Elliston

Elliston is located in the northwest section of Grant County, along the waters of Ten Mile and the confluence of Flat Creek on the west, and with Arnold's Creek on the east is located on Kentucky State Highway 1942. This settlement prior to the formation of the county was known as Eagle Mills. As early as 1819 John Collins applied for a tavern license at Eagle Mills. There is an indication that a mill was in operation at this location, thus the name Eagle Mills. We know that a mill was located at the mouth of Arnold's Creek in 1860, known as Down's Mill. Eagle Mills was known by this name as far as we can determine until 1868.

On March 20, 1868, Ambrose Foree deeded a 66 foot of right-of-way to the railroad for the construction of the railroad from Louisville to Cincinnati to be known as the L & N Railroad. This station stop was named Elliston since most of the land was owned by the Elliston family. The descendants of Benjamin Elliston (1770-1846), a veteran of the War of 1812 and the Virginia-born son of Robert Elliston, settled at this spot on Ten Mile Creek in 1813.

The first train ran in April 1869. A railroad depot was constructed and stock pens were built near the depot for livestock the farmers drove to Elliston to be shipped by rail to market. Prior to the building of the railroad, farmers in this area drove their livestock to Jackson's Landing on the Ohio River to be transported to market by boat. A water tower was erected for water to be used by the steam locomotives which was pumped from Ten Mile Creek. Company houses were constructed for the section men that kept the railroad tract in repair. There were stores, blacksmith shops, a tobacco warehouse where tobacco was prized to be shipped out out on rail. In later years, after the warehouse was no longer used for prizing tobacco, it was converted into a movie house by P. R. Connelley who also operated the general stores. Silent movies were shown and famous stars like Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and William S. Hart were featured.

The Elliston Post Office was established in 1870, serving the community until 1976 when mail service was transferred to Dry Ridge with rural carrier service through Elliston. Those servicing as postmasters at Elliston were:

Early tavern owners were John Ford, William Sasher, John Vaughn, and William P. Elliston, who operated a store prior to the Civil War. Other early store owners were Lewis Ford, C. R. Elliston, and W. A. Ford, who operated a drug store in 1895.

History of Grant County, John B. Conrad, Editor
Published by The Grant County Historical Society
Williamstown, Kentucky
Article by K. H. Connely

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