Laurel Creek (Kentucky)
Laurel Creek is a tributary of Goose Creek river in Clay County in the U.S. state of Kentucky.[1][2] It is 7.5 miles (12.1 km) long.[2] The name comes from the proliferation of mountain laurel on its riverbanks.[2]
Laurel Creek | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | Kentucky |
County | Clay |
Physical characteristics | |
Mouth | Goose Creek |
• coordinates | 37°12′59″N 83°43′03″W |
Tributaries and post offices
Its eponymous post office was established by Joseph Hubbard on 1865-04-21, lasting until 1968.[2] It was originally located at the mouth of what is now named Morgan Branch, a tributary of Laurel Creek that used to be named Falls Branch, and primarily served the area of Hubbardsville.[2] It moved 3 miles downstream to the mouth of Collins Fork, another Laurel tributary, some time before 1902.[2] It was a rural branch of Manchester post office from 1966 until its closure.[2]
Morgan Branch is also the location of the village, school, and postoffice of Fall Rock.[3]
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.[2] That clashed with an existing post office of the same name in Whitley County, however.[2]
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.[3] 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.[3] Local oral histories disagree as to the origin of this name.[3] 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.[3] 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, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) up Laurel Creek.[3]
See also
References
- "Laurel Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- Rennick 2000c, p. 15.
- Rennick 2000c, p. 16.
Sources
- 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).