| Official Name: | Tolu, Kentucky |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | Kentucky |
| Pushpin Label: | Tolu |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kentucky |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Crittenden |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 0.90 |
| Area Land Km2: | 0.90 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 0.35 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 0.35 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 81 |
| Population Density Km2: | 90.18 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 233.43 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Elevation Ft: | 377 |
| Coordinates: | 37.4331°N -88.2453°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Postal Code: | 42084 |
| Area Code: | 270 |
| Blank Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank Info: | 515965[2] |
Tolu is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Crittenden County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 88.[3] It is located along Kentucky Route 135 near the Ohio River. It is northwest of Marion, the county seat.
The earliest known settlement in what became the future town of Tolu was the Native American prehistoric archeological site of the Mississippian culture, known today as the Tolu Site was built and occupied between 1000 CE-1350 CE.[4] This sophisticated culture flourished in chiefdoms along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, reaching its peak in size and power at Cahokia in present-day Illinois, the largest prehistoric complex north of Mexico. Peoples of the culture had wide trading networks spanning the continent along the Mississippi River, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Tolu Site is part of the Angel phase of the Mississippian period. Because of similarities among the following sites in their styles of pottery and construction of communities, it is also considered part of the "Kincaid Set", together with Angel Mounds in Indiana and Kincaid Mounds in Illinois, and Wickliffe Mounds in far western Kentucky.
By 1800, a small river front settlement developed that would later become Tolu, Kentucky and was for a time known as Kirksville.[5]
From the 1790s-1830s, Tolu was under the control and influence of James Ford who led a double life serving both sides of the law as a justice of the peace, planter, businessman, ferry operator, criminal gang leader, state militia officer, river pirate, slave stealer, and slave trader. The rule of Ford came to an end with his murder in 1833.[6] [7]
Following a devastating windstorm in the 1830s, the town was renamed Hurricane Landing. In 1867, Hurricane Landing had an established post office. In 1884, the current town name was chosen after Tolu, a then popular hair tonic. The Hurricane Camp Meeting Grounds a Presbyterian revival camp was established in 1888-1889 and has its roots in the Hurricane Landing Church founded in 1843.[8]