We likely use it every day and the doctors say we might need to cut down. The most common seasoning in the world and likely the least expensive is common salt. But in the early days of settlement of Kentucky, salt was priceless. Where we take it for granted when we pick up the shaker with the little girl with the umbrella, salt was once a priceless commodity and a necessity of daily life. Outside of Louisville, a little north of Fairdale, running south along the eastern foot of the Knobs as they are known in Kentucky, crossing Salt River, extending as far south as Bardstown Junction in Bullitt County, lies what was once called the most noted section of the state in pioneer times. It's heart was known as Bullitt's Lick - and is claim to fame was salt. Salt was used and needed for various reasons, one of the major being the preservation of their food. They salted beef, cured their pork, salted down the venison and bear meat; without the salt as a preservative, these early brave men and women would have starved to death. One could ask if it was that important, why didn't the pioneers bring it with them from their home states? There wasn't any. The Revolutionary War had cut off our source of salt. Many Virginians tried boiling down sea water; once in awhile, a ship might slip unnoticed to the shores carrying the precious cargo. But out in the wilderness of Kentucky, the need was acute. They early boiled down a little salt from the licks and salt springs - enough for maybe their personal use. When Daniel Boone was captured in 1778 by the Indians, he and his men were at the lower Blue Licks making salt for the settlers at Boonesboro. (John Bakeless, Daniel Boone, Master of the Wilderness, (New York, 1939), p. 156). In 1779, a saltworks was built at Bullitt's Lick - the first west of the Alleghenies. Bullitt's Lick was supposedly named for Thomas Bullitt, a Virginia surveyor who had first come to Kentucky in 1773 while locating and surveying lands on military warrants for officers of the French and Indian Wars. But, it is not believed he discovered or started the lick. Indian hunting grounds included the licks and trails had already been laid out by the plodding of the buffalo. But before looking at the Saltworks, we need to take another look at some of the early stations that sprang up (see my previous tips on the old forts and settlements). Brashear's Station began in the spring of 1779 when 17-18 men left another fort at the Falls of the Ohio. Isaac Froman told the story of their trip along with his father, Jacob Froman, who were members of that expedition. Following a buffalo trail, they came to Bullitt's Lick. This was a hub of many buffalo roads who came to this spot from all directions like the spokes of a wheel. They passed through the Blue Lick Gap in the Knob, turned east away from the Bullitt's Lick, followed another buffalo path that led up Salt River on the north. Just below the mouth of Floyd's Fork, the buffaloes forded the river. About 1 ¼ miles from this crossing, a fort was erected. In the historical accounts, Brasher's Stations was referred to as "Salt River Garrison" by Richard Collins. Many times in the old accounts these two were spoken of as two different locations, but it is believed they were one in the same. Jacob Froman stayed at this station a scant two years and in 1791 moved to a branch of Cox's Creek in Nelson County and built a fort not far from Rogers' Station. It is recorded that about the same time that Brashear's Statin was being built, three men, including Squire Boone (brother of Daniel), left the Falls to go hunting, William Moore and James Lee. They traveled the buffalo road to Bullitt's Lick. While there, they killed some buffalo, skinned them and prepared to return home. No saltworks was listed by them in the year 1776 when this transpired. But by November of the same year, the saltworks was listed in depositions by Colonel William Fleming. During the spring of 1780, immigrations were picking up despite the Indian attacks. The saltmakers returned near this time after a time of being idle due to Indian raids, cleaned the wells, started fires in the furnace pits and got back into operation. They built a fork on the bank of the Salt River, not far from the saltworks which was a double row of piles filed with earth and gravel from the river bank, less than ½ acre in size. It was known as the Mud Garrison. There is disagreement about the settlement date between Jillson and Collins (historians). It was about ½ mile above the mouth of Bullitt's Lick Run and down the river from where Shepherdsville now stands. Testimonies are in existence from John Burks the hunter and Worden Pope and others as to its location. Michael Teets and his wife, James Hamilton and the Millers were part of the building crew. A General James Wilkinson deposed that these people were "sharpers", a rough hardy lot, and the area a "fair hell on earth." The third station in this area was Dowdall's Station. It was also called Dowdall's Garrison, possibly erected before 1780 by settlers