1 Kentucky: Entering the Great Valley

George Rogers Clark was born in Virginia in 1752. During 1772, at the age of 20, he moved west to the Ohio River Valley. He was quickly recognized as a leader in this area. By 1777, he was in command of the Kentucky Militia. This mural depicts George Rogers Clark on a white horse leading settlers across the Allegheny Mountains. By the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, significant numbers of American settlers had begun to make their homes in the western frontier. However, this area, like the 13 original colonies, was still under British control. The Proclamation Line of 1763 had not held, and British forces were about to find out how their limited resources would be able to contend with these western American settlers.