Scottsville dates to 1817, and 9 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 66% of U.S. towns · #56 of 142 in Kentucky. What drives it
Most of Scottsville was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1974. 9 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 29 buildings. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1903 on, and the census since 1840.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Scottsville is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #56 of 142 in Kentucky. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Scottsville’s overall grade.
Kentucky towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Kentucky town has 29.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Scottsville’s 83.6 sits near the middle of its state (64% of Kentucky towns have fewer) while its 37 historic buildings outnumber those of 83% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.1 points). Two sources give 1817.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Scottsville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The site along Bays Fork was settled in 1797 and developed into a stagecoach station. The town was laid off in 1816 and established the next year. It was named for Kentucky's 4th governor, Charles Scott. In the early 19th century, it was also known as Allen Court House and Scottville.
Scottsville was the birthplace of what would become the Dollar General nationwide chain of 15,000 stores, with J. L. Turner and his son Cal Turner Sr. opening their first department store there in 1945. In 1955, the Turners began to open more stores, and, in 1968, founded Dollar General Corporation or DOLGEN Corp.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Scottsville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1926Scottsville sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Scottsville.
Every building
Scottsville, building by building, 1903–1913
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Places that used to be
Old corners and burying grounds
Scottsville’s post office has been open since 1823.
Hamlets and corners on the map
White Plains
1cemetery inside Scottsville
Crescent Hill
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Scottsville’s history
What year was Scottsville founded?
In 1817, according to Wikidata. Scottsville’s post office opened in 1823, and the census of 1840 counted 215 people here.
How does Scottsville rank for history?
Scottsville is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #56 of 142 in Kentucky. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Scottsville?
9 listings: 6 buildings, among them the Dr. Pellie G. Graves House (listed 2001, the first), 1 historic district, the Scottsville Downtown Commercial Historic District, with 29 contributing buildings, and 2 sites. 37 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Scottsville?
4% of Scottsville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.1 points), against a typical 5.9% for a Kentucky town; the median home was built in 1974.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (14), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (9), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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