Woodford County, Kentucky

History

The county was formed from a part of Fayette County, Virginia in 1788. It was named for William Woodford, an American Revolutionary War general from Virginia who died while a prisoner of war in 1780. It was the last of the original nine counties established that formed the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1792.

Scott County was formed from part of the county in 1792. Franklin County took another part of the county in 1794.

Queen Elizabeth II stayed in Woodford County at Lane's End Farm in May 2007. She also attended the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.

Pisgah Academy

Pisgah Academy was a school in Woodford County. It was established by Col. Alexander Dunlap. The Library of Congress has photographs of the church and academy.

The Kentucky Historical Society has a photograph of the school building.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 192 sqmi, of which 189 sqmi is land and 3.3 sqmi (1.7%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Franklin County (northwest)
• Scott County (northeast)
• Fayette County (east)
• Jessamine County (southeast)
• Mercer County (southwest)
• Anderson County (west)

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 26,871. The median age was 42.9 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.4% 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 84.5% White, 4.6% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.8% from some other race, and 6.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.5% of the population.

62.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 37.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 10,736 households in the county, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 11,487 housing units, of which 6.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.0% were owner-occupied and 29.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 23,208 people, 8,893 households, and 6,643 families residing in the county. The population density was 122 /sqmi. There were 9,374 housing units at an average density of 49 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 92.08% White, 5.41% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 2.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,893 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,491, and the median income for a family was $58,218. Males had a median income of $39,284 versus $27,972 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,839. About 5.20% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Tourism

Woodford County is home to one of Kentucky's oldest bourbon whiskey distilleries, Labrot & Graham (established 1812, now owned by Brown–Forman, which produces the Woodford Reserve brand); the Life Adventure Center, an equine and outdoor experience to assist youth affected by trauma; and the Kentucky Castle.

Education

• Huntertown Elementary
• Northside Elementary
• Southside Elementary
• St. Leo's (Serves K-8/Private)
• Simmons Elementary
• Woodford County High School
• Woodford County Middle School
• Woodford Christian School K-5 (Private)
• Midway University

Politics

Since 1956, Woodford County has generally voted Republican at the federal level. However, it sometimes votes for Democrats statewide, which it did for Andy Beshear in the 2019 and 2023 gubernatorial elections.

The county voted "No" on 2022 Kentucky Amendment 2, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 61% to 39%, and backed Donald Trump with 55% of the vote to Joe Biden's 43% in the 2020 presidential election.

Elected officials

Notable residents

• William Taylor Barry
• Dr. Lyman Beecher, for one year
• James W. Blackburn, former secretary of state of Kentucky
• Joseph Clay Stiles Blackburn, former U.S. senator, representative, and governor of Panama Canal Zone
• Luke P. Blackburn, former governor of Kentucky
• John Cabell Breckinridge, vice-president of the United States
• William Campbell Preston Breckinridge, Representative from Kentucky
• John Buford, Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War, was born in Woodford County but grew up in Illinois.
• Alexander Campbell
• Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr., Governor of Kentucky, baseball commissioner
• Ben Chandler, U.S. Representative
• James Clark
• John Conlee, country music singer
• John J. Crittenden, governor of Kentucky
• Charles W. Field, United States Army officer and Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives
• Chris Hogan, New York Times best-selling author, motivational speaker, financial guru
• George B. Kinkead, who served as Kentucky secretary of state
• Thomas Marshall (1730–1802), colonel of the 3rd Virginia Regiment in the American Revolution; father of the future Chief Justice John Marshall
• Chad Pennington, former NFL quarterback
• Charles Scott, Brig. General during the American Revolution and fourth Governor of Kentucky 1808-12
• William Shatner, actor
• William T. Sterling, Wisconsin legislator and pioneer
• William A. Trimble, United States Senator

Communities

Cities

• Midway
• Versailles (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Millville
• Nonesuch
• Mortonsville
• Milner
• Pinckard
• Huntertown
• Mundy's Landing
• Pisgah
• Wallace
• Troy
• Keene
• Jackson Town
• Clover Bottom

References

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. Collins, Lewis. (1882). "Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2". Collins & Company.
4. (2000). "Woodford County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia.
5. (1903). "The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1". Kentucky State Historical Society.
6. Railey, William E, "History of Woodford County, Kentucky," 1938, p 3
7. Railey, William E, "History of Woodford County, Kentucky," 1938, p 4
8. "Get to Know UWBG: Woodford County".
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10. "Pisgah Presbyterian Church & Academy, Pisgah-Georgetown Pike, Pisgah, Woodford County, KY".
11. "Pisgah Academy in Woodford County, KY. :: Visual Materials".
12. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
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18. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
19. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
20. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
21. "Life Adventure Center website".
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
23. "November 8, 2022 - Official 2022 General Election Results". Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections.
24. . ["Senate Members - County"](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/smembers_county.html). *[[Kentucky General Assembly]]*.
25. . ["House Members - County"](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/hmembers_county.html). *[[Kentucky General Assembly]]*.
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28. (December 9, 1928). "Biographical Directory of the American Congress. 1774-1927: The Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788 and the Congress of the United States from the First to the Sixty-ninth Congress, March 4, 1789, to March 3, 1927, Inclusive". U.S. Government Printing Office.
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32. Harrison, Lowell H.. (January 13, 2015). "Kentucky's Governors". University Press of Kentucky.
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37. ''The Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin'', vol. 64, pg. 97. 1904
38. "TRIMBLE, William Allen, (1786 - 1821)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.