♪ As we continue our visit here in Hopkinsville in Christian County, we'll talk about where the community is today, but how do we get here?

All Begins tells us about some of the important people at events in the history of Hopkinsville to to our column.

You and Martha and would of Jonesboro, Tennessee settled present-day Hopkinsville and 17 96.

>> The Woods claimed 1200 acres of land and built a cabin.

Other settlers arrived and after the town built a courthouse in jail, the committee called itself Christian Courthouse to honor the Woods family.

The town was later renamed Elizabeth after their eldest daughter that cause confusion with Elizabeth Town.

So in April of 18, 0, 4, the Kentucky General Assembly renamed it Hopkinsville after Samuel Hopkins, a revolutionary War.

Colonel who rose to the rank of general during the war of 18, 12 Christian County is also named for a revolutionary war figure.

Colonel William Christian agriculture dominated the local economy with farmers growing corn, winter, wheat and tobacco.

The Civil War divided, Hopkinsville and Christian County with some people supporting the union and others providing support to the Confederacy.

Hopkinsville changed hands.

At least a half dozen times in December of 18, 64, just a few months before the war ended.

Confederate forces burned the Christian County Courthouse used by Union forces as an army barracks.

The Evansville Henderson in Nashville Railroad arrived in Hopkinsville in 18.

68 Hopkinsville and Christian County, a part of the black patch to back about and the fight over tobacco prices frequently turned violent.

Many tobacco farmers saw the American tobacco company has a monopoly keeping payments to farmers as low as possible in 19 0 for tobacco planners the dark tobacco district Planners Protective Association to fight big tobacco in 19.

0, 7.

The association's Knight riders sees Hopkinsville as police station cut off contact with the outside world and set fire to 3 warehouses to punish tobacco executives who bought tobacco from farmers who weren't members of the association.

Christian County can claim a vice president, at least even to the first vice president under Grover Cleveland from 18 93 to 18.

97 was born in Christian County in 18.

35, he's better known grandson, Adelaide Stephenson.

The second was the Democratic nominee for president in 1952.

1956, its most famous recent native is probably bell Hooks.

The author, educator and Social critic born Gloria Jean Watkins in Hopkinsville in 1952, she died in 2021. for Kentucky Edition.

Toby Gibbs.