Before the Kentucky constitution of 1891, regulations on corporations were much more strict than today. Pre-1891 applications to form corporations were submitted to, voted upon, and approved by the legislature. The 1891 convention decided that process was too burdensome and time consuming for businesses seeking to incorporate and that the number of applications would be overwhelming for lawmakers in terms of the time required to introduce, debate, and approve. The Pike County Historical Society, LLC has been fortunate to find an original example of yet another 19th century corporate duty: a corporation’s charter was required to be printed and made available to the public in hard copy. The Charter of the Big Sandy Navigation and Manufacturing Co. contains some familiar names.
