Both Boone Trace and Wilderness Road were intimately associated with the city of London, converging as they approached downtown, crisscrossing at the site of the courthouse. From there, Boone Trace proceeding east along the fourth street corridor, to Highway 638, and the Wilderness Road went north along the US 25 roadbed toward the settlement of Pittsburg and modern-day Highway 490. Of course, all of the bi-ways at that time were dirt roads.

London today remains roughly the midpoint of Boone Trace in Kentucky between the Cumberland Gap and Fort Boonesborough State Park to the north near Winchester, Ky. It lies in Laurel County and is a vibrant modern city with a variety of fun and interesting activities to pursue. The World Chicken Festival is in London annually.

Historically, however, its most significant relationship to Boone Trace occurred at the Levi Jackson Park where there can be found remnants of both the original Wilderness Road and Boone Trace on the same piece of property. The Wilderness Road can be found on the east side of Hwy 229 and Boone Trace in the back of the park.

A visit to London along Boone Trace should begin at the Mountain Life Museum or the main office located at Levi Jackson Park. Boone Trace is marked by a 1942 stone monument on the southern end and a 1915 DAR marker on the northern. Walking the section (about 10 minutes) can give a spiritual sense of what happened there about 250 years ago

Notably, the worst tragedy ever along Boone Trace occurred there where a family of 23 were massacred by Indians known as the McNitt Defeat. The cemetery where many were buried remains.

In northern Laurel County is the famous area known as “Hazel Patch” where long hunters could snack on the fruit of hazel nut trees and small game.

This is where Skagg’s Trace, a rugged hunting trail which Daniel Boone had been following since Flat Lick, turned westward at Wood’s blockhouse towards Crab Orchard. Boone left the old road at this location and proceeded north to Boonesborough, creating the original “fork in the road.”

Later, when the Wilderness Road was constructed in 1796, it followed this general direction also towards Crab Orchard. The blockhouse was one of the oldest permanent structures in the Wilderness, being constructed in about 1793. 

The infamous murderers, Big Harpe and Little Harpe, also operated in this area. They were considered to be the first documented serial killers in early United States history.