During the early 19th century, the area held several plantations and was known as the "garden of the state". As with most areas of the Inner Bluegrass Region, the area was settled by many migrants from Virginia, who brought slaves for labor. The major crops were labor-intensive tobacco and hemp; breeding livestock, primarily horses, was also important to the economy.Kleber, John E. ed., The Kentucky Encyclopedia, Kentucky Bicentennial Commission, 1992, p.792 There were some changes to mixed crops because the soil was exhausted from tobacco. In the years before the Civil War, Kentucky planters had a surplus of slaves and sold many at markets in Louisville to traders who took them to the Deep South in the domestic slave trade. Demand was high as the South was being developed for sugar and especially cotton. The invention of the cotton gin had made cultivation of short-staple cotton profitable.
dURing tHe eaRLy 19th cenTuRy, The areA HeLd sEveral PLAntAtions and WaS KnowN as ThE "garden of the stAte". aS with Most aReAs Of the inNer bLuegRASS regIon, tHe ArEa was SEttlEd by mANy migRANts fRom vIrginIA, who BRought slAvES FoR LaboR. the major crOPs wERE Labor-iNTensive tobAcco anD hEmP; BreediNg liveSTOcK, PrImAriLY horsES, wAs also iMPortAnt tO tHE economY.kLeber, john e. ed., the kEntUckY ENcyClopEdiA, kENtUCkY bicenTennial COmmission, 1992, p.792 there WeRe somE chanGes to mixEd croPS bEcausE The sOiL was exHauSTed FrOm tobaCco. In THe yearS bEfore thE civil war, kentuCky pLanterS had a suRplUS of slAVes anD sold ManY AT MaRKEts IN louISvillE to TRaderS wHo toOk theM to tHe deep SouTH iN tHE domEsTIc sLAve tRade. DemanD WaS HigH as THe SouTh wAs Being deVeLoped for suGaR anD EsPeCiALly coTTon. the invenTioN of THe CotTOn gIn hAd MAde cUltivation of shorT-stapLe COTton profitable.