Richmond was founded in 1798 on Boone Trace shortly after the opening of the Wilderness Road in 1796, but it should be remembered that it was not on the Wilderness Road, but Boone Trace. Richmond was the site of a significant 1862 Civil War battle which can be visited conveniently while driving Boone Trace along Hwy 421. A visitors center thoroughly details the battle.

It is the home of Eastern Kentucky University where a statue of Daniel Boone is located on campus. Also, a rock with the name of Daniel Boones’ brother, Squire, is located in the Richmond City Hall. It hosts the Millstone Festival annually.

A necessary stop in Richmond following Boone Trace would be the Twetty’s Fort site (sometimes spelled Twitty.) At this location while moving north marking Boone Trace, Daniel Boone and his party on April 25, 1775, had their camp attacked by Indians. Twitty and his slave, Sam, were killed and Felix Walker severely injured. A small log barricade was constructed for his protection which persisted for a period of time and became known as “Twetty’s Fort or The Little Fort.” The site and monument is located in the Golden Leaf subdivision on Arbor Woods Way.

North of Twetty’s Fort the trail is under the water of Lake Reba crossing Hwy 52 to become Concord Road and following Otter Creek north to Fort Boonesborough. On the way to Fort Boonesborough on Red House Road (Hwy 388), the actual “Red House,” built in 1810 and still standing, served as a stagecoach stop between Richmond and Fort Boonesborough. 

To get directions and information on Boone Trace in and around Richmond, stop at the Battle of Richmond Visitor’s Center located 101 Battlefield Memorial Hwy.