KY.

Though both men were residents of Tennessee, the Volunteer State had outlawed duels by 1806. Kentucky had not. The two men agreed on the site, date, and logistics of the duel. Twenty-four paces apart and Dickinson - a renowned marksman - shooting first. Indeed, Dickinson shot first - hitting Jackson in the chest but stopping before his heart. Jackson, though wounded, remained standing and fired a shot into Dickinson's abdomen. Dickinson would die one day later. (1)

Though the dueling grounds are not marked with any historical marker or monument, on US 431 in Adairville - there is a Kentucky Historical Marker noting the event. In Adairville's public square, there is artwork depicting the scene.

US 431 through Adairville.

Downtown Adairville

Adairville is a small town of under 1,000 people on US 431 just north of the Tennessee State Line. It was first known as Dromgooles' Station - and was known as that at the time of the Jackson-Dickinson Duel. In 1818, the community changed its name to Adairsville when the town was platted by General Robert Ewing and Michael Traughber. Adairsville was named after John Adair, who commanded Kentucky troops in the Battle of New Orleans and would serve as Governor of Kentucky from 1820-1824. Later in the 19th century, the 's' in Adairsville was dropped, and Adairville would become the town's formal name. (2)

This former bank is now home to an art studio and apartments.

Since 1947, Adairville has hosted a strawberry festival. Held over the third weekend in May, it is one of the numerous strawberry festivals throughout Kentucky.

How To Get There:

Sources:

Phillips, Betsy. "On the Hunt for the Jackson-Dickinson Dueling Site." Nashville Scene. August 1, 2022.
(1) McDuffie, Allen. "Forget Twitter wars, Andrew Jackson challenged more than 100 men to duels (but only killed one)." Timeline.com. October 18, 2017.
(2) "Our City." City of Adairville, Kentucky.

Comments

US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains

US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso, Texas and Carlsbad, New Mexico passes through the Guadalupe Mountains. The Guadalupe Mountains comprise the highest peaks of Texas which are largely protected as part Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The automotive highway through the Guadalupe Mountains was constructed in the late 1920s as part of Texas State Road 54. US Route 62 was extended from Carlsbad through the Guadalupe Mountains to El Paso during 1932. US Route 62 was joined in the Guadalupe Mountains by US Route 180 in 1943. The Guadalupe Mountains comprise a portion of the 130 mile "No Services" zone on US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso-Carlsbad. Part 1; the history of US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains The Guadalupe Mountains lie within the states of Texas and New Mexico. The Guadalupe Mountains essentially is a southern extension of the larger Rocky Mountains. The Guadalupe Mountains is the highest range in Texas with the peak elevati

Paper Highways; unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz

This edition of Paper Highways examines the unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz. The History of Unbuilt California State Route 100 The route that became CA 100 was added to the State Inventory in 1959 as part of the Freeway & Expressway System as Legislative Route 287 . According to CAhighways.org the initial definition of LRN 287 had it begin at LRN 5 (CA 17) and was defined over the below alignment to LRN 56 (CA 1) through downtown Santa Cruz. - Ocean Street - 2nd Street - Chestnut Street For context the above alignment would required tearing down a large part of the densely populated Santa Cruz. A modern Google imagine immediately reveals how crazy an alignment following Ocean Street, 2nd Street, and Chestnut Street would have been. LRN 287 first appears on the 1960 Division of Highways State Map . In 1961 the definition of LRN 287 was generalized to; from LRN 5 via the beach area in Santa Cruz to LRN 56 west of the San Lorenzo River.

New Mexico State Road 7 (Carlsbad Caverns Highway)

New Mexico State Road 7 is approximately a seven-mile highway in the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County. New Mexico State Road 7 connects US Route 62/US Route 180 at Whites City to the visitor center of Carlsbad Caverns National Park via Walnut Canyon. The so-called Carlsbad Caverns Highway to the National Park visitor center complex was constructed following the designation of the namesake National Monument in 1923. The current iteration of New Mexico State Road 7 was designated by the New Mexico State Highway Commission during June 1929. A proposal once was once floated to connect New Mexico State Road 7 to a cavern drive which would have been blasted into Big Room. Part 1; the history of New Mexico State Road 7 What are now Carlsbad Caverns was explored in the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County by local Jim White during 1898. White explored the caverns via a homemade ladder and named several of the more notable rooms. The name "Carlsbad Caverns" was derived from the

Gribblenation

Search This Blog