Daniel Boone Day is observed on June 7 because Daniel Boone was the first American to explore the valleys and forests of Kentucky on this date in 1769! Boonesborough, Kentucky, which he founded, was one of the earliest American settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains. The Kentucky Historical Society established Daniel Boone Day over 140 years ago, and the celebration is still going strong.
HISTORY OF DANIEL BOONE DAY
In 1769, Daniel Boone arrived near Cumberland Gap, a gap in the Appalachian Mountains that led directly into modern-day Kentucky. Working with the Transylvania Company, he created the Cumberland Gap Wilderness Road.
The Wilderness Road became one of the principal routes westward. Near the Kentucky River, Boone founded Boonesborough shortly after its completion. Boone’s wife and daughters were the first Anglo-American women to establish in Kentucky, settling at Boonesborough.
In his new settlement, Boone faced considerable opposition from British soldiers and Native Americans. In 1778, he was captured by the Shawnee, a Native American tribe, but he escaped and continued to defend his settlement. By 1798, he had lost all of his Kentucky property. In 1799, he moved westward with his son towards present-day Missouri, where he resided peacefully until his death on September 26, 1820, at the age of 85. His final words were, “My time has come; I must depart.”
Daniel Boone not only discovered but also developed one of the most significant routes for early settlers to travel west of the Appalachians. Today, he is regarded as a symbol of the pioneering character of the American West.
5 DANIEL BOONE FACTS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
The English language is expanding westward.
Daniel Boone founded Fort Boonesborough, one of the earliest English-speaking communities west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Daniel Boone’s daughter was removed
In just three days in July 1776, Boone located his daughter Jemima and two other females who had been kidnapped by Shawnee and Cherokee Indians.
Boone’s pistol ‘Tick-licker’
Daniel Boone named his rifle “Tick-licker” because he claimed to be able to shoot a tick off an animal’s back without harming it.
Daniel Boone on TV
From 1964 to 1970, NBC broadcast “Daniel Boone” (based on his biography), which increased his popularity.
Young but already skilled
Daniel Boone learned to chop timber at age 5, cared for his father’s cows at age 10, and received his first firearm at age 12.
DANIEL BOONE DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | June 7 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | June 7 | Friday |
| 2025 | June 7 | Saturday |
| 2026 | June 7 | Sunday |
| 2027 | June 7 | Monday |
