Happy Birthday

Earlier this month on the 1st of June, 2017, Kentucky celebrated its 225th birthday.  It was only fitting that this party should happen on the very spot it all began.  "Constitution Square" it has come to be called since the very first constitution of the State was organized and written here.  Over the past several years this blog has given this history discussing the "Ten Pre-State Conventions", the "Acts of Separation", and notes from "The Journal" that was kept by the folks who came up with the final product.  From one of the earliest surveys draw of this "Public Square", it is shown below.

It measured 14 poles 10' 6" wide, and 20 poles 6' 3" in length. [ 1 pole = 16.5 ft ]  What a deal!  Happy 225th Birthday Kentucky from the place it all began.

A Town Lot

The 76 acres for the town lands of Danville were organized into 63 equal size lots.  A public square was also planned and outline as shown in the figure below.

To orient you, north is at the top of the page.  Constitution Square is shown as "Public Square" with Main Street called "Broad Street".  [It was to be 90 feet wide whereas the other streets were to be 60 feet wide, thus "Broad Street".]  The public square was to be "20 poles 6' 3" in length [north to south] and "14 poles 10' 6" wide. [east to west]  One pole equals 16'5" square.  The next figure zeros in on "No 1" which begins the numbering system for the lots of Danville.

It is on the corner of "Broad Street" and "Market Street". [The present Main and Second Street.]  Each of the 62 lots were to be of equal size with the dimensions shown above.  They were to be "8 poles 2'6" north to south, and  "10 poles 3'1/2" east to west.  This would be 134ft. 6 inches by 168ft. 1/2 inch east to west.  It takes a bit to get organized to the plat since the names are different then we call them today.  Here you go, town lot #1 in Danville, 1784!  More to come.