History :

The City of Cold Spring was officially incorporated in March 1941, however, the name evolved from a natural cold water spring located in the area that was discovered in the 1780's. It is rumored that Daniel Boone acquired 500 acres in the area in return for his Revolutionary War Service, and that the spring had been discovered when he sold the land in 1785. The spring has been described as a natural u-shaped rock formation that was located in what is now the area behind the Ameristop center on US 27. Several other rumors exist as to the exact location, however the majority of reports support the Ameristop location. The land was originally Kentucky County, Virginia before division into Jefferson, Lincoln, and Fayette counties on November 1, 1780. Six additional counties were created before Kentucky became a state in 1792. When Campbell County was created in 1794, land was taken from Harrison, Mason and Scott counties.

Generally, it is believed that the early settlers of Cold Spring evolved from a party of men and women who accompanied Major David Leitch in his travels from Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh) to Losantiville (Cincinnati) in 1789. Leitch and his group traveled six miles up the Licking River and constructed a block house with a tall picket fence, on land that is now just east of Interstate 275 and the AA Highway interchange. The site became known as Leitch's Station. Indians in the area were extremely hostile, and from time to time the dangers forced the pioneers to flee to Ft. Washington for safety. Ft. Washington had been established in 1789 to protect early settlements. Leitch chose to accept the dangers of the frontier, and apparently retained 200 acres along the Licking River for himself. He then sold his remaining acreage to friends, and for those who could not forgo the expense, he offered land in exchange for work clearing the area.