Looking out over the Ohio River, a statue of US General George Rogers Clark has stood proudly in the heart of downtown Louisville for over 50 years. Widely known for being the founder of Louisville, Clark was the highest-ranking American military officer in the entire northwestern United States.
But his military achievements have been justifiably overshadowed by his legacy of murder, cruelty, and oppression, all of which have gone on to tarnish his image. As Clark’s reputation becomes increasingly controversial, strange, chilling incidents, have started to take place around his statue, creating inexplicably dark energy for those who dare to visit. Join Derby City Ghosts to learn more about the troubled legacy of Louisville’s once-trusted founder and see why some visitors refuse to get close to his statue.
QUICK FACTS:
- George Rogers Clark was born in 1752 in Albemarle County, Virginia
- During the Revolutionary War, he served as a leader of the militia in Kentucky and was the highest-ranking patriot on the northwestern frontier
- He had several nicknames, including Conqueror of the Old Northwest, Father of Louisville, Hannibal of the West, and Washington of the West
LOUISVILLE AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
George Rogers Clark is remembered for being a decorated soldier and the founder of Louisville, though the land had been used as hunting grounds by Shawnee and Cherokee tribes for years prior. The first settlement in the vicinity of modern-day Louisville was established in the latter part of the Revolutionary War as part of a campaign to bring settlers to Kentucky.
But truthfully, Clark believed the area would be ideal for a communications post in the country’s efforts against the British—not just as a new settlement. Eighty citizens and 150 soldiers set out from Redstone, Pennsylvania, in 1778 and helped Clark hide the real reason behind his presence in the area. A local government was established shortly after.
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK’S LEGACY
Widely considered to be an American war hero, Clark gained recognition as a prominent military leader after successfully capturing British forts at Kaskaskia and Vincennes, eventually leading to the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which granted the US its independence. Today, Clark seemingly is treated like a deity around the city of Louisville. There are schools, parks, and even a bridge named after him, and he remains a legendary figure amongst residents.
But despite his wartime triumphs, Clark’s legacy is complex, considering he was responsible for ordering attacks on Native American settlements. To fight against the British during the Revolutionary War also meant fighting against Native Americans in especially horrific, cruel ways. The Redcoats promised Native Americans protection and money in return for their help fighting rebels, but when the time came for the British to aid their supposed “allies,” no one showed up to help.
To force a surrender, Clark slaughtered five Native Americans with a hatchet in present-day Vincennes, Indiana. Clark’s men also scorched the Shawnee village of Peckuwe, burning their crops, looting their burial grounds, and killing innocents, leaving the Shawnee starving. Today, this knowledge has irreversibly plagued Clark’s legacy, with many questioning his senseless actions, violence, and cruelty against Native American tribes.