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When the Kentucky County was divided by Virginia into 3 counties in 1780 what is now Bullitt County was a part of Jefferson County. In 1785 Nelson County was created out of Jefferson County. It lay south of the Salt River and included part of today's Bullitt County.
In 1792, Shelby County was created out of Jefferson County. In that same year, Hardin and Washington counties were created out of Nelson County.
Then on January 1, 1797, Bullitt County officially came into existence. It looked a bit different then. It had been formed from parts of Nelson and Jefferson Counties, and its eastern and western borders which followed waterways were close to where they are today; however changes would come later.
Below is part of the text of the act creating Bullitt County. The various points identified in it are shown by markers on the map below, and included within the description. The original border is shown with a red line. Images of the original act are shown near the bottom of this page.
An ACT for forming a new County out of the Counties of Jefferson and Nelson. Approved December 13, 1796.
SECTION 1. BE it enacted by the General Assembly, That from and after the first day of January next, all that part of the counties of Jefferson and Nelson included in the following bounds to wit: [A] Beginning on Salt River opposite the mouth of Mill Creek thence a straight line to the [B] Elk Lick near William Chapman's, thence on a straight line to [C] Floyds fork where the public road from Louisville to Bardstown crosses the same at Hickman's, thence a direct line to [D] a point on the boundary line between Shelby county and the said County of Jefferson, seven miles northwardly of the mouth of Plumb creek thence with the said line to [E] Salt River at the mouth of Plumb creek thence with a straight line to the [F] mouth of the west fork of Coxe's creek thence up the same to [G] the head, thence to the [H] nearest waters of Wilson's creek thence down said creek to [I] its junction with the Rolling fork thence down the same to [J] Salt River thence down the same to the Beginning shall be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Bullitt.
Founded in 1809, Caldwell County has a population of 13,500 and landmass totaling 348 square miles.  Named for John Caldwell who participated in the George Rogers Clark Indian Campaign, it is located within the Pennyrile region of western Kentucky.  Join me for my next installment where I explore two more Kentucky counties.