Fort Wright, Kentucky
Fort Wright is a Kenton county city on I-75 west of Covington. It includes the site of, and was named for, a Civil War Union Army fort that was named for General Horatio Gouverneur Wright. Over the years Fort Wright annexed or merged with the neighboring cities of South Hills (1960), Lookout Heights (1967), and Lakeview (1977). It transferred some land to Fort Mitchell in 1992. Fort Wright was incorporated in 1941 and has never had a post office. The population in 2010 was 5,723.
Within Fort Wright is the site of Latonia Springs, a spa and resort near the intersection of Highland Pike and Madison Pike and Banklick Creek. The resort was developed by Ralph Letton about 1830 and was originally known as Lettonian Springs, but the name Latonia became the norm. The resort operated under various owners through most of the nineteenth century.
The name Latonia was later used by Latonia Race Track nearby in Covington, which operated from 1883 to 1939. The Latonia Derby was a major race for many years, considered as important as the Kentucky Derby. A new Latonia Race Course opened in Florence in 1959 and was renamed Turfway Park in 1986.
A Bank Lick post office operated nearby early in the nineteenth century, was renamed Latonia Springs in 1858, and closed in 1874. A White House or Whitehouse post office operated in the area from 1876 to 1879. An Honesty post office operated north of the springs from 1886 to 1893 and a Sandfordtown post office operated south of the springs from 1893 for some years. Sandfordtown was near the intersection of Dudley Pike and Madison Pike and the site is probably now within the city of Edgewood.
MORE INFORMATION
SEARCH THE KENTUCKY ATLAS & GAZETTEER
© 2024 David C. Elbon