Williamsburg, once referred to by Indians as Spring Ford for a nearby ford across the Cumberland River and three fresh water springs, was formed in 1818 through the efforts of Samuel Cox, who donated land for the courthouse and sold lots for the town’s formation. Also known as Whitley Courthouse and Cox’s Crossing, it received its present name in honor of William Whitley, the Indian fighter and pioneer for whom the county was also named. Much of the town’s early growth came from the river and the fresh water provided by the three springs. In the 1880s, Williamsburg experienced much of its growth with the arrival of the L&N Railroad. Industry developed through lumber companies such as The Kentucky Lumber Company, located where Friar Creek enters the Cumberland River, and the Jones Lumber Company, located where Watts Creek flows into the Cumberland River. Coal companies including Gatfiff, Bon Hollow, Mount Morgan, East Tennessee, Red Ash and Proctor flourished, and the Cooley Brick Plant supplied bricks for sidewalks and buildings. Education also contributed to the town’s expansion, as Williamsburg Academy was the forerunner of Highland College, which later became Cumberland Collete and The University of the Cumberlands. From a population of 20 people in the 1820s with a median income of $300, Williamsburg grew to a present population of 5100 and at its peak had more resident millionaires than any other city in the United States.