Westport Courthouse
Historical marker location:Westport Courthouse - First court session held here in 1828. In addition to indicting criminals and appointing justices of the peace, the court resolved sales, auctions, and escapes of enslaved people & settled disputes pertaining to slave hire-outs. The court moved to nearby LaGrange in 1838. Sponsored by Oldham County Tourism and Oldham County Historical Society.
<h5>Reverse</h5>The Courthouse and Enslavement - Records related to enslavement were common. Justice of the Peace William Gatewood was charged for the illegal hire-out of Mahala, mother of Henry Bibb’s wife Malinda. Bibb, a famous abolitionist, escaped Gatewood’s enslavement & created a colony in Canada for fugitive slaves. Sponsored by Oldham County Tourism and Oldham County Historical Society.
Dedicated August 31, 2019.
Kentucky was the site of many important battles during the American Civil War, including the Battle of Perryville, which was the largest battle fought in the state.