The area where Bloomfield, Ky is now was originally a 2,000 acre Land Grant to Leven Powell. Primitive settlement began on Simpson Creek soon after a land grant was issued in 1781. In 1799 Dr. John Bemiss came to this area from Rochester N.Y. and purchased large amounts of land, then had part of the area plaited and incorporated in 18l9.
Earlier the west side of Simpson creek had been known as Gandertown because a favorite sport of the time was "ganderpulling", a contest that took place on what is today known as Riverside Drive.
When is was time for naming the early post office Middleburg was chosen because it seemed more dignified than Gandertown and also because there were ties to Middleburg in the older part of Virginia.
Dr. Bemiss is credited with naming the town Bloomfield by combining parts of his wife's maiden name, Bloomer with the married name of his daughter, Merrifield. The economy of Bloomfield and it's environs have basically been agriculture based but for a time in the 18th century was also known as a manufacturing town. The nineteenth century saw the establishment of a flour mill and the tobacco auction market. Throughout history and into the present Bloomfield has been and is educationally and culturally sound. Schools have been in existence since 1817. Many and various civic organizations have contributed to the well-being of the area. The oldest still active organization is the Bloomfield Lions Club. The Woman's Club established a free public library in Bloomfield in 1916 which remained in operation until sometime after 1946 when it became a part of a county tax base Library System.