| Laurel Creek | |
|---|---|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Laurel Creek headwaters |
| • coordinates | 37°13′46″N 83°49′29″W / 37.22948°N 83.82465°W |
| 2nd source | Falls Branch headwaters |
| • coordinates | 37°12′52″N 83°48′13″W / 37.21445°N 83.80351°W |
| 3rd source | Collins Fork headwaters |
| • coordinates | 37°15′36″N 83°45′37″W / 37.26008°N 83.76038°W |
| Mouth | Goose Creek[1] |
• coordinates | 37°12′59″N 83°43′03″W / 37.21632°N 83.71759°W |
• elevation | 756 feet (230 m)[2] |
Laurel Creek is a creek that is a tributary of Goose Creek river in Clay County, Kentucky.[1] It is 7.5 miles (12.1 km) long.[1] The name comes from the proliferation of mountain laurel on its riverbanks.[1]
Tributaries and post offices
The Creek mouth on Goose is 0.75 miles (1.21 km) upstream of the mouth of Beech Creek,[1] and 9.25 miles (14.89 km) upstream from Oneida.[2]
- Its major tributaries are:
- Skull Branch 0.875 miles (1.408 km) upstream,[3] mouth at 37°13′30″N 83°43′52″W / 37.22490°N 83.73115°W
- Mill Pond Hollow 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream,[4] mouth at 37°13′37″N 83°43′52″W / 37.22701°N 83.73109°W
- Chicken Branch 1.75 miles (2.82 km) upstream at an altitude of 825 feet (251 m) ,[2] mouth at 37°13′41″N 83°44′26″W / 37.22795°N 83.74057°W
- Orchard Branch 2.25 miles (3.62 km) upstream at an altitude of 830 feet (250 m),[5] mouth at 37°13′56″N 83°44′53″W / 37.23234°N 83.74799°W
- Collins Branch 2.375 miles (3.822 km) upstream,[5] mouth at 37°13′59″N 83°44′53″W / 37.23299°N 83.74807°W
- Falls Branch (a.k.a. Morgan Branch) 4 miles (6.4 km) upstream at an altitude of 890 feet (270 m),[6][1] mouth at 37°13′50″N 83°46′56″W / 37.23056°N 83.78217°W
- Hogskin Branch 4.5 miles (7.2 km) upstream,[7] mouth at 37°14′02″N 83°47′32″W / 37.23392°N 83.79215°W
Fall Rock, Hubbardsville, and Laurel Creek post office
Laurel Creek's eponymous post office was established by Joseph Hubbard on 1865-04-21, lasting until 1968.[1] It was originally located at the mouth of what is now named Morgan Branch, that used to be named Falls Branch, and primarily served the area of Hubbardsville.[1] It moved 3 miles (4.8 km) downstream to the mouth of Collins Branch some time before 1902.[1] It was a rural branch of Manchester post office from 1966 until its closure.[1]
Morgan Branch is also the location of the village, school, and post office of Fall Rock.[4] Fall Rock post office was established on 1924-05-22 by postmaster John Campbell, and named after the original name of Morgan Branch which was Falls Branch or Fall Rock Branch.[4] This in turn came from the name of the 10 feet (3.0 m) high waterfall that powered a local grist mill and was also used for social events.[4]
However, the village and school were originally named Pinhook, local oral histories stating that this was after a local fisherman who made fishing hooks out of safety pins bought in the local store.[4] Named John Campbell (not the aforementioned postmaster) he gained the name "Pinhook" Campbell.[4] The village and school were renamed from Pinhook to Fall Rock after the post office when schooling was consolidated in the county in the 20th century.[4]
Hubbardsville's second post office was named Caution, from 1902 to 1918, although postmaster George Hall wanted to call it Clio after his 5-year-old daughter.[1] That clashed with an existing post office of the same name in Whitley County, however.[1]
Millpond
The Millpond post office was originally named Bessie by postmaster John L. Campbell, who operated it between 1907-11-15 and 1909-06-15, possibly after his wife Elizabeth.[4] Its second postmaster Oscar Hornsby, who reëstablished it on 1921-05-14 in his own general store near to Lower Laurel School, wanted to retain the name; but the name Millpond was assigned instead.[4] Local oral histories disagree as to the origin of this name.[4] It was either named after the pond of Joe Hornsby's flour mill that was built in the 1880s, or it was named after the pond of an old sawmill.[4] Either way, the mill has long since vanished; and at the time of closure in August 1963 the postoffice was located just downstream of Mill Pond Hollow.[4]
General
In 1918, on Laurel itself John Coldiron had a mine 0.5 miles (0.80 km) upstream,[3] Joseph L. Hornsby had one 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream,[2] James Barnett one 2.175 miles (3.500 km) upstream,[5] Hannibal Morgan one 2.75 miles (4.43 km) upstream,[6] Daniel Baker one 3.25 miles (5.23 km) upstream,[6] and George Hall one 3.875 miles (6.236 km) upstream.[6]
Mrs Hounschell had one 0.75 miles (1.21 km) upstream on Chicken Branch.[2] John Howard's mine was 0.5 miles (0.80 km) upstream on Orchard Branch.[5] Elijah Campbell's was 1.25 miles (2.01 km) upstream on Falls Branch.[6]
Kentucky Route 11 mostly follows the course of the Creek.[1]
Connections
A gap at the head of Hogskin Branch connects to the Rader Branch of Little Goose Creek.[7]
See also
References
Sources
- Hodge, James Michael (1918). The coals of Goose Creek and its tributaries. Reports of the Kentucky Geological Survey 4th series 1912–1918. Vol. 4. Frankfort, Kentucky: The State Journal Company. (The coals of Goose Creek and its tributaries at the Internet Archive)
- Rennick, Robert M. (2000c). "Clay County — Post Offices". County Histories of Kentucky. Morehead State University (176).
Further reading
- Rennick, Robert M.; United States Geological Survey. "Barcreek Quadrangle (1952)". Robert M. Rennick Topographical Map Collection. Morehead State University (33).
Municipalities and communities of Clay County, Kentucky, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
| post offices (and the creeks they are on) |
| |
This page was last edited on 8 January 2024, at 10:59