Madison County, Kentucky

History

Indian trader John Findley, Daniel Boone, and four others first came into the area that is now Madison County in 1769 on a hunting and exploring expedition. In 1774, the Transylvania Company, led by Judge Richard Henderson of North Carolina, purchased 20000000 acres of land west of the Appalachians (including present-day Madison County) from the Cherokee Nation. Daniel Boone was hired to cut a trail through the Cumberland Gap and establish a settlement on the Kentucky River. The settlement at Fort Boonesborough began in April 1775.

In 1785, Madison County was established from a portion of Lincoln County, Virginia.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 443 sqmi, of which 437 sqmi is land and 6.0 sqmi (1.3%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 75
• U.S. 25
• U.S. 421
• KY 52

Adjacent counties

• Fayette County (north)
• Clark County (northeast)
• Estill County (east)
• Jackson County (southeast)
• Rockcastle County (south)
• Garrard County (southwest)
• Jessamine County (northwest)

Demographics

| align-fn = center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 92,701. The median age was 35.6 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.5 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 86.9% White, 4.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.3% of the population.

63.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 36.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 36,148 households in the county, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 39,319 housing units, of which 8.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 59.5% were owner-occupied and 40.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 70,872 people, 27,152 households, and 18,218 families residing in the county. The population density was 161 /sqmi. There were 29,595 housing units at an average density of 67 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 93.01% White, 4.44% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

There were 27,152 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.

By age, 21.90% were under 18, 18.80% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. Both the relatively large 18-to-24 population and the relatively low median age can be explained by the presence of Eastern Kentucky University, and to a considerably lesser extent Berea College. For every 100 females, there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,861, and the median income for a family was $41,383. Males had a median income of $31,974 versus $22,487 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,790. About 12.00% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 17.10% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

The county voted "No" on 2022 Kentucky Amendment 2, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 52% to 48%, and backed Donald Trump with 62% of the vote to Joe Biden's 35% in the 2020 presidential election.

Local government

The Madison County courthouse is located at 135 W Irvine Street in Richmond.

County Judge-Executive: Reagan Taylor County Clerk: Kenny Barger Sheriff: Mike Coyle Coroner: Jimmy Cornelison Jailer: Steve Tussey County Attorney: Jennie Haymond Circuit Clerk: David M. Fernandez County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA): Billy Ackerman County Surveyor: Stuart W. Spencer

Elected officials

Education

Schools

Madison County is served by two school districts:

• Madison County Schools, currently consisting of 10 elementary, 5 middle, and 2 high schools.
• Berea Independent Schools, currently consisting of 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school. The county is also served by Model Laboratory School which is part of Eastern Kentucky University.

Colleges and universities

• Eastern Kentucky University, located in Richmond
• Berea College, located in Berea
• National College of Business & Technology, located in Richmond

Communities

Cities

• Berea
• Richmond (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Baldwin
• Bighill
• Bobtown
• Boonesborough
• Buggytown
• Bybee
• College Hill
• Dreyfus
• Kingston
• Kirksville
• Million
• Moberly
• Newby
• Redhouse
• Round Hill
• Ruthton
• Speedwell
• Union City, Kentucky, where vaudevillian Andrew Tribble was born A historical marker commemorates his life at Union City Park.
• Valley View
• Waco

Economy

Military

The Blue Grass Army Depot is located just south of Richmond.

Notable people

• Frances Estill Beauchamp (1860–1923), temperance activist, social reformer, lecturer
• Daniel S. Bentley (1850–1916), American minister, writer, newspaper founder
• Daniel Boone - American frontiersman and explorer of Kentucky.
• Kit Carson - Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868), better known as Kit Carson, was an American frontiersman.
• Mary Kavanaugh Eagle (1854–1903), American activist, clubwoman, book editor.
• Lonnie Napier (1940–2023) – former representative for House District 36 in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Sister communities

• [[File:Flag of Japan (bordered).svg|29x29px]] Hokuto City, Yamanashi, Japan (since 1990)

References

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. (1903). "The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1". Kentucky State Historical Society.
4. Lanier, Yvette. (August 1, 2007). "Berea votes down alcohol sales again". [[Lexington Herald-Leader]].
5. (September 30, 2015). "Berea prepares for future with alcohol sales".
6. (May 23, 2023). "Madison County is wet, what's next?".
7. Foust, Michele. "[http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ky_stories/2007/02/22/0225pottery.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 200-year-old Kentucky pottery business a sight to see ]", ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', February 25, 2007. Retrieved on February 23, 2009.
8. Collins, Lewis. (1882). "Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2". Collins & Company.
9. (2000). "Madison County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia.
10. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau.
12. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
16. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
18. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
19. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
21. "November 8, 2022 - Official 2022 General Election Results". Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections.
22. . ["Senate Members - County"](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/smembers_county.html). *[[Kentucky General Assembly]]*.
23. . ["House Members - County"](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/hmembers_county.html). *[[Kentucky General Assembly]]*.
24. (September 15, 2015). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Madison County, KY". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
25. Galbreath, Charles Burleigh. (February 28, 1925). "History of Ohio". American Historical Society, Incorporated.
26. "Tribble, Andrew A. · Notable Kentucky African Americans Database".
27. (October 2, 2019). "Marker Dedicated to Vaudevillian Andrew Tribble in Madison County".
28. "Bentley, Daniel S.".