Ages ago the great herds of buffalo on the move along the Great Buffalo Trace through Central Kentucky from the Kentucky River at Frankfort would stop here for a long drink at the "Buffalo Spring" in the middle of what is now Stamping Ground.
In the area now called "down about Stamping Ground" they would stamp the earth for miles around---takeing a literal "long lick" of salt at what is now Long Lick. And all this happened before they had made their trek across the Elkhorn to the south at what is now Great Crossing.Much of the "down about Stamping Ground" area is situated between the two branches of the North Elkhorn named for the two Virginia gentlemen. McConnell's Run is south of the town,and to the north is LeCompete's Run. Both streams were sites of settled villages before the main "burg" was incorporated, in 1834.
For some time Stamping Ground was on the "main thorofare" favorite stopping off places, Lindsay's Station,was built for travelers using the main road of mud or dry dirt, depending on the season.
And, at Stamping Ground, markers have been erected by the Kentucky Historical Society and the Department of Highways in their program to point out historic Kentucky to the 20th. century travelers. The two markers-impetus for which was the Woman's Club-- will commemorate the 1775 discovery by McConnell and LeCompete of the Buffalo Spring, and the 1970 construction of the fort-station by Anthony Lindsay.
