1791 Newspaper GEORGE WASHINGTON SIGNS ACT CREATING the STATE of KENTUCKY
Boston, Massachusetts: The Columbian Centinel, 1791. Folio. Very Good. Item #15350
A RARE 1791 newspaper with a complete printing of the act creating the state of Kentucky, with the script-type signature of President George Washington and the block-type signatures of Vice President John Adams and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson.
The settlement of Kentucky, which had been underway en masse since the 1770s, was violent and bloody. Pioneers like Simon Kenton, Daniel Boone, James Harrod, George Rogers Clark and many more were on high alert, fearful of the constant Indian raids from the northern side of the Ohio River, and their tiny settlements grew slowly, paid for dearly in blood.
The American Indian considered this land sacred and was virtually uninhabited. It was used primarily as a hunting ground for the many surrounding tribes.
It wasn't until 1794, three years after the printing of this newspaper and two years after statehood, that the Native American threat was removed with the American victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.
This February 23, 1791 issue of the Columbian Centinel, complete in four pages, features the printing of this act in the prominent place on the front page, with Washington's signature appearing at the end, all in column one.
Also on the front page is another act, with the type signatures of all three men, relating to Maryland customs duties.
The condition of this historic piece is outstanding, with mild edge wear and just a hint of light foxing.
A superior and important edition perfect for framing and display, this scarce piece of history would make an excellent centerpiece to any fine Kentucky or George Washington collection.
#2C-013.
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