Butler County, Kentucky

Not to be confused with Butler, Kentucky.
Butler County, Kentucky

Butler County Courthouse in Morgantown
Map of Kentucky highlighting Butler County
Location in the state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location in the U.S.
Founded 1810
Named for Richard Butler
Seat Morgantown
Largest city Morgantown
Area
 • Total 431 sq mi (1,116 km2)
 • Land 426 sq mi (1,103 km2)
 • Water 5.4 sq mi (14 km2), 1.2%
Population
 • (2000) 13,010
 • Density 30/sq mi (12/km²)
Congressional district 2nd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.butlercounty.ky.gov

Butler County is a county located in the US state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,690.[1] Its county seat is Morgantown.[2] The county was formed in 1810, becoming Kentucky's 53rd county.[3] It is a prohibition or dry county.

Butler County is included in the Bowling Green, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Numerous archaeological sites are located along the Green River in Butler County. A 1932 survey found nine sites, many of which were a group of shell mounds, including the Carlston Annis and DeWeese Shell Mounds.[4]

The area now known as Butler County was first settled by the families of Richard C. Dellium and James Forgy, who founded a town called Berry's Lick. The first industry was salt-making.[3]

On January 18, 1810, the Kentucky General Assembly created Butler County from portions of Logan and Ohio counties. The new county was named for Major General Richard Butler, who died at the Battle of the Wabash in 1791.[3]

Butler County has one of only two Civil War monuments in Kentucky that honor the soldiers of both sides. The Confederate-Union Veterans' Monument in Morgantown, a zinc monument, was dedicated in 1907 on the Butler County Courthouse lawn.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 431 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 426 square miles (1,100 km2) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km2) (1.2%) is water.[5] It is part of the Western Coal Fields region of Kentucky.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18203,083—
18303,058−0.8%
18403,89827.5%
18505,75547.6%
18607,92737.7%
18709,40418.6%
188012,18129.5%
189013,95614.6%
190015,89613.9%
191015,805−0.6%
192015,197−3.8%
193012,620−17.0%
194014,37113.9%
195011,309−21.3%
19609,586−15.2%
19709,7231.4%
198011,06413.8%
199011,2451.6%
200013,01015.7%
201012,690−2.5%
Est. 201412,875[6]1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 13,010 people, 5,059 households, and 3,708 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 per square mile (12/km2). There were 5,815 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5.4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.88% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.60% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,059 households out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,405, and the median income for a family was $35,317. Males had a median income of $26,449 versus $19,894 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,617. About 13.10% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 22.50% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

For much of its history, Butler County's main line of transportation was the Green River. As railroads became more important economically, the county compensated by building a series of roads to major trade centers such as U.S. 231 connecting Beaver Dam with Owensboro. Green River was eventually closed to traffic after Woodbury's Lock and Dam Number 4 washed out in 1965 and Rochester's Lock and Dam Number 3 was abandoned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1980. Completion of the William H. Natcher Parkway linked the area to the national interstate system in 1970.[3]

Media

Radio stations

Newspaper

Communities

Sites and events of interest

Sites include:

Events include:

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Butler County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
  4. ↑ Funkhouser, W.D., and W.S. Webb. "Archaeological Survey of Kentucky: Butler County". University of Kentucky Reports in Anthropology 2 (1932): 56-58.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. ↑ "Wabash Valley College roster". National Junior College Athletic Association. 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  13. ↑ Kentucky Historical Society, Historical Hwy Marker program
  14. ↑ Kentucky Historical Society, Historical Hwy Marker program

External links

Coordinates: 37°13′N 86°41′W / 37.21°N 86.68°W / 37.21; -86.68

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