Floracliff Nature Sanctuary

 

Photo of Floracliff cabin by Beverly James
Dr. Mary Wharton
Land Use History
Conservation Efforts
Preserve Map PDF document icon
Link to Floracliff Photo Gallery
Link to JustGive.org

Early 1700s The first Europeans visited the area.
1777 Captain John Holder, a companion of Daniel Boone, first settled the land that would become Floracliff.
1780s Eli Cleveland, a shipyard builder, acquired the land.
Early 1800’s A cabin was built on the property that still stands today.
1850 Bright B. Harris, stone cutter, bought some of the property. A small quarry provided high grade limestone to area builders.
1859 Peter Evans, who built the grist mill at the fork of Raven Run Creek, bought the property.
1903 The cliffs along the Kentucky River were logged.
1910 - 1935 The landowners tapped sugar maples for syrup.
1930 Kettle Springs was used as a local water source.
1930s - 1950s The uplands and floodplain were farmed for corn, hemp and tobacco.
1958 Mary Wharton began purchasing property that would become Floracliff.
1976 Mary Wharton gave 109.5 acres as a scenic easement to the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG). This was the first use of a scenic easement in the state, done to prevent development.
1981 Mary Wharton gave another 48.5 acres to LFUCG as a scenic easement.
1991 Mary Wharton died November 28th at the age of 79.
1996 Floracliff was dedicated as a Kentucky State Nature Preserve, the first and only dedicated preserve in Fayette County.
2000 The first preserve manager was hired.

 

 
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary • P.O. Box Box 4006 • Lexington, KY 40544 • (859) 351-7770 • floracliff@aol.com
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