Buried in the Bluegrass – The Rowan County War

When most people think of Kentucky feuds, they think of the Hatfields and McCoys.

But decades before modern law enforcement, another conflict turned a Kentucky county into a war zone.

In the 1880s, Rowan County became the center of a deadly struggle between the Martin and Tolliver factions. What began as political tension erupted into assassinations, ambushes, arson, and open gun battles in the streets of Morehead.

By the time the violence ended in 1887, at least twenty men were dead and Rowan County had earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous places in Kentucky.

In this episode of Buried in the Bluegrass, Greg Sexton explores the events that became known as the Rowan County War, examining the political divisions, personal rivalries, and failure ...