who were at Brashear's Station. Thomas and James Dowdall were among the first settlers here and the McGees, along with other families. This station was on the north side of Salt River about a mile below Brashear's Garrison, Jacob Myers had patented this land. It was on the upper bank of the river, was an excellent site for a ferry and the latter opened there shortly thereafter. The ferry was a God-send for the settlers as previously, travelers going from the Falls of the Ohio to Harrodsburg (after leaving Bullitt's Lick) had to go up the north side of Salt River, fording the river below the mouth of Cox's Creek, walk or ride down a buffalo path up the south side of the Salt River, ford Cox's Creek again at the mouth of Rocky Run and then go up the east fork of Cox's Creek on to Harrodsburg. Of importance at this time were the brothers Benjamin and William Pope from the Falls of the Ohio. Benjamin moved his family to Brashear's Station in 1783 and then moved on to Dowdall's. The McGees came about the same time. Patrick McGee was a hunter, a hunter for land and a saltmaker. He and Ben Pope built, in 1784, a cabin (or more) across from Dowdall's Station. Patrick McGee has a tavern there early. A little known station was called Clear's Station or Clear's Cabins. Collins said it was in Bullitt County and it was erected by George Clear before 1783. It was on Clear Run, a short distance from the crossing of the Wilderness Trail from Louisville to Bullitt's Lick - near where later stood Huber's Station on the L&N railroad. It was not a fortunate location for Clear because Isaac Hite, Robert Shanklin, David Williams, Peter Casey, Ebenezer Severns and Peter Higgins had been through this neighborhood in 1776 and put in a claim. A law suit ensued because of conflicting claims and in the end, Clear only received 28 acres out of his original 1,400. Isaac Hornbeck and his family came to Clears in 1783 and in 1784 the Shanklins came with a party including Mrs. Sodowsky and James Alexander. The next saltworks built was known s Long Lick. Long Creek is a branch of Salt River, and a short distance below Bullitt's Lick Run. Bardstown Junction is now located about 5-6 miles from its location. Everyone was trying to enter land that had salt licks. Peter Phillips, Parmeas Briscoe, Henry Spillman and John Cocky (Cockeye) Owens, John May, John Bowman, Mary Oyler, Jacob Myer, Benjamin Frye, John Friggs were just a few. After Nelson County was formed in 1784 from part of Jefferson Co, Long Lick fell in Nelson County. Down the creek from Long Lick was DryLick. The 3rd lick opened was Mann's Lick .It was located north of Bullitt's Lick, near the present side of Fairdale in Jefferson County. This lick was well known to the early settlers at the Falls of the Ohio. Other land entries made in this area included those by John Todd, James Speed, George James, Daniel Sullivan, Bracket Owens,William Garrard, James Francis Moore, Levin Powell, George Slaughter, James McCawley, John Hamilton. This lick was fortified more than most others. Since it was openly visible with the knobs on one side and swampy wetlands on the other, and danger from the Indians was constant. Fort Nonsense was located where a great buffalo road forded Salt River below the mouth of Bullitt's Lick Run. From this lick to Long Lick was a safer route from the Indian attacks. Fort Nonsense was on the north side of Salt River not far from this buffalo ford. It was on Jacob Froman's survey which joined Christian's Bullitt's Lick Tract. William Farmer also had a claim in this area within Jacob Froman's entry which included Fort Nonsense. Collins mentions this fort but little is known about it. Jonathan Irons, who was a salt maker from Bullitt's Lick, acquired some land on the opposite side of the river and this marked the beginning of Irons' Lick. It was on the south side of the river right across from Fort Nonsense. Jonathan Irons met an unfortunate death, not from the Indian attacks but because of long drinking sprees. The buffalo crossing her was later known as Irons''Crossing and Fort Nonsense became Irons' saltworks. The Parakeet Lick was located about a ½ mile above Shepherdsville on the north bank of the Salt River. Originally known as McGees' Lick, it was later known as Parakeet Lick for the large flocks of wild parakeets that stayed in this area. James Burks discovered salt water here and leased some land from McGee. The salt here was not abundant and not of top quality. But in 1802 and 1803, the scarcity of salt made it worth working and John Dunn formed a partnership with James Burks and produced salt here. James Alexander and John McDowell were also saltmakers here. To be concluded next week with a look at salt making. (c) Copyright 23 August 2001, Sandra K. Gorin. All rights reserved. sgorin@glasgow-ky.com Col. Sandi Gorin, 205 Clements, Glasgow, KY 42141 (270) 651-9114 Member: Glasgow-Barren Co Chamber of Commerce. Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/ SCKY resource links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html