CHRISMAN MILL This community took its name from the old mill once owned by the Chrisman family. The mill was built around 1790 by the Hunter family and sold to Hugh Chrisman in 1803. The last owner was Herman "Hiram Watts, grandfather of Letcher A. and Clay Watts. The creek ran behind the mill. I can remember when people in the area grew wheat, threshed it, and took the grains to the mill, where Mr. Watts ground them into flour. The mill was powered by water from the dam in the creek. Corn was also grown in the area, put into corncribs for cattle feed. We kids had to shell some of the corn that Grandfather put into a sack which was put on the back of the horse he rode. At the mill, the corn was ground into meal. The people had flour and meal for winter food. I can remember when we got to the mill with the corn, that it was so hot we went inside the old mill. It was cool there and smelled musky. Across the road from the mill there was a one-room rock house, where some of the slaves were kept. The Chrismans also owned a big stone house on the hill above the mill. There was another one-room house in the yard. They kept slaves there also. In the front yard of the Chrisman home there was a large rock. Slaves stood upon this rock to be auctined off to rich landowners to work on their farms. Another farm in the community was called Poor House Farm. Slaves were also kept there. Some are buried at the back of the house and their tombstones are still there. That house is now the home of Mrs. Maude Cobb. It is on Water Works Road. Up the road from the mill there was a one-room school in which a lot of good teachers taught. In later years, it was torn down and a new Chrisman Mill School, brick and two-rooms with basement, was built. Finally it was closed and pupils were transported to Nicholasville. The school is now a residence, owned by Stephanie Maloy. On Aug. 3, 1932, Jessamine Creek flooded. I can remember our parents taking us down at the end of Logana Road to see the water. Water was over the tall red bridge. A barn had washed away. Houses were flooded, furniture, logs, etc. washed down the creek. Above the bridge was a deep pool of water off to the side on the main creek, called the Mill Dam. People swam in it, and many were baptized in it. Farmers lost crops by flooding. One family had an old rooster who flew onto a bale of hay that was floating down the creek. The bale began to get wet and when it got near the cliff, the rooster flew up into the cliff. Who knows--he may still be there. Following are some of the families who have lived and are living in this community: Browning, Brumfield, Bibb, House, Quinn, Hager, Watts, Lowry, Johns, Lane, Cobb, Miller, Hughes, Silvers, Hay, Taylor, Wilhoite, Mackey, Parks, Brock, Walker, Marion, Warner, Ethington. "Jessamine County, Kentucky, 1798-1993" Submitted by Loretta C. Burton HIGH BRIDGE High Bridge was quite a tourist attraction in the late 1890's and early 1900's. It linked the Southern States with the Northern States. The bridge, built in 1876-77 over the Kentucky River was 276 feet above the river bed. At one time it was the highest bridge on the continent and was called a marvel of ingenuity. My grandfather, J.D. Hughes, operated a lumber mill along the banks of the river until his death in 1918. He floated the logs down the river from Eastern Kentucky, from the counties of Perry, Owsley, and Leslie. He employed lots of men from High Bridge to work in the lumber yard, the Rues, Alcorns, McKees, Isons and many others. There was a park in the area that contained picnic grounds, a restaurant and riding stables. A popular assembly grounds for holding of cultural and religious meetings, Chautauquas, camp meetings with such celebrities as William Jennings Bryan, Billy Sunday, and Sam Jones were also a part of the area. High Bridge Park was equipped with picnic tables and benches, rustic shelter houses for adults and swings for children. The central pavilion served as a dining facility and on Saturday nights as a dance floor. People came by train and river boats. Steps were built down the face of the palisades, 271 of them to the river valley. The United States Post Office was established there June 27, 1877, under the name of North Tower, Kentucky. In July of 1888 that name was dropped in favor of High Bridge. It continued as a post office until March 26, 1976. The Southern Railway ran excursions from Cincinnati, Lexington, and Nicholasville for the day and crowds came. "Jessamine County, Ky 1798-1993" Submitted by Lyde Simpson NOTE: A replica of the original pavilion at High Bridge has been built and is used, just as the original was, for social gatherings of all kinds. The Jessamine County Historical Society hosted a picnic for us during the first Heritage Fest in 2000 and it was an experience that none of us will ever forget, especially since we were lucky enough to be in that pavilion as a train crossed the bridge. Beyond description!!! Shelia