James Harrod Historical Marker

James Harrod – Founder of Kentucky’s First Permanent Settlement

This roadside historical marker honors James Harrod, the Pennsylvania‑born explorer and militia leader who founded Kentucky’s first permanent English settlement in 1774. Harrod and his men initially selected Big Spring as the site of the new community, but after flooding threatened the area, they relocated to higher ground—establishing what became Fort Harrod and, ultimately, the town of Harrodsburg.

A pivotal figure in frontier defense and early governance, Harrod played an active role in protecting the region and advancing the cause of Kentucky statehood. He served in the Virginia legislature, participated in the 1784 Danville Convention, and acted as a Harrodsburg trustee, contributing significantly to the settlement’s early civic structure.

Harrod’s life ended mysteriously around 1792, when he disappeared during a hunting trip and never returned—an unsolved frontier legend that remains part of Kentucky’s early folklore.