Historical Marker

Mount Zion Presbyterian Church


Historic mountzion meetinghouse built 1804 at crossroads of wagon trails. A plain hewed log house 24x42 with shingle roof, plain pulpit & common seats. In 1810 Muhl Co Court named it in surveys of 3 precincts. Circuit riding missionaries from Philadelphia served the group until Rev. Isaac Bard came in 1822.

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Deeded in 1822 by Thomas Irvin to congregation of Mountzion Society. Organized Dec.1, 1823 by Rev. Bard with Andrew Glenn, William Young and John Culbertson as its elders. Revolutionary & Civil War soldiers rest beside slaves in the cemetery. An original axe-hewn floor beam with wooden peg is exposed to view in the basement

  A brief timeline of the Civil War

  • April 12, 1861: The Civil War begins with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, located in South Carolina's Charleston Harbor.

  • April 15, 1861: President Abraham Lincoln issues a call for 75,000 volunteers to serve in the Union Army to suppress the rebellion.

  • May 24, 1861: The first major land battle, known as the First Battle of Bull Run (or First Battle of Manassas), takes place in Virginia. It ends in Confederate victory.

  • September 17, 1862: The Battle of Antietam in Maryland becomes the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with heavy casualties on both sides. The Union forces, commanded by General George McClellan, manage to halt Confederate General Robert E. Lee's advance into Union territory.

  • January 1, 1863: President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that all slaves in Confederate-held territories are to be set free. However, the proclamation does not immediately free all slaves in the United States.

  • July 1-3, 1863: The Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania takes place, resulting in a significant Union victory and inflicting heavy casualties on Confederate forces. It marks a turning point in the war.

  • November 19, 1863: President Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address, emphasizing the principles of liberty, equality, and the preservation of the Union.

  • April 9, 1865: General Robert E. Lee surrenders to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War.

  • April 14, 1865: President Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.

  • May 10, 1865: Confederate President Jefferson Davis is captured, signaling the collapse of the Confederate government.

  • December 6, 1865: The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, officially abolishing slavery throughout the country.

While this timeline provides an overview of key events, it is important to note that the Civil War spanned over four years, from 1861 to 1865, and encompassed numerous battles, campaigns, and political developments that shaped the course of American history.

Civil War Presbyterian Church Revolutionary War
Daniel Boone, a legendary explorer and frontiersman, helped blaze the Wilderness Road, which opened up Kentucky and the West to settlement.
Kentucky random facts
Muhlenberg County, located in western Kentucky, has a rich and diverse history dating back to the early 19th century. The county was officially established in 1798 and named after General Peter Muhlenberg, a prominent military leader during the American Revolutionary War. Initially, the area was primarily inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Shawnee and Cherokee.

In the early 1800s, Muhlenberg County experienced a surge in population and economic growth due to the discovery of vast coal reserves. Coal mining became the backbone of the county's economy, attracting many settlers and leading to the establishment of numerous mining communities. The coal industry boomed throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, with Muhlenberg County becoming one of the leading coal producers in Kentucky.

The county's coal mining history has been marred by several unfortunate incidents. One of the most notable tragedies occurred in 1917 when a methane gas explosion in the Pond Creek Mine No. 1 claimed the lives of 62 miners. This disaster, along with subsequent accidents, led to increased safety regulations and reforms in the mining industry.

Today, while the coal industry still plays a significant role in Muhlenberg County's economy, the county has diversified its industries to include manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. Muhlenberg County is also known for its strong musical heritage, particularly in bluegrass and country music, with notable musicians such as Bill Monroe and Merle Travis hailing from the area. The annual Muhlenberg County Music Festival celebrates this musical legacy and attracts visitors from around the region.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.

  • 1798 - Muhlenberg County was established on December 14th.
  • 1810 - The county's first courthouse, made from logs, was built in Greenville.
  • 1825 - A new brick courthouse was constructed to replace the old log one.
  • 1843 - The first coal mine in Muhlenberg County was opened.
  • 1862 - During the Civil War, the county was occupied by Union troops.
  • 1879 - The county's first public high school, Muhlenberg County High School, was founded.
  • 1891 - The courthouse was destroyed in a fire and was rebuilt the following year.
  • 1930 - Muhlenberg County became a significant coal mining center in the state.
  • 1949 - The Everly Brothers, Don, and Phil, were born in the city of Brownie in Muhlenberg County.
  • 1982 - The last underground coal mine in the county closed.
  • 1997 - The Paradise Fossil Plant was closed, marking the end of large-scale coal operations in the county.