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Brodhead's Official Web Site
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ABOUT BRODHEAD!Brodhead, Ky. is a Rockcastle county town approximately 6 miles northwest of Mount Vernon, Ky. It was the site of an early stage stop called Stigall's Station and was renamed Brodhead in 1868 when it became a station on the new Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Before it was called Brodhead, it was known as Boone Fork. (Stigall's Station). The date of the final settlement has been lost in time. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad purchased land for right-of-way at the site of present day Brodhead from J.C. Rudyard, for one hundred dollars. By the time the L&N Railroad had reached the site at Boone Fork, it was several years old and boasted a church, a school and a Masonic Lodge, a thriving little community. In an account given by John Crawford, at the age of 80 years old, he stated that his family had lived in the area since 1843. And that his brother, Mode (twenty years John's, senior) attended school there. The log school there was built in 1861. The Baptist church/Masonic Hall was built on a small hill overlooking the town in 1876 and the Christian Church was established in ?. The "Frith" Hotel was built in 1890 by J. G. Frith and had twenty four rooms. The building was located alongside the railroad, just across from the depot. The Rockcastle Fair association was established in 1895. First president was J. Thomas Cherry and J.W. Tate served as secretary. The Fair (later known as Brodhead's Little World's Fair) was a success from the beginning, past and present Rockcastle residents gathered as for a Homecoming. Brodhead's first telephone exchange was operated from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Granville Owens. In later years Mr. J. Frank Dees, as agent for Bell Telephone Company, owned and operated the only telephone service in Rockcastle county. During the 1920's and 30's, Brodhead boasted many businesses. In addition to the clothing and drug stores, there were several restaurants. On Oct. 15, 1924, a fire swept thru the town and nearly destroyed it. Over the many years since Brodhead's birth in 1868, the little town has enjoyed boom days and slumps, but nothing hurt her so badly as the death of the Railroad. Much of Brodhead's commerce has fallen by the wayside. But it is still a lovely place to live, and many descendants of those hearty pioneers of yesterday still do today.
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