City of Walton, Kentucky

The town now known as Walton, in the southeastern corner of Boone County, was founded in the mid 1790's. Its early development is associated with two men. One of them was Archibald Reid, who opened the first tavern in Boone County about 1795, just north of what is now the City of Walton. His is credited with founding the county's first distillery five years later, as well as becoming one of Boone County's first justices in 1799.

Abner Gaines purchased the tavern and inn from Reid around 1813 and built a striking new house around 1814 (currently 150 Old Nicholson Road). The settlement that grew up around the tavern came to be called Gaines Fork Roads. The first recorded post office for Gaines' Fork Roads (later called Gaines' Cross Roads) was established in July 4, 1815.

In 1818, Gaines founded the first stagecoach line carrying mail and passengers between Cincinnati and Lexington, a 34-hour trip over the Covington-Lexington Turnpike. Our fourth United States President, James Madison, appointed James Matthews Gaines, Abner Gaines' oldest son, Postmaster. Abner Gaines serviced as a Boone County Justice from 1805 to 1817, at which time he was appointed sheriff. John Pendleton Gaines, son of Abner, served in Congress in the 1940's and was governor of the Oregon Territory from 1850 to 1853. The house remained in the family for four generations and was sold shortly after the Civil War.

On January 21, 1840, an act by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky was enacted to establish the town known as Walton. In 1947, records show that Walton had 538 residents, almost 100 more than Florence. Walton developed as a railroad town, bound by rail lines on the east and west. A business district between the tracks flourished along Main Street, and residential neighborhoods developed to the north and south. A small industrial and warehouse district grew up besides the L & N tracks, and worker housing was built near the Southern Depot. Following the turn of the 20th century, passenger service was introduced, and daily commuter trains linked Walton with Cincinnati, Covington and Ludlow. As late as the 1920's, Walton residents commuted to work or to school by train. Up until the mid 1970's, Walton was the place to shop, work and play for most of Boone County.

For over 160 years, Walton has been a successful place to work and play. The City has its own Water Service District. Sanitation District #1 is contracted to take care of the city's two sewer plants. There are currently four industrial areas in the City, and housing continued to build at a steady pace. The Walton-Verona School District is one of the top districts in the state.

Walton offers the perfect locations for those seeking a serene country atmosphere with major metropolitan advantages nearby. Florence is only 10 minutes away, and Cincinnati is 20 miles north of the City, while Lexington and Louisville just about 1 hour south. Within 600 miles of Walton lies 60% of the nation's population and 60% of the nation's manufacturing establishments. That's why we say; Walton is "the place to be".