This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2019) |
Murray, Kentucky | |
---|---|
an Aerial View of Murray in 2020 | |
![]() Location of Murray in Calloway County, Kentucky | |
Coordinates: 36°36′34″N88°18′56″W / 36.60944°N 88.31556°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Kentucky |
County | Calloway |
Founded | c. 1822 |
Incorporated | January 17, 1844 [1] |
Named for | John L. Murray |
Government | |
• Mayor | Bob Rogers |
Area | |
• City | 11.68 sq mi (30.24 km2) |
• Land | 11.65 sq mi (30.17 km2) |
• Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
Elevation | 535 ft (163 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• City | 17,307 |
• Estimate (2022) [3] | 17,522 |
• Density | 1,485.58/sq mi (573.57/km2) |
• Metro | 37,191 |
Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
ZIP Code | 42071 |
Area code(s) | 270 & 364 |
FIPS code | 21-54642 |
GNIS feature ID | 0499118 |
Website | www |
Murray is a home rule-class city [4] in Calloway County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of Calloway County [5] and the 19th-largest city in Kentucky. [6] The city's population was 17,741 during the 2010 U.S. census, [7] and its micropolitan area's population is 37,191. Murray is a college town and is the home of Murray State University.
The city now known as Murray began as a post office and trading center sometime in the early 1820s. It was at first called “Williston” in honor of James Willis, an early settler. Later, the name was changed to “Pooltown” after Robert Pool, a local merchant. The name was changed again to “Pleasant Springs” before its incorporation on January 17, 1844, when the present name was adopted to honor Rep. John Murray. [8]
Murray was not the first county seat, which was at Wadesboro. Calloway County was then much larger than today. In 1842, however, the state legislature divided the area, creating Marshall County. It was felt that a more centrally located county seat was needed, and as the village of Murray was at the geographic center, it was chosen. A new courthouse was built along with a jail, and the town Murray was laid out on an 80-acre (320,000 m2) plot subdivided into 137 business and residential lots divided by eight streets. [9] [10]
Kentucky did not officially secede from the Union at the start during the Civil War, instead declaring its neutrality, but both Murray and Calloway County were strongly pro-Confederate. Calloway County was one of the counties that sent a delegate to the Russellville Convention signing an Ordinance of Secession in which the Confederate government of Kentucky was formed and Kentucky was admitted into the Confederacy on December 10, 1861, with Bowling Green as the first capital. This region fell under Confederate control early in the war. No major battles were fought near the town, but guerrilla warfare sometimes took place nearby. In the spring of 1862, a Union force stationed in Paducah marched across the county to the Tennessee River, taking anything it wanted from the inhabitants without paying. Also, parts of Murray were burned on several occasions. Once, part of the town was burned by the Union Army in retaliation for its presumed support for the Confederate guerrillas. A diary kept by Josh Ellison of Murray tells that one night during the winter of 1864–65, a detachment of Union soldiers from Paducah torched every building on the east side of the court square, and three days later burned all those north of the square. [9] [10]
An estimated 800 men from the area joined in the Confederate Army, either as infantry in the Kentucky Orphan Brigade or in the cavalry. About 200 sided with the Union. Calloway County's Confederate veterans are honored by a monument on the northeast side of the court house square. The Confederate Monument was donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and has been subject to calls for removal most recently in 2020. The courthouse grounds on which the statue stands belongs to Calloway County and the County Court voted unanimously in 2020 to keep the statue rather than relocate it from courthouse grounds. [11]
Murray is located at 36°36′34″N88°18′56″W / 36.60944°N 88.31556°W (36.609494, −88.315656), [12] 7 miles (11 km) north of the Tennessee border. Benton is 19 miles (31 km) to the north, and Mayfield is 24 miles (39 km) to the northwest.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.3 square miles (29.2 km2), of which 0.29 square miles (0.75 km2), or 0.26%, is water. [7]
Murray is situated 15 miles (24 km) west of the 170,000 acres (690 km2) of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, which offers hiking, elk and bison viewing, birding, 1850s historic buildings, a planetarium, a nature center, off-highway vehicle riding, fishing, boating, swimming, camping, and a large wildlife population.
Murray has a humid subtropical climate and four distinct seasons. The warmest month of the year is July, with an average high temperature of 90 °F (32 °C). The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 45 °F.
Climate data for Murray, Kentucky (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1926–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) | 81 (27) | 92 (33) | 92 (33) | 101 (38) | 106 (41) | 110 (43) | 109 (43) | 108 (42) | 97 (36) | 86 (30) | 79 (26) | 110 (43) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66.3 (19.1) | 71.6 (22.0) | 79.4 (26.3) | 85.2 (29.6) | 89.5 (31.9) | 94.4 (34.7) | 96.5 (35.8) | 96.9 (36.1) | 92.8 (33.8) | 85.6 (29.8) | 75.8 (24.3) | 67.2 (19.6) | 98.2 (36.8) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45.6 (7.6) | 50.4 (10.2) | 60.6 (15.9) | 71.4 (21.9) | 78.9 (26.1) | 86.3 