Rabbit Hash, Kentucky
| Rabbit Hash | |
|---|---|
| Census-designated place (CDP) | |
|
Rabbit Hash General Store | |
 Location within Boone County and the state of Kentucky | |
| Coordinates: 38°56′32″N 84°50′45″W / 38.94222°N 84.84583°WCoordinates: 38°56′32″N 84°50′45″W / 38.94222°N 84.84583°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Boone |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Lucy Lou |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.9 sq mi (18.0 km2) |
| • Land | 5.1 sq mi (13.2 km2) |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (4.8 km2) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 315 |
| • Density | 62/sq mi (23.8/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 41005 |
| FIPS code | 21-63804 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0501491 |
Rabbit Hash is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Boone County, Kentucky, United States, with a population of 315 (2010 census).[1] The town is notable primarily due to its name, and its string of canine mayors.
Origin of name
The hamlet was originally known as Carlton, but was required to change its name because mail was being mixed up with the larger community of Carrollton several miles down the Ohio River. The community is still referred to as the Carlton voter precinct.
The name Rabbit Hash may derive from the historic use of the local rabbit population as food. During the early 19th century the town was well known for a rabbit hash meal. Steamboats often stopped to order the famous hash as they traveled along the Ohio River.
National Register of Historic Places
The hamlet's most notable building, the Rabbit Hash General Store, is regarded as the best known and best preserved country store in Kentucky, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 2, 1989.[2]
The Rabbit Hash Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 2003. It includes 330 acres (1.3 km2), 12 buildings, 6 structures, and 3 objects around 10021-10410 Lower River Road.[3][4]
In the early morning hours of February 13, 2016, the Rabbit Hash General Store was destroyed by fire.[5]
Canine mayors
The first elected mayor in Rabbit Hash history was Goofy Borneman, who was inaugurated in 1998 for a four-year term, after an election covered in the documentary Rabbit Hash (The Center of the Universe). He died in office in July 2001, aged 16.
The mayoralty remained unfilled until the next election, held in 2004, at which time Junior Cochran, a black Labrador, assumed office. Junior came under the scrutiny of the Northern Kentucky Health Department and was banned from entering the town's General Store due to complaints. According to WXIX-TV on March 13, 2008, the dog's owner would petition for an exemption for the "mayor". On May 30, 2008, WXIX-TV reported that Junior had died in office.[6]
On August 31, 2008[7] a special election was held to fill the vacancy left by the tragic death of mayor Junior, and was won by Lucy Lou, a border collie, becoming the town's first female mayor.[8] Mayor Lucy Lou shared a "Talking Points" walk with Bill Geist (CBS Sunday Morning), accepted a $1000 stimulus check from Reader's Digest "We Hear You America Tour", served as grand marshall of the Covington Paw-Rade, appeared in a segment of "The List", and has placed 3 years in a row in the Best Elected Official category in Cincinnati CityBeat magazine's Best Of Cincinnati issue (winning 1st place in 2013). On September 7, 2015, Mayor Lucy's office announced that she is considering running for U.S. President [9] [10]
Piatt Family
The historic Piatt family established a ferry in Rabbit Hash in the early 19th century going across the Ohio River to Indiana. Some of the stories of their run-ins with criminals along the river are colorful and legendary. The Piatts and other farming families in the area would take produce from their farms and send them via flatboat down to Natchez and New Orleans.
Industry
The Duke Energy East Bend Generating Station coal-fired power plant is located in the southeastern part of the CDP.[11]
References
- ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Rabbit Hash CDP, Kentucky". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
- ↑ Staff (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Listings December 12, 2003". National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ↑ "KENTUCKY – Boone County – Historic Districts". Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ↑ "Rebuilding planned for Rabbit Hash General Store". Louisville Courior-Journal. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
- ↑ "Small community remembers fallen canine mayor". WXIX-TV (Fox 19, Kentucky). Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ↑ "Border collie on ballot in northern Ky. town". WorldNow and WAVE. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ↑ "Vote For The Next Mayor of Rabbit Hash – Final Election Results – 5 Nov. 2008". Rabbit Hash Historical Society. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ↑ DeMio, Terry (September 7, 2015). "Rabbit Hash dog mayor to announce something big". cincinnati.com. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- ↑ Hughey, Tracy (September 7, 2015). "Lucy Lou For President: The Border Collie Mayor Of Rabbit Hash, Ky., May Run For Office". hngn.com. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- ↑ White, Bob (2008-02-01). "Clean Coal Research In Boone County". Kentucky Post (The E.W. Scripps Co.). Retrieved 2008-08-24.
External links
- Preserve America Community: Rabbit Hash, Kentucky
- Rabbit Hash Historical Society
- Fox19.com."Small town remembers fallen canine mayor", WXIX-TV, May 30, 2008. Accessed May 31, 2008
- "Rabbit Hash", Chronicles of Boone County, Boone County Public Library (KY)
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