Irvine
History
"Established in 1812, was first known as Estill Court House. This county seat town was later renamed Irvine in honor of Colonel William Irvine, Indian fighter and friend of Captain James Estill. Colonel Irvine served as clerk of Madison County and was a member of the Statehood Conventions of 1787 and 1788. He died in 1820.
Thomas Todd is said to have been the first settler having built a large log house in 1805 in what is now called Irvine. The old River View Hotel was built on the site where Thomas Todd's old log house once stood. The old hotel is now owned and used by Dr. Ralph Patterson in his medical practice.
The first post office in the county was established in 1813 in a room in the court house with Elijah Broaddus as postmaster.The mail was carried on horseback to Irvine once a week along a route from Lexington, Winchester, and Mt. Sterling. Later postmasters of Irvine were: Edmund R. McCreary, Milton G. Mize, Thomas J. White, Elijah Herndon, William J. Clark, Charles W. Friend, James Hinds, Joseph H. Gardner, Martin B. Mosely, William Herndon, John D. Mitchell, Jacob J. Tipton, Benjamin F. Jacobs, June B. Park, Thomas Williams, A.D. Hamilton, Mrs. L.I. Hume, Bert Powell, Thomas Q. Wallace, John L. Carpenter, Lewis C. Wilson, John R. White, Arthur G. Powell, Mrs. Elizabeth R. Smith, Russell Gilbert and Virginia Harrison." - Place Name Survey-Estill County, Kentucky, Bobby L. and Lorene Rose, circa 1970s.