The town officially settled in 1797 by Moses Baird and Joseph Vance, who came to make salt at the natural salt well. Others joined them and later Baird, leader of the group, named the settlement for Vance, after his companion.

The salt wells and the easy landing at the entrance at Salt Lick Creek from the Ohio River set Vanceburg on the path for growth long before the county was even formed from Mason County on December 15, 1806.

Also home of the Union Soldiers Monument, the only monument south of the Mason-Dixon line dedicated to the Union soldiers who died in the Civil War.

Vanceburg still retains the flavor of the past. Many homes and buildings are on the Kentucky Heritage Register.

The original county seat was Poplar Flat, but was transferred to Clarksburg in 1809 and there remained until Vanceburg became the county seat in January 1864. The town was sometimes referred to as Alum City because of nearby deposits of alum.