Metcalfe County was established by the state legislature in 1860 after two previous unsuccessful attempts to create a new county honoring Kentucky's 10th governor, Thomas Metcalfe. Metcalfe County is rich with history, especially from the Big Blue Spring, a well-known destination for Native Americans and long hunters who hunted elk and bison along the divide between the woodlands and the extensive barrens that spread west of Edmonton. As settlement began, the spring continued to be a destination for pioneers traveling along the Warrior Trail. Much of Metcalfe County was settled by Revolutionary War soldiers whose land patents provided land in payment for their services in the war. For the past 160 years, Metcalfe County has been a source of timber, oil, and agriculture products. From 1903 until 1968, the Beula Villa Hotel, which featured famous mineral water, became a renowned resort destination for visitors from across America. In the 21st century, Metcalfe County remains agriculture based, and although new roads and industry have arrived, Metcalfe's rural roots and natural resources help it remain a destination for those seeking small-town life.