HISTORY OF HIGGINSPORT

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The Village of Higginsport (first platted and recorded as White Haven in 1804) was founded by Colonel Robert Higgins, a Revolutionary War officer who received 1,000 acres of land for his services to the country. He and his family first moved onto the land in 1799, building a small crude cabin near what is now Higginsport. 

The community of White Haven never grew, and after a number of years, was abandoned. On February 28, 1816, Colonel Higgins again replatted the community, this time with 114 lots, and renamed it Higginsport.

Colonel Higgins also donated a small cemetery (his wife the first person buried here) to the town, as well as land in the center of town for a public park. This park remains in existence today and is named in his honor.

In 1880, the population was 862 and as of 1883 the community was described as a “thriving village”, containing five general stores, one clothing store, two drug stores, two tin shops, one hardware store, four fancy stores, one tobacco store, several grocery stores, two blacksmiths, one wagon-maker, one tavern, a grist mill, a distillery, five doctors and two hotels.

White burley tobacco was first grown near Higginsport in 1864 from seed brought from Kentucky and by the 1880’s, the local economy was largely based on it.

Two centuries of fires and floods have taken their toll on the communities’ original homes and businesses. 

The 2020 US Census reported a village population of 213.