Griffith Station, Kentucky: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:46, 4 April 2026

Griffith Station is an unincorporated community in Daviess County, Kentucky, situated along what is now Kentucky Highway 279 (Griffith Station Road), running from River Road to Stanley alongside the former Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railroad corridor.

History

In 1876, Daniel M. Griffith owned over 300 acres in the area. When the Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railroad was being built in 1888, the route passed through his land. Griffith sold the railroad a sixty-foot-wide right-of-way for $1,650, signed in August 1888, and a depot was established on the site — giving the community its name.

Following the sale, the town was laid off beginning at Walnut Street, running 355 feet south to Little Avenue and then 700 feet west to the land of J. L. Moreland, encompassing just over one acre in total.

Post Offices

Before the railroad arrived, postal service in the area came through the short-lived Gaw Post Office. In 1886, postal authorities rejected John Gaw's proposed name of "Plum Grove" for a new post office located one mile south of the Ohio River near the anticipated railroad line. Instructed to find another name, Gaw chose his own. The Gaw Post Office operated from June 1886 to October 1891, some six miles northwest of Owensboro, with only two postmasters: John Gaw and John Saalwaechter.

The last post office established on the Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railway and the nearest to Owensboro was the Griffith Post Office, located 1.7 miles east of Stanley. It operated from March 1893 to August 1906, named for site owner Daniel M. Griffith. Its postmasters were Gun Vittitow, Hilary A. Wimsatt, Francis Clark, Albert Williams, and Robert G. Head. It was discontinued and its service transferred to Stanley.

Community

Baptist Church

A Baptist Church was built at Griffith Station around 1915, originally in a remodeled house. The congregation was formally organized in 1922. Among its first members were Boss Arnold, Nettie Keeton, Irene Quinn, Ora Young, Chester Gray, F.C. Quinn, Charles Young, Daisy Young, Henry Keeton, Ernest Quinn, George Young, and George Kirk. George Birk was elected as the first Moderator. The church purchased the building from B. F. Gray, who along with Cleve Quinn and Ernest Quinn served as trustees.

The church struggled throughout its existence, constrained by limited territory and competition from nearby congregations at Stanley, Pleasant Grove, and elsewhere. It ceased operations in 1966, with most of its remaining members joining Stanley Baptist Church.

School

Griffith Station had a one-room schoolhouse that served the community for several decades. When the Stanley Consolidated School opened in Stanley in 1935, the Griffith school was among the one-room schoolhouses that closed.

St. Peter's Picnic Grounds

A notable feature of Griffith Station was its role as the site of the St. Peter's Catholic Church annual picnic. After several years of holding the picnic on the church lot on Oakford Road, organizers moved the event to the S. B. Berry woods near Griffith Station, taking advantage of the area's picnic grounds and the convenience of the nearby train stop.

Special excursion rates were arranged with the railroad: $.25 round trip from Union Station in Owensboro, and $.60 from Henderson and Cloverport. The St. Peter's picnic became one of the largest events along the railroad in Daviess County. The Owensboro Messenger reported that it featured a large and elaborate line of amusements and the largest dancing platform in the county, with large numbers of sheep, chickens, and beef barbecued for nearly 5,000 attendees each year. When a school and church were built in Stanley, the picnic relocated there as well.

Businesses and Services

Charlie McKay operated a store at Griffith Station. G. W. Dawson served as the community's physician in 1894.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-In 1876 Daniel M. Griffith owned over 300 acres in the area that was located on what is now Hwy 279 Griffith Station Road.  The road starts on River road and goes all the way to Stanley next to railroad tracks.  When the Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railroad were being built in 1888, the road next to it was built alongside.  Griffith had the land that the track would run through and the train would build a depot.  It was called Griffith Station.
+{{Infobox settlement
-In 1886, when postal authorities rejected John Gaw’s proposed name, Plum Grove, for a Post Office, one mile south of the Ohio River and near (or on) the anticipated railroad coming through, he was instructed to find another location.  He chose his own name.  The Gaw Post Office operated from June 1886 to October 1891 some six miles northwest of Owensboro.  It only had two different Postmasters, John Gaw and John Saalwaechter.
+| name                    = Griffith Station
-The last Post Office established on the Louisville, St. Louis, and Texas Railway and the nearest to Owensboro was Griffith.  It was 1.7 miles east of Stanley.  It was named for site owner Daniel M. Griffith and operated from March 1893 to August 1906.  The Postmasters were Gun Vittitow, Hilary A. Wimsatt, Francis Clark, Albert Williams, and Robert G. Head.  It was discontinued and moved to Stanley.
+| settlement_type         = Unincorporated community
-After the Griffith family sold a right away to the Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railroad for $1650, sixty feet wide, and the town was laid off.  It started at Walnut Street, went 355 feet south to Little Avenue and then 700 feet west to the land of J. L. Moreland.  It originally contained just over one acre.  It was signed in August 1888.
+| subdivision_type        = County
-Griffith had a one room school.  It also had a Baptist Church which was built about 1915.  The building was originally a house and was remodeled to make it a church.  It was finally organized in 1922.  Some of its first members were: Boss Arnold, Nettie Keeton, Irene Quinn, Ora Young, Chester Gray, F.C. Quinn, Charles Young, Daisy Young, Henry Keeton, Ernest Quinn, George Young, and George Kirk.  George Birk was elected as the first Moderator of the church.  The church purchased the building from B. F. Gray who also was one of the finest trustees along with Cleve Quinn and Ernest Quinn.
+| subdivision_name        = [[Daviess County, Kentucky|Daviess County]]
-The church never was very strong in numbers or financially stable.  It was located in a limited territory and was close to Stanley, Pleasant Grove and other churches.  It ceased in 1966.  Most of its remaining members went to Stanley Baptist Church.
+| subdivision_type1       = State
-Another part of Griffith Station was located in the picnic woods, where the original St. Peter’s Catholic Church picnic grounds were located.  After several years of having the picnic on the church lot on Oakford Road, it was moved to S. B. Berry woods near Griffith Station.  The move made it easier for the people to get from the train stop.  Special rates were obtained from the railroad company for $.25 round trip from Union Station.  Rates from Henderson and Cloverport were $.60.  The St. Peters picnic was one of the biggest picnics along the railroad in Daviess County.  The Owensboro Messenger reported that the picnic had a large and elaborate line of amusements and had the largest dancing platform in the county.  Large numbers of sheep, chickens and beef were barbequed for nearly 5000 every year.  When the school and church were built in Stanley, the picnic moved there as well from Griffith.
+| subdivision_name1       = Kentucky
-Charlie McKay ran a store in Griffith.  G. W. Dawson was the physician in 1894.  When the Stanley Consolidated School opened in Stanley in 1935, the Griffith School was one of the one room schoolhouses to close down.
+| established_title       = Platted
+| established_date        = 1888
+| named_for               = Daniel M. Griffith
+}}
+'''Griffith Station''' is an unincorporated community in [[Daviess County, Kentucky|Daviess County]], Kentucky, situated along what is now Kentucky Highway 279 (Griffith Station Road), running from River Road to Stanley alongside the former Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railroad corridor.
+==History==
+In 1876, Daniel M. Griffith owned over 300 acres in the area. When the Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railroad was being built in 1888, the route passed through his land. Griffith sold the railroad a sixty-foot-wide right-of-way for $1,650, signed in August 1888, and a depot was established on the site — giving the community its name.
+Following the sale, the town was laid off beginning at Walnut Street, running 355 feet south to Little Avenue and then 700 feet west to the land of J. L. Moreland, encompassing just over one acre in total.
+==Post Offices==
+Before the railroad arrived, postal service in the area came through the short-lived '''Gaw Post Office'''. In 1886, postal authorities rejected John Gaw's proposed name of "Plum Grove" for a new post office located one mile south of the Ohio River near the anticipated railroad line. Instructed to find another name, Gaw chose his own. The Gaw Post Office operated from June 1886 to October 1891, some six miles northwest of Owensboro, with only two postmasters: John Gaw and John Saalwaechter.
+The last post office established on the Louisville, St. Louis and Texas Railway and the nearest to Owensboro was the '''Griffith Post Office''', located 1.7 miles east of Stanley. It operated from March 1893 to August 1906, named for site owner Daniel M. Griffith. Its postmasters were Gun Vittitow, Hilary A. Wimsatt, Francis Clark, Albert Williams, and Robert G. Head. It was discontinued and its service transferred to Stanley.
+==Community==
+===Baptist Church===
+A Baptist Church was built at Griffith Station around 1915, originally in a remodeled house. The congregation was formally organized in 1922. Among its first members were Boss Arnold, Nettie Keeton, Irene Quinn, Ora Young, Chester Gray, F.C. Quinn, Charles Young, Daisy Young, Henry Keeton, Ernest Quinn, George Young, and George Kirk. George Birk was elected as the first Moderator. The church purchased the building from B. F. Gray, who along with Cleve Quinn and Ernest Quinn served as trustees.
+The church struggled throughout its existence, constrained by limited territory and competition from nearby congregations at Stanley, Pleasant Grove, and elsewhere. It ceased operations in 1966, with most of its remaining members joining Stanley Baptist Church.
+===School===
+Griffith Station had a one-room schoolhouse that served the community for several decades. When the Stanley Consolidated School opened in Stanley in 1935, the Griffith school was among the one-room schoolhouses that closed.
+==St. Peter's Picnic Grounds==
+A notable feature of Griffith Station was its role as the site of the St. Peter's Catholic Church annual picnic. After several years of holding the picnic on the church lot on Oakford Road, organizers moved the event to the S. B. Berry woods near Griffith Station, taking advantage of the area's picnic grounds and the convenience of the nearby train stop.
+Special excursion rates were arranged with the railroad: $.25 round trip from Union Station in Owensboro, and $.60 from Henderson and Cloverport. The St. Peter's picnic became one of the largest events along the railroad in Daviess County. The ''Owensboro Messenger'' reported that it featured a large and elaborate line of amusements and the largest dancing platform in the county, with large numbers of sheep, chickens, and beef barbecued for nearly 5,000 attendees each year. When a school and church were built in Stanley, the picnic relocated there as well.
+==Businesses and Services==
+Charlie McKay operated a store at Griffith Station. G. W. Dawson served as the community's physician in 1894.
 [[Category:Towns]]
+[[Category:Daviess County, Kentucky]]