Red Bird River

The Red Bird River (a.k.a. Red Bird Creek or Redbird Creek) is one of two tributaries at the head of the South Fork Kentucky River, the other being the Goose Creek. It is located in the Daniel Boone National Forest, in the southeast of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is 34.3 mi long and drains the eastern half of Clay County.

Hydrology and basin
At its mouth, the Red Bird River's mean annual discharge is 336.62 cuft/s. It drains an area of 195.7 sqmi. Its overall gradient is 7.2 ft/mile.

Tributaries and other locations
The headwaters of Red Bird River are in north-eastern Bell County, separated from the rest of that county by the Kentucky Ridge. It constitutes the county line between Clay and Leslie Counties for a 6.5 mile reach. Kentucky Route 66 follows the course of the River from Oneida to the Clay–Bell County line.


 * Its major tributaries include:
 * Bear Creek 6.25 mile upstream at altitude 752 ft, mouth at 37.22858°N, -83.63571°W, whose further tributaries and locations are in its own article
 * Banks Branch 8.5 mile upstream at altitude 762 ft, mouth at 37.20962°N, -83.6337°W headwaters at 37.20051°N, -83.64023°W
 * Sam Branch 10.5 mile upstream at altitude 773 ft, mouth at 37.20277°N, -83.61993°W headwaters at 37.19514°N, -83.62315°W
 * Dry Branch 10.75 mile upstream at altitude 774 ft, mouth at 37.20218°N, -83.61175°W headwaters at 37.22481°N, -83.59545°W
 * Hector Creek 11.5 mile upstream at altitude 775 ft, mouth at 37.1944°N, -83.60654°W headwaters at 37.12604°N, -83.67367°W
 * Ben Branch 1 mile upstream at altitude 800 ft
 * a right branch 2 mile upstream at altitude 830 ft
 * a left branch 2.5 mile upstream
 * a left branch 3 mile upstream
 * a left drain 5.5 mile upstream at altitude 985 ft
 * Jacks Creek 12.25 mile upstream at altitude 780 ft, mouth at 37.19112°N, -83.59173°W headwaters at 37.20776°N, -83.53469°W
 * Dave Bowling Branch (a.k.a. Spurlock Branch) 1.625 mile upstream at altitude 910 ft, mouth at 37.20677°N, -83.5674°W headwaters at 37.22085°N, -83.57467°W
 * Right Fork 0.5 mile upstream at altitude 1065 ft, mouth at 37.2129°N, -83.56924°W headwaters at 37.22233°N, -83.56828°W
 * Copes Branch 14.5 mile upstream at altitude 788 ft
 * Big Creek 15 mile upstream at altitude 789 ft, mouth at 37.16656°N, -83.58228°W, whose further tributaries and locations are in its own article
 * Elk Creek 15.75 mile upstream at altitude 794 ft, mouth at 37.15459°N, -83.58799°W headwaters at 37.10434°N, -83.66098°W
 * Town Branch 2.5 mile upstream at altitude 925 ft, mouth at 37.12618°N, -83.63045°W headwaters at 37.13356°N, -83.64411°W
 * Left Fork 3.5 mile upstream at altitude 990 ft, mouth at 37.1173°N, -83.64046°W headwaters at 37.09958°N, -83.64144°W
 * Little Double Creek 17.25 mile upstream at altitude 804 ft, mouth at 37.14008°N, -83.59201°W headwaters at 37.11445°N, -83.62175°W
 * Big Double Creek 17.5 mile upstream at altitude 805 ft, mouth at 37.14034°N, -83.58758°W right and left forks at 37.09044°N, -83.6025°W
 * Right Fork 1.75 mile upstream at altitude 885 ft, headwaters at 37.09457°N, -83.63553°W
 * Left Fork 1.75 mile upstream at altitude 885 ft, headwaters at 37.07491°N, -83.61658°W
 * upper forks 2.375 mile upstream,
 * Sugar Creek 20.5 mile upstream at altitude 824 ft, mouth at 37.11801°N, -83.55946°W headwaters at 37.12542°N, -83.48414°W
 * Bond Hollow 1.25 mile upstream at altitude 875 ft,
 * Spruce Pine Branch 1.5 mile upstream at altitude 925 ft,
 * Masters Branch 2.25 mile upstream at altitude 990 ft,
 * Sulphur Spring Branch 2.72 mile upstream at altitude 1055 ft,
 * Gilbert Creek 22.5 mile upstream at altitude 833 ft, mouth at 37.1077°N, -83.55591°W headwaters at 37.09691°N, -83.46452°W
 * Bowling Branch 4.5 mile upstream at altitude 1220 ft,
 * Little Creek 23.25 mile upstream at altitude 840 ft, mouth at 37.09971°N, -83.5581°W headwaters at 37.09116°N, -83.57716°W
 * Right Fork 0.75 mile upstream at altitude 950 ft,
 * Left Fork 0.75 mile upstream at altitude 950 ft,
 * Elisha Creek 24.25 mile upstream at altitude 851 ft, mouth at 37.08777°N, -83.54658°W
