Eminence, Kentucky

Eminence, Kentucky
City
Eminence as seen from above.
Location of Eminence in Henry County, Kentucky.
Coordinates: 38°21′49″N85°10′40″W / 38.36361°N 85.17778°W / 38.36361; -85.17778
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Henry
Government
• Mayor	Fred Downey
Area [1]
• Total	2.90 sq mi (7.50 km2)
• Land	2.85 sq mi (7.37 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2)
Elevation [2]	922 ft (281 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,705
• Estimate  (2022) [3]	2,715
• Density	950.79/sq mi (367.09/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	40019
Area code	502
FIPS code	21-24904
GNIS feature ID	2403564 [2]
Website	eminence.ky.gov

Eminence is a home rule class city ^[4] in Henry County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 2,498 at the 2010 census, ^[5] up from 2,231 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Eminence Historic Commercial District. Eminence is the largest city in Henry County. Eminence is home to the loudspeaker manufacturing company, Eminence Speaker. The area was home to Eminence Male and Female High School which grew to become Eminence College. ^[6] Eminence's school teams compete as the Warriors.

Geography

Eminence is located in southern Henry County and is bordered to the south by Shelby County.

Kentucky Route 55 is Main Street through Eminence. KY 55 leads north 4 miles (6 km) to New Castle, the Henry County seat, and south 12 miles (19 km) to Shelbyville. U.S. Route 421 passes 2 miles (3 km) east of Eminence; it leads north to New Castle and southeast 25 miles (40 km) to Frankfort, the state capital.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Eminence has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.4 km²), of which 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²), or 1.70%, is water. ^[5] The city is located on high ground, with elevations up to 960 feet (290 m), where several watersheds converge. The source of the Little Kentucky River, a tributary of the Kentucky River, is just west of Eminence, while Town Creek to the north and Drennon Creek to the east also rise in Eminence and flow north to the Kentucky River. Fox Run rises in the southern part of Eminence and flows south via Bullskin Creek and Brashears Creek to the Salt River. The Kentucky and the Salt River are both tributaries of the Ohio River.

History

The area post office, established in 1836, was moved to Eminence in 1850, and named for its supposed location at the highest point on the railroad line between Louisville and Lexington. ^{[7] [8]} The city was formally incorporated in 1851. ^{[9] [10]}

Readable pdf of Eminence College brochure

The Eminence Historic Commercial District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. ^{[11] [12]}

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,043		—
1890	1,002		−3.9%
1900	1,018		1.6%
1910	1,274		25.1%
1920	1,317		3.4%
1930	1,323		0.5%
1940	1,411		6.7%
1950	1,462		3.6%
1960	1,958		33.9%
1970	2,225		13.6%
1980	2,260		1.6%
1990	2,055		−9.1%
2000	2,231		8.6%
2010	2,498		12.0%
2020	2,705		8.3%
2022 (est.)	2,715	[13]	0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [14]

As of the census ^[15] of 2000, there were 2,231 people, 944 households, and 623 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,039.2 inhabitants per square mile (401.2/km²). There were 998 housing units at an average density of 464.9 per square mile (179.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.59% White, 11.65% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 2.11% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.81% of the population.

There were 944 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91.

Sunset in Eminence, Kentucky, in 2009.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,323, and the median income for a family was $36,053. Males had a median income of $30,893 versus $21,042 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,337. About 14.9% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 21.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Education in Eminence is administered by the Eminence Independent School District. ^[16] Eminence's school mascot is the Warriors. They have played the Eels of Eminence Junior-Senior High School in the Eminence, Indiana. ^[17]

Eminence has a lending library, the Henry County Public Library. ^[18]

Arts and culture

The city is home to the Highland Renaissance Festival, which runs from May through July. Eminence also hosts a Celtic Fest in September.

Notable people

• Anne Braden (1924–2006), civil rights activist
• Jim Green, track star and first African American athlete to graduate from the University of Kentucky ^[19]
• Hollis Summers, (1916–1987), poet, novelist, short story writer

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Eminence, Kentucky
3. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
4. "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform" (PDF). Kentucky League of Cities. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Eminence city, Kentucky". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2017.^{[ dead link ]}
6. "Historical sketch of Eminence College... [announcement]".
7. Rennick, Robert M. (1987). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. p. 93. ISBN   0813126312 . Retrieved April 28, 2013.
8. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  119.
9. Collins, Lewis (1877). History of Kentucky. Library Reprints, Incorporated. p. 338. ISBN   9780722249208.
10. Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "Eminence, Kentucky". Accessed 25 July 2013.
11. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
12. Daniel Kidd (July 1978). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Eminence Historic Commercial District". National Park Service . Retrieved May 2, 2018. With accompanying 14 photos from 1977
13. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
14. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
16. "Homepage". Eminence Independent Schools. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
17. "Eminence vs. Eminence: How two schools created the ultimate small-town matchup".
18. "Kentucky Public Library Directory". Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
19. "Green, Jim · Notable Kentucky African Americans Database".

External links

• Official website
• Eminence Independent School District Archived August 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine