Colonel William Oldham Statue

Oldham was the 74th county created by the Kentucky Legislature.  Our birthday is February 1, 1824.  Oldham County was formed from portions taken from Jefferson, Shelby, and Henry Counties, and originally included what is now Trimble County.

The county is named for Colonel William Oldham, a Revolutionary patriot from Virginia, second cousin to George Washington and an early pioneer, arriving at the Falls of Ohio in 1779.  He died November 4, 1791, south of Fort Wayne, Indiana, leading the Kentucky Militia with other military units in what is known as the "Battle of Wabash".  Although Colonel Oldham had been deceased for more than 30 years when the county was formed, he was still well-remembered and was given a final honor by having a county named in his honor.

Colonel Oldham is honored with a 7' bronze statue on the courthouse square.  A nearby display includes detailed information about his life.  The statue, created by Louisville sculptor Matt Weir, was dedicated on July 21, 2018.  A view of the courthouse lawn, including the statue, can be viewed by clicking the courthouse cam at https://oldhamcountycourthousecam.click2stream.com/.