St. Mary, Kentucky

St. Mary
City

Location of St. Mary within Kentucky
Country United States
State Kentucky
County Marion
Settled c. 1785[1]
Incorporated 1865[2]
Named for a local college
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 40063
Area code(s) 270 & 364

St. Mary is a home rule-class city[3] in Marion County, Kentucky, in the United States.[2] During the 2010 U.S. Census, the Saint Mary Division of Marion Co. – covering 34.3 square miles (89 km2) around the city – had a population of 2,765.

History

The town was first known as Hardin's Creek when it was settled by the Hardin family c. 1785. Catholic settlers from "Saint" Charles Co.,a[›] Maryland, arrived in 1790. Their community was originally known as Saint Charles after their former home and new church.[1]

The community was the birthplace and hometown of George Elder, who – along with William Byrne – later returned from seminary in Maryland to found Saint Mary's College in 1821. The post office was established in 1858 as Saint Mary's for the school.[4] The city was incorporated as St. Maryb[›] on May 26, 1865.[2] The college closed its doors in 1976.

The city includes historical markers honoring the Sisters of Loretto and St. Mary's College.[5]

Geography

St. Mary is located on Kentucky Route 84 at 37°50′56.6″N 85°20′46.7″W / 37.849056°N 85.346306°W / 37.849056; -85.346306 (37.580711, -85.346291),[6] just west of Lebanon.

The United States Census Bureau does not recognize St. Mary as incorporated, although a census county division (CCD) exists surrounding it.[7] The CCD covers a land area of 34.3 square miles (89 km2) and a water area of 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2).

Economy

Since 1980, St. Mary has been home to the 826-bed Marion Adjustment Center, a CCA-owned minimum- and medium-security facility.[8][9] In June 2013, the Kentucky Department of Corrections elected not to renew the contract, ending for-profit incarceration within the state.[10][11] At the time, the MAC employed 166 people.[12]

Notes

^ a: This Charles County is now known within Maryland as "Old Charles County" to distinguish it from the present Charles County. The former was named after King Charles I ("Saint Charles"), the latter after Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore.
^ b: The abbreviation is the formal name, although it sometimes spelled out as "Saint Mary".[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Rennick, Robert. Kentucky Place Names, p. 261. University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 1987. Accessed 4 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "St. Mary, Kentucky". Accessed 4 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform" (PDF). Kentucky League of Cities. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ University of Kentucky. Kentucky Atlas and Gazetteer. "Saint Mary, Kentucky". Accessed 4 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Signs of History. "Marion County". Accessed 4 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ "Detailed map of Kentucky" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000. p. 8. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  8. ↑ Kentucky Department of Corrections. "About MAC". Accessed 4 October 2013.
  9. ↑ Corrections Corporation of America. Press Release: "Kentucky Elects Not to Renew Contract at Marion Adjustment Center". Op. cit. in Wall Street Journal, 26 June 2013. Accessed 4 October 2013.
  10. ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, 2 July 2013. "A welcome close to privately run prisons in Kentucky". Accessed 4 October 2013.
  11. ↑ Barrouquere, Brett. Bloomberg Businessweek, 25 June 2013. "Kentucky to walk away from last private prison". Accessed 25 July 2013.
  12. ↑ Lega, Stephen. Kentucky Standard, 3 July 2013. "Marion Adjustment Center's closing will impact community in many ways". Accessed 4 October 2013.
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