 * Left Fork 1.25 mile upstream at altitude 925 ft, mouth at 37.08528°N, -83.52641°W headwaters at 37.09033°N, -83.47082°W
 * Middle Fork 1.75 mile upstream at altitude 985 ft, mouth at 37.08159°N, -83.51796°W headwaters at 37.08061°N, -83.49172°W
 * Right Fork 1.75 mile upstream at altitude 985 ft, mouth at 37.08159°N, -83.51796°W headwaters at 37.076°N, -83.46886°W
 * Flat Creek 25 mile upstream at altitude 855 ft, 3.5 mile long and which rises in the Sand Hills, mouth at 37.07913°N, -83.55301°W headwaters at 37.06304°N, -83.61593°W
 * Little Flat Creek 0.75 mile upstream at altitude 870 ft, mouth at 37.07596°N, -83.55825°W headwaters at 37.07402°N, -83.60438°W
 * Panther Branch 3.25 mile upstream at altitude 1160 ft, mouth at 37.05968°N, -83.60156°W headwaters at 37.04077°N, -83.61021°W
 * Left Fork 4 mile upstream at altitude 1235 ft, mouth at 37.06181°N, -83.60784°W headwaters at 37.07019°N, -83.61104°W
 * Bowen Creek 26.5 mile upstream at altitude 870 ft, mouth at 37.06763°N, -83.53828°W headwaters at 37.0375°N, -83.44704°W
 * Daniel Branch 2.25 mile upstream at altitude 1030 ft, mouth at 37.04938°N, -83.51218°W headwaters at 37.04251°N, -83.5104°W
 * Brushy Fork 6 mile upstream at altitude 1265 ft, mouth at 37.03954°N, -83.46721°W headwaters at 37.05254°N, -83.45554°W
 * Spring Creek, 6 mile long and rising in the Sand Hills east of the Brightshade post office on Goose Creek, mouth at 37.0619°N, -83.5415°W headwaters at 37.03149°N, -83.59664°W
 * Cane Knob Branch 4 mile upstream at altitude 1210 ft,
 * Right Fork 4.75 mile upstream at altitude 1260 ft, headwaters at 37.0356°N, -83.60767°W
 * Left Fork 4.75 mile upstream at altitude 1260 ft, headwaters at 37.02794°N, -83.60689°W
 * Rich Branch 28.75 mile upstream at altitude 900 ft, mouth at 37.04202°N, -83.54676°W headwaters at 37.03605°N, -83.55645°W
 * Katy's Creek 29.5 mile upstream at altitude 911 ft, mouth at 37.0351°N, -83.53999°W headwaters at 37.01623°N, -83.59323°W
 * Left Fork 2 mile upstream at altitude 1075 ft,
 * Jacks Creek 30.75 mile upstream at altitude 925 ft, mouth at 37.02579°N, -83.5279°W upper forks at 37.013°N, -83.49733°W
 * Old-House Branch 0.5 mile upstream at altitude 965 ft, mouth at 37.02484°N, -83.51939°W headwaters at 37.03134°N, -83.50309°W
 * Left Fork 2.25 mile upstream at altitude 1085 ft, headwaters at 37.01828°N, -83.46901°W
 * Oakley Cave Branch 0.25 mile upstream at altitude 1115 ft, mouth at 37.01354°N, -83.49386°W headwaters at 37.01326°N, -83.47696°W
 * Right Fork 2.25 mile upstream at altitude 1085 ft, headwaters at 36.99649°N, -83.47572°W
 * Jesse Fork 0.75 mile upstream at altitude 1160 ft, mouth at 37.00489°N, -83.49647°W headwaters at 36.98592°N, -83.48865°W
 * Bear Creek 31.75 mile upstream at altitude 935 ft, mouth at 37.02088°N, -83.53425°W upper forks at 37.00397°N, -83.57243°W
 * Whitehead Branch 31.75 mile upstream at altitude 942 ft,
 * Phillips Fork 34.75 mile upstream at altitude 958 ft, 7.16 mile long with a gradient of 120.53 ft/mile; mouth just south of Queendale at 37.00493°N, -83.52718°W headwaters at 36.91386°N, -83.48628°W. Flowing generally north-east, it varies in width between 6 ft to 18 ft.
 * Saw-Pit Branch (a.k.a. Steel Trap Branch) 0.75 mile upstream at altitude 1010 ft,
 * Pups Branch 1.75 mile upstream at altitude 1090 ft, mouth at 36.97827°N, -83.51858°W headwaters at 36.97651°N, -83.49128°W
 * East Hilton Branch 4.25 mile upstream at altitude 1440 ft,
 * Sandy Fork 1 mile long
 * Blue-Hole Branch 33.75 mile upstream at altitude 991 ft,
 * Bear Wallow 1.5 mile upstream,
 * the forks 1.75 mile upstream,
 * Lick Fork 36 mile upstream at altitude 1064 ft, mouth at 36.96883°N, -83.53834°W headwaters at 36.95416°N, -83.58658°W
 * the forks 1.5 mile upstream,
 * Rich Branch 38.25 mile upstream at altitude 1192 ft, mouth at 36.94336°N, -83.53146°W headwaters at 36.93754°N, -83.51538°W
 * Meadow Fork 38.5 mile upstream at altitude 1208 ft,
 * Cow Fork 38.75 mile upstream at altitude 1240 ft, mouth at 36.92957°N, -83.53346°W headwaters at 36.91603°N, -83.49297°W

