Campbell County was the 19th county formed in Kentucky.  The law enacting Campbell County was passed on December 17, 1794 the county was formed on May 10, 1795 from Harrison, Scott and Mason Counties. Its boundaries are unchanged since April 30, 1840. It has an area of 151.5 square miles, making it the 116th largest of Kentucky's 120 counties.

"The town of Cincinnati has 300 families; it grew rapidly due to its army post, but as its location offers no advantage for commerce, very likely when the army has abandoned this place, all business now conducted there will mover on over to New-port which, on account of the Licking river facilities, offers all kinds of commercial opportunities." from Collot's Down the Ohio River, in 1796.

In 1930, Kentucky Progress Magazine ran a feature letting each of Kentucky's counties list their accomplishments for 1929.  What Campbell County came up with is here. (pdf)

Membership lists from the Masonic Lodges in
Campbell County in 1911 are here':  (pdf's)

The 1878 Biographical Encyclopedia of Kentucky
 had these entries for folks with a Campbell County connection (all are pdf's)

In 1876, every county in America was supposed to write its history as a part of America's Centennial Celebration.  Some counties did, some didn't.  Campbell County did.  It was written by Mary Keturah Jones, and it's here.  (pdf)

"September 14, 1865.  In Campbell co., the board of contested elections decided that on August 7 "there was such an interference  at the various voting places, by armed soldiers, who so governed and controlled the election as to render it invalid, null and void;" they adjudged Thos. Jones, the incumbent, not lawfully elected clerk of circuit clerk, and declared the office vacant." - from Collins' History of Kentucky

A list of the first automobiles registered for Campbell County is here.

Donald Grosenbach's Campbell County Place Names is here.  (pdf)

Mrs. William Knable's Stone Houses in Campbell County is here.  (pdf)

Jim Randall's Historical Sketches of Southern Campbell County is here.  (pdf)

The Campbell County Chamber of Commerce, on their 25th anniversary,
published their history, and a membership list, both here.  (pdf)

In 1861, the New York Times had a war correspondent in Newport.  One of his reports is here.  (pdf)

Seduction and Marriage in 1857 Newport, here.

Newport's Alamazoo Jennings made it to Major League Baseball for one game.  Three at bats, no hits, one walk, but four errors.  Oops.

In 1956, a Newport representative to the Kentucky legislature, Morris Weintraub, introduced a bill to merge the cities of Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Fort Thomas, Southgate, Wilder and Woodlawn.

Information on the ten covered bridges that used to serve in Campbell County are listed in the data base at web site of Kentucky Covered Bridges, here. 

"The will of the late Gen. James Taylor, of Newport, Ky., recorded in 26 counties in Ohio, because he owned real estate in all of them.  The will covers 12 1/2 pages royal 8vo., closely written, and relates to property valued at $4,000.000."  from Collins'  History of Kentucky.

"The editor of the Newport (Ky.) Daily News boasts that he is now in the seventh year of his editorial life, publishing the only daily Anti-Slavery paper in the Unites States, and the only weekly Anti-Slavery paper in a slaveholding State."  NY Times, April 29, 1856

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture's assessment of agriculture in Campbell County, in 1898-1899 can be found here. (pdf)

In 1853, a free born Black woman, Henrietta Wood, is lured into Kentucky and made a slave by the Sheriff, who sells her, literally, down the river.  In 1878 she returns.  And sues.  And wins.  Read it here.

Newport's William Steinmetz is Newport's recipient of the US Medal of Honor because of his actions on May 22, 1863, as a member of Company G, 83rd Indiana Infantry. for "Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

The Sociology Department at UK did a study in 1931 and found 111,452 radio's in 610,288 households in Kentucky.  Campbell County had the highest ratio of any county in the state at 51% (Kenton was second at 48%, while Jefferson had 34%.) Fort Thomas led all cities with 73% of households having radios.  Covington had 46% while Newport had 45%. - Louisville Courier Journal, 12-27-1931.

John Stevens was born in near Alexandria in 1796.  He wrote a series of letters to the Newport Local in 1879 recounting the events of his early life, and life in early Campbell County.  Follow the links below for the various letters.

"September 28, 1866.  An immense crowd, estimated at over 10,000 people, were present at the hanging, at Newport, Campbell Co., of Allen P. Eggleston, alias Walter P. Watson, for the murder of Captain Almon P. Mentor, leader of the celebrated "Mentor's Band" of musicians." - from Collins' History of Kentucky

In 1867, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, a forerunner to the Reds,  played the Holts of Newport three times.  On May 30, Newport lost 82 to 33, on June 22, Newport lost 93 to 22, and on September 2, the Holts lost 109 to 15.