Shawnee Springs
In 1987, Ralph and Ruth purchased two additional farms, the Spilman and Tobin farms. The purchase of the Spilman farm proved to be a valuable acquisition, not only from a land standpoint, but for the historical community of Kentucky as well. Ralph is an avid student of history, and as a result of his efforts, renewed interest in the early history of Mercer County is now centered around Shawnee Springs and Anderson Circle Farm. During the 1990’s Ralph and Ruth were responsible for extensive archeological excavations in this area by the University of Kentucky. The findings of that study have added greatly to the understanding of this area’s role in Kentucky history. The map on the right sidebar illustrates the numerous historical locations on the farm.
When Shawnee Springs is viewed today, the serenity of the area gives no clues to its turbulent past. To understand the historical importance of this part of Anderson Circle Farm, we must first understand both the history of the surrounding geographic area and the powerful events that were shaping our nation during the 1700s. This was one of the most intense times of our nation’s development. Bear in mind that during most of this time, this area was still a part of the British controlled 13 colonies. Land control was still in dispute between the British, the French, and the Spanish…..not to mention the Native American Indians. While this area is rich in history, historical detail is beyond the scope of this webpage since the history of Harrodsburg, Mercer County, and the State of Kentucky fills volumes of historic publications. What follows is but a brief glimpse into the past.
When settlers began to arrive, Kentucky had no permanent Indian settlements. A number of tribes continued to use the land for hunting, waging tribal warfare, or using the land as a passageway between northern and southern tribes. The early white settlers encountered members of at least a dozen tribes, but the ones that gave the most resistance to the settlement of Kentucky were the Shawnee from north of the Ohio River, the Cherokee from the southeast, and the Chickasaw from the southwest.
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