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Davis
County was named in honor of Garret Davis, a Congressman from Lexington,
Kentucky. In its early days Davis County was referred to as “the
Hairy Nation.” The name was given to the county because of the
shaggy, rough, unkempt appearance and rude manner of the men that resided
in the area.
There
was an early dispute on the site of the county seat. One site was
the area of Bloomfield, and the other site was the town of Richmond.
Numerous petitions were filed on behalf of both towns at the Territorial
Legislature. The matter was settled in an election, with Bloomfield
gaining a majority.
The
naming of the county seat was done by the county commissioners.
Since the commissioners all favored different names, the matter was
settled by the luck of the draw. The name Bloomfield was pulled out
of a hat. The other choices were Jefferson and Davis.
The
county was established in 1843. The first courthouse was a
two-story, hewed-log building that was finished in 1844. The
construction cost was $164, and in November 1844, $175 was paid for
lumber, glass and putty. This building underwent many repairs, and
finally in 1851, the building was abandoned. For the next 27 years
county offices were kept at various locations in Bloomfield.
Five
different propositions for a courthouse went to the voters. All
failed, except the last one in 1875. On August 22, 1877 the
cornerstone for the present courthouse was laid. The cost of the
building was $61,496.58, and an additional $2,500 was spent for an iron
fence. The fence has since moved to Jay Cemetery in Lick Creek
township in Davis County.
-from
the Davis County website
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