County turns 170 years old today

Crittenden

Crittenden County turns 170 today. The county was formed from an eastern portion of Livingston County on Jan. 26, 1842, the first of five Kentucky counties established that year.

Named for John J. Crittenden — a Kentucky politician who served in both chambers of Congress, twice as U.S. Attorney General, in the state legislature and as governor of Kentucky from 1848 to1850 — the county was the 91st to be formed in the commonwealth. Crittenden, an aide-de-camp in the War of 1812, is one of 30 figures from that war to have a Kentucky county named for him.

For more on the county’s birthday, see Brenda Underdown’s weekly column inside The Crittenden Press.