HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – At only one acre, this small park right in the middle of historic downtown Hopkinsville is full of history. It’s located on the southwest corner of East Ninth Street and South Campbell Street, right next to the train station.
As the placard at the park explains, this location used to be home to a tobacco warehouse. On Dec. 8, 1908, it was burned down by a group of “disgruntled tobacco growers” called the Night Riders. This period of time was known as the Black Patch Tobacco Wars, and there were a lot of protests and violence surrounding it.
The warehouse was never rebuilt after the fire, and the land was donated to the city by John C. Latham, who also provided funds to turn the location into a park. Latham had been the owner of the warehouse and died the year after the fire.
In 2014, the park saw a major renovation, and the life-sized chess board and multiple chess tables were added. Today, this is a peaceful little spot in busy downtown to come and enjoy the trees, play some chess, and watch the train go by.