Jessamine County Kentucky River Task Force
Kentucky River Guidebook

26.    Mouth of Sugar Creek (G) (RM 142.6)

In the spring of 1780 James Gordon, from Gordon’s Station over on Shawnee Run, made a claim for fifty acres at the mouth of Sugar Creek on a military warrant. He was looking for a site upon which to develop a ferry and also acquired land directly across the river on the Fayette County side. He died during the winter of 1784/85, before developing the site. His heirs quickly moved to use his claim to obtain an adjoining four hundred acres below Sugar Creek

There was some activity at this site by 1787; the year Madison County first opened a road into the area. By 1789 Lincoln County was also opening a road to the site and Madison County was granting ferry rights to Thomas Harris at the mouth of Sugar Creek. When Garrard County was established in 1797 it took in this location and called the ferry the Davis ferry. The Kentucky Legislature, on December 13, 1798, established the Quantico Warehouse in the bottom just above the ferry.

27.    Teaters Ferry (J-G) (RM 144.6)

This ferry was located at the mouth of Lick Branch on land originally surveyed for Green Clay, who acquired a number of sites along theKentucky River. The Teaters, of early Garrard County, were an independent and daring sort and proved this by being among the first families to leave the safety of Downing Station to settle on their ow farm.

28.  Paint Lick Ferry (J-M-G) (RM 146.0)

This ferry was established in 1789 by Abraham Buford.  The site offered very easy access to the river on both sides. When the Madison County Court chartered the ferry, it set the fare at six pence for a man and a horse, as specified by state law. By 1815 the ferry was operated by Henry Reynolds, whose home still stands on the south side of the river.  The ferry continued in operation until the 1950’s.


Paint Lick Ferry last operated by Harman Teater.

The Paint Lick community was established in the late 1700’s and was a thriving river community for many years.  The ferry which, operated at the site, was the keystone to the community life.   The community had a school from 1927 until 1943.  Into the 1920’s Paint Lick was one of the stops for showboats which would come as far up the Kentucky River as Irvine during their peak days.

The last owner of the ferry was Harman Teater.  Harman’s daughter-in-law, Dorothy Gayheart Teater, was crossing the ferry in a truck.  Upon reaching the Jessamine County side, the ferry sank.  The ferry (and presumably the truck) was repaired and the ferry continued to operate until 1950.

Nickel Boat Ramp (J)

This boat ramp was built by the Jessamine County Fiscal Court in 1997 for boaters on Pool 8 of the Kentucky River.  It is one of the premier boat ramps on the river.  It was named after John Nickel, a member of the Jessamine County Fiscal Court who was a persistent advocate for its construction.

29.  Lower Hunter Ferry (J-M) (RM  148.2)

This ferry was established around 1832 by Thomas Hunter, brother of Richard Price Hunter.  According to the Smith Gallup map the Lower Hunter’s Ferry was located near Antioch church on Robert’s Road near an area known as “Scuffleville”.

30.  Upper Hunter Ferry (J-M) (RM 149.5)

Originally known as “Goggin’s Ferry” and was the location of a ferry, landing, and warehouse complex in the late 1790’s. Present-day site of the Madison County boatramp opened in 2001.  Green Clay, father of Cassius Clay,  operated warehouses at this site in the early 1800’s.