Situated on the Natchez Trace, the village and stream were named for pioneer surveyor Hugh Leiper. The Adams, Benton, Bond, Carl, Cummins, Davis, Dobbins, Hunter, Meadows, Parham, Southall, and Wilkins families were early settlers. Later, the Sweeney, Inman, Locke, Lunn, Mayberry, Martin, Jones, and Burdette families lived here. Leiper's Fork had a post office from 1818 until 1918, a bank from 1912 until 1932, and a station on the 41.5-mile-long Middle Tennessee Railroad from 1909 until 1927. Hillsboro Academy, established by Professor Will Anderson from 1890 to 1904, became a public school in 1905.