Buckner

History

Buckner's history began in the early 1800s when settlers arrived through Old Brownsboro Road and established a settlement that was named "La Fayetteville." In 1820 early settler William P. Rodman sold 120 acres to Mitchell Overstreet, who opened a general store and a small village. By 1826, La Fayetteville had a blacksmith, general store, tavern, church, and sawmill. The town campaigned to be the county seat but lost to La Grange. By 1880, "Buckner Station," named for the Buckner family, was shortened to "Buckner." In 1874, it was populated by 250 residents with a steam sawmill, two distilleries, two churches, and a seminary. John George Klein, an immigrant from Germany, opened the first commercial winery in Oldham County at Buckner in 1886. The Louisville & Eastern Electric Railroad was brought to Oldham County in the early 1900s, from Crestwood to Buckner and on to La Grange by 1906. The line was a commuter railroad featuring livestock cars and baggage cars transporting milk and cream. A court battle and final agreement over land rights in Buckner with the L&N Railroad allowed the extension of the Electric Railroad. Education also changed with Buckner, as there was an early school on the west side of Cedar Point Road, then a two-story brick school built at the site of the present Oldham County High School. Buckner resident J.T. Clifton remembers his boyhood when the interurban streetcar from Louisville to La Grange would make frequent stops. His family operated a dairy near what is now the industrial park at KY 146 and I-71. Clifton saw a number of changes, including the replacement of oil lamps by carbide lights and the paving of KY 146 in 1929. At one time Buckner boasted three general stores and one of the county's oldest post offices, run by Sam Leet. The…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (2.00%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  16,958
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  15,804
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  13,841
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  13,209
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  12,838
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  12,303
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12,036
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11,492