The two Bear Creek tributaries are sometimes distinguished as Lower Bear Creek and Upper Bear Creek. The two Jack's Creek tributaries are likewise sometimes distinguished as Lower Jack's Creek and Upper Jack's Creek. Similarly, on some modern maps a distinction is drawn between Red Bird Creek, which is the reach upstream of the confluence with Phillips Fork, and Red Bird River, which is the reach downstream; although the KGS Fourth Report in 1918 made no such distinction and simply named whole thing Redbird Creek.

The meeting point of Clay, Bell, and Leslie counties is just east of Sandy Fork.

Hector Creek, Jack's Creek, the Red Bird post offices, Beverly, Nuckles, and the Red Bird school
Red Bird was the name of a Native American who was murdered near the river, according to a 19th-century tale that traces back at least to an early settler and preacher named John Gilbert. The story goes that a Chief Red Bird with his housekeeper Jack were murdered just upstream of the creek mouth of Hector Creek, at the former site of the Red Bird River Petroglyphs. Jack's Creek (the Lower one) is named after the Jack in the tale. Gilbert, or his son Abijah, is also credited in a similar story with coining the name of Hector Creek, naming it after his hunting dog that was killed by a bear on its banks.

Local schoolteacher and minister John Jay Dickey recorded the Gilberts's tales in his diary in the 1890s. Chief Red Bird and Jack are not recorded in any history books at all from the early 19th century, only being recorded by Dickey as aforementioned and by Richard Collins (revising his father Lewis's earlier work) in the 1870s; however there were two Red Bird post offices and several other things named after (at least) the river and the two creeks.

The first Red Bird post office is largely a mystery. It is known to have operated from 1828 to 1831, but its location and postmaster are unknown, and its location only narrowed down as far as being either on Red Bird Creek next to the mouth of Big Creek or somewhere on Big Creek.

The second Red Bird post office in Bell County was established on 1876-10-24 by postmaster Richard Wilkerson Asher. It was located at the mouth of Cow Creek and remained there as it passed through the hands of successive family members. When R. W. Asher died in 1884 it passed to his daughter Amanda "Mandy" Jane, who married one William R. "Bill" Knuckles. She attempted to rename the post office Knuckles, but she misspelled it as Nuckles on the USPS forms. She in turn died in 1890, the postmastership passing to her husband, who in his turn died in 1910 with their son John Beverly Knuckles taking over the postmastership. The USPS requested a change of name in August 1911, and the post office finally became Beverly. John was replaced by his wife Myrtle as postmaster on 1913-12-22.

In the latter part of the 20th century the Beverly post office moved to the mouth of the Lawson Branch of Lawson Creek, some 2.5 mile away. It is still open as of the 21st century.

R. W. Asher was a storekeeper and a preacher, and in his time the post office served a small area with a corn mill, a school, and a church. Bill Knuckles was also a storekeeper, and also a lawyer. John Beverly Knuckles and Millard F. Knuckles were landowners, who in 1921 offered their land to build a school and hospital.

This was to become the Red Bird Mission and Settlement School, built by the Women's Missionary Society of the Evangelical Church of Pennsylvania. It has operated a sales outlet for local craftspeople, a community store, several schools, fifteen churches across five counties, a hospital, and a clinic.

The Jacks Creek post office was established on 1932-02-26 by postmaster Marion Hensley. It closed in June 1954.

The Burns post office was established on 1892-06-20 by postmaster Harriet Burns. She had wanted the names Burns Store, Hector, or Hayes (after a local family). It was located 5 miles upstream on Hector Creek, and closed in August 1893.

The Hector post office was established on 1900-12-28 by postmaster Arazona Davidson. It was originally 3.5 mile upstream on Hector Creek, but was moved in 1924 by postmaster Jane L. Chadwell to the mouth of a left branch of Hector now known as Davidson Branch and earlier known as Jim Hubbard's Branch, close to where Burns had been years before. It closed in 1977.

A gap named Hector Gap connects the headwaters of Hector Creek to the Lockhart Creek tributary of Goose Creek. Kentucky Route 149 crosses that gap and follows Hector Creek for the whole of its course, the Daniel Boone Parkway also following the creek for most of it.

Eriline
The Eriline post office was established on 1902-12-09 and lasted until 1988, with a 32-year hiatus from 1911. It was supposed to be named after Eveline (some sources spell as Evaline) Britton (1861–1939), wife of Van Britton (1855–1911) its first postmaster, but the clerks at the USPS could not read the handwriting on the application form, naming it Eriline instead, and the Brittons did not consider it important enough to make a fuss about the name.

It was originally established at the Brittons's home at the mouth of Hector Creek, but moved three times. The first move was to the east side of the Red Bird River, south of the mouth of Big Creek, which was the result of its reëstablishment after the hiatus on 1943-08-29 by George C. Hensley. The second move was back north in 1944 by Mary W. Bowling to the west of the Red Bird, 2.5 mile from the then Jacks Creek post office. The third move took it upriver in 1949, and at its closure in 1988 it was still on the west side of the Red Bird, at the junction of Kentucky Route 66 and Jacks Creek Road.

Spring Creek
The Spring Creek post office was established on 1876-07-10 by postmaster Jesse Mattingly. It was located at several sites on Spring Creek at or just upstream of the creek mouth. After closing on 1884-05-08 it was reëstablished at the mouth of Flat Creek by on 1885-01-16 by postmaster Christopher Bowling. After later moving back to Spring Creek, it closed in October 1944.

Marcum
The Marcum post office was established on 1908-03-11 by postmaster Henry B. Marcum Jr. It was named after his family, descendants of Henry's grandfather Thomas Marcum who was an early settler on Red Bird some time around 1812. It was originally located just below and across from the mouth of Sugar Creek. Some time before 1928 it moved upstream by 1 mile to across from the mouth of Gilbert Creek. It closed in June 1984.

Antepast
The Antepast post office was established on 1910-01-20 by postmaster Wilson T. Martin. It was originally located on Red Bird 1.5 mile downstream of the mouth of (Lower) Beaar Creek, and moved 2 mile further downstream in November 1932 under postmaster Howell T. Bowling. It was here, some 2.5 mile upstream of Oneida, that it closed in November 1936.

There are several competing hypotheses recorded for the origin of its name. Clay County historian Jess D. Wilson, in his book When They Hanged The Fiddler, gives the most directly sourced: a story from his own family lore about the local preacher waiting for "Andy's passing" in the middle of church services, as Wilson's great-grandfather Andy Baker would drunkenly and noisily pass by. Another account, supported by George R. Stewart's American Given Names dictionary, states that it was after some person whose name in turn was taken from Biblical figure Herod Antipas, no such person being recorded in the area, however. The third, and least likely, account, from George R. Stewart's American Place Names dictionary, is that it was named after antepasti.

Gardner serving Bringardner
The Gardner post office was established on 1931-05-31 and run by postmaster Ray Kevil Carter until August 1940. It served the Gardner Station on the railroad for the Bringardner Lumber Company, owned by Fred Bringardner of Lexington. The post office was at the mouth of Lick Fork.

The Bringardner Lumber Company's railway operated out of what was at the time known as Asher's Fork, further upstream towards the Beverly post office. Charles Bringardner, Fred's son, sales manager, and a later president of Bringardner Lumber, also later operated the Red Bird Lumber Company near to Marcum post office. Charles was commissioned as a junior lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve in World War 2, with M. R. McCorckle of McCorckle Lumber running Bringardner Lumber whilst he was away.

Flat Creek and Creekville and Van Camp post offices
The Flat Creek post office was established on 1857-08-15 by postmaster Felix G. Gilbert. It is not known exactly where it was located and it closed on 1861-09-06.

The Van Camp post office was established on 1924-09-29 by postmaster Jable L. Stewart. It was located 1.5 mile upstream on Flat Creek at the mouth of its Rocky Fork. Stewart's first choice of name had been Sand Hills after the creek's headwaters, but this was rejected by the USPS. It closed in September 1938.

The Creekville post office was established on 1928-09-01 by postmaster Bascom C. Bowling, one-time postmaster of the Annalee post office that was to become Peabody. Bowling's first choice of name had been Flat Creek. It was located at the Flat Creek mouth on Red Bird, and closed in 1972.

Skidmore and Sandy Fork
The Skidmore post office was established on 1876-08-03 by postmaster J. D. Asher. It was named after his successor Andrew C. Skidmore who took over from Asher on 1876-10-27. It was in the store of Joasiah Asher, J. D. Asher being a local miller, at the mouth of Phillips Fork. Postmaster James F. Asher moved it upstream to just 50 yard away from the county line in 1902. It closed in June 1913.

The Sandy Fork post office was established on 1877-02-26 by postmaster J. R. Fairchild. It was located at the mouth of the same-named Sandy Fork, and changed name to Sandyfork in March 1894. It closed on 1911-09-30.

Roark
The Roark post office was established on 1907-01-29 by postmasters John A. and Lucy F. Roark. Located 0.5 mile upstream on (Upper) Jack's Creek it has been operated by members of the Roark family, all descendants of early John Coke Roark from Roanoke, Virginia. It is still there today.

Asher family
A family named Asher settled in the Upper Red Bird Creek area in the 19th century, descendents of early settler and local landowner in the Goose Creek and Red Bird valleys, Dillion Asher (1774–1844), who back in 1800 had lived in a minor tributary hollow just downstream of the Phillip's Fork. He may or may not have been the first tollgate keeper at Cumberland Ford, the Asher family history saying that he was but Robert L. Kincaid in The Wilderness Road saying that it was rather one Robert Craig. He definitely had a lean-to at the ford in 1797, but he moved to Upper Red Bird shortly afterwards. He had passed through he area earlier in 1777, planting some peach seeds along the way, and he came back to see how they had fared. He built a log home there in 1799, which still stands on the grounds of the Red Bird River Community Hospital of the United Brethren Church.

The Asher Fork post office and tributary of Goose Creek are named for the family. As is the Asher post office on the Beech Fork of Middle Fork Kentucky River to the west.

The family included the aforementioned Richard Wilkerson Asher, J. D. Asher, Josiah Asher, and James F. Asher. Other Ashers were Matilda Asher, who lived on Saw-Pit Branch, a Mrs Asher (forename unrecorded) who had a mine 1.375 mile upstream on Phillips Fork, and A. J. Asher who had a mine on Lick Fork.