The Legend of Bunker Hill
By: Jeremy L. Elliott
Local legends of Franklin Township assert that in the pioneer days of the early 1800’s, there was a Revolutionary War Veteran, who had settled land west across the knobs from New Liberty. In those days, the little town had a popular tavern that this man would regularly ride his horse to. Here the old war veteran allegedly participated in his favorite pastime of getting intoxicated. Afterwards, in his attempts to return home through the darkness, the huge hill rising from the valley floor, just west of New Liberty, proved too difficult an obstacle for the besotted man. In what today might be considered a flashback or an episode with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), the old pioneer man would frequently fall or jump off his mount and begin running and diving around the hill, firing off his rifle, shouting things about the Battle of Bunker Hill.
As a result of these antics and to the grand amusement of the local residents, everyone began referring to the knob as Bunker Hill and the name stuck. Unfortunately, our local histories do not positively reveal the identity of the old patriot, who consequently named the hill and the surrounding community with a title that remains more than 200 years later.
