Milford and Hardesty, Kentucky

This little community had two names, but it started out with the name of Milford.  Mr.Gus Hale who lives in this area said that it got its name from a grist mill that was located by the ford in the creek at the bridge site, by an early pioneer, named Jacob Hardesty.  Mill ford or Milford was an easy description of the place.  It is located at the end of Barnett Chapel Road off of S. R. 297.  Jacob Hardesty and his wife, Kitty, came to Crittenden County about 1856 and purchased land at this location and made their home here.

Crittenden County used to have many of these old iron bridges.  Remember the noise the planks would make as you drove over them.  This picture is of the old Milford bridge built about 1890.  it connected Crittenden County with Livingston Co.

A post office was established in 1900 and Luther Richard Hardesty, known as Dick, was appointed postmaster.  The little community now became known as Hardesty, Ky. Hardesty was a busy little community was a gristmill, general store, cream and poultry station.  Saturday was the busiest day, as all the farmers in the surrounding area would bring in their produce and poultry to sell and exchange for good and supplies at the stores. The post office continued until Jan. 1913 and is was discontinued and the mail sent to nearby Tolu.

There used to be a cemetery on the hill above the creek but there is now only one stone left standing.  It was called the Ellington Cemetery.  It has been told that the stones were thrown in the creek below, by young boys playing.  

 

This is a picture of the new bridge that replaced the old iron bridge sometime in the 1960s.  Deer Creek continues it's journey below the newer more modern bridge.