Walton-Verona

by Melinda Sartwell

Overview

Nestled among the rolling hills of southern Boone County, Walton and Verona have existed side by side since the early 19th century. Walton's first post office, known as Gaines Crossroads, was established in 1815 and named after the Abner Gaines family that owned most of the land. Colonel Gaines owned the first stagecoach line on the road between Cincinnati and Lexington, using his sprawling Federal-style mansion as a tavern and inn for travelers. Both communities grew after the Louisville and Nashville Railroad came through in 1869, and with the addition of the Cincinnati Southern Railroad in 1877, Walton became the largest town in Boone County. Bypassed in growth by its neighbor Florence, Walton spent many years as a small town while Verona remained a farming community—until the two were joined together by the consolidation of their school districts. As Boone County has become one of the fastest growing counties in Kentucky, both Walton and Verona are growing from their pasts toward a successful future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738566184
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	09/07/2009
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Author Melinda Sartwell is a senior history major at Northern Kentucky University, where she works in the Special Collection and Archives Department as an archival assistant. A resident of Walton since 1997, Sartwell tells the story of Walton and Verona through photographs shared by the community and archival collections.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 The Early Years 9

2 A Bustling Economy 17

3 Religious Foundations 55

4 Education 65

5 People 81

6 Around the Community 101

Editorial Reviews

Title: Book full of Walton-Verona history

Author: Justin B. Duke

Publisher: Community Press & Recorder

Date: 9/4/2009



A piece of southern Boone County history is on its way to bookstore shelves.



Walton resident Melinda Sartwell is the author of Images of America Walton-Verona.



The book is a collection of photos from Walton and Verona's past.



"I was really interested in people pictures," Sartwell said.



The book is part of the Images of America series that documents the history of communities throughout the country.



"It was definitely a learning experience," Sartwell said.



While she knew Walton and Verona residents were proud of their history, Sartwell didn't know there was so much.



Most of the photos came from residents who were willing to share what they had.



"They were thrilled that someone was finally doing something on Walton and Verona," Sartwell said.



A large number of the photos came from Bernie Spencer, who runs nkyviews.com, she said.



Gathering pictures of people wasn't a hard task, because everyone was willing to share, but one part of the project was still a challenge.



"It's harder than you think getting pictures of the town because back then people didn't randomly walk around taking pictures," Sartwell said.



The book's Sept. 7 release is good timing in Walton as the city gears up for the first phase of the Gaines House Tavern to open this fall, said Mayor Phillip Trzop.



"It's always good to have your history documented," Trzop said.



Having a book that covers the history of the city is going to be a treat for Walton citizens, he said.



"I think people are going to be really impressed with it," Trzop said.



The book will be available at area bookstores and online retailers.



Sartwell will be signing the book at the Florence Barnes & Noble at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.

From the Publisher