The threat of an attack by a large Native American raiding party was a very real possibility in 1788 when William Whitley established a horse race track at Sportsman's Hill. This threat continued for the next six years. By 1794, most attacks were by small raiding parties on single individuals or small groups in isolated settings. Completed in 1794, Whitley's home was the first brick house in Kentucky and the first west of the Allegheny Mountains. It was visible from the Wilderness Road. The vista from atop "Sportsman's Hill" above the circular track afforded a view of the surrounding area and any approaching party. The close proximity of the house and the hill which can be seen from one to the other was mutually supportive if any type of attack were to occur. From the crest of the hill it was possible for the race spectators to view the race in its entirety and also the surrounding area. With the spectators grouped together at the crest of the hill, they could move in unison to the festivities and safety of the brick house. Luckily, no attack or assault ever materialized. The thundering sound of the horses' hooves in the autumn races echoed for years unmolested about the hill.

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Show me all markers in:  Stanford, KY  |  Lincoln County  |  40484  |  Kentucky  |  United States of America

Where Racing Turned Around
The Legacy of Sportsman's Hill at Crab Orchard
A Little Bit to Eat at the Race
Celebration
Beginning of Horse Racing in Kentucky
Sportsman Hill
Sportsman's Hill / Whitley House - 1785
Sportsman's Hill
On Confederate Routes
Grand Gateway to Kentucky

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