University of Virginia Library

Building of Gainsborough

The first practical effort to establish a town in the
vicinity of Big Lick was the building of Gainsborough,
which derived its name from Kemp Gaines, who
owned the land on which it was built.

In 1825 it was but a mere hamlet consisting of two
frame buildings on the Southwest corner of the Lynchburg
Turnpike and the Franklin Road.

Afterward, when it had grown into a village with
two churches, several stores and a blacksmith shop, it
was designated "Old Lick" to distinguish it from the
new village which had sprung up around the depot a
short distance west, and which assumed the name of
Big Lick.

The nucleus of the latter settlement was the stone
house built by William Stover in the year 1797, this
date being marked on the wall at the time of its construction,
according to an old-time custom.

This house and the surrounding farm afterward became
the property of John Trout and was his home at
the time of his death.

The Ponce de Leon hotel has been erected on the
site of the old Trout house, and a portion of the stone
wall is still standing and composes a part of the rear
building of the hotel.