Honoring President’s Day

The area where our Ohio River city now sits was first claimed by the Virginia colony. It became part of Jefferson County, VA when it was formed in 1780 and was named for the state’s then governor, Thomas Jefferson. While new county subdivisions later claimed and renamed us, Thomas Jefferson’s shadow continued to affect our area. His July 4, 1776 Decoration of Independence had marked the beginning of the end of British rule over our land. He was George Washington’s Secretary of State when Kentucky became the Union’s 15^th state in 1792 and John Adam’s Vice President when our city was settled in 1797. As the third U.S. President, Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on a western expedition right through our settlement and his Louisiana Purchase brought our river town an abundance of new trade and growth. This Presidents’ Day we salute Thomas Jefferson’s lasting influence on our lives.