Rivals, Kentucky

At one time it had a general store started by Matthias Carland's family who settled the land beginning in 1796.

Also a post office and a grist mill, started by Peter Van Dyke and his sons, which began operating in 1789.

The store owner, George W. Sloan, needing this second choice, looked upon his shelves and saw a box of ammunition with the brand name New Rival.

A letter to the editor of one of these early papers refers to more than one mill, a wool carding factory, and several other business interests.

The area is still largely farmland, producing tobacco, corn, wheat, soybeans, sod, cattle, and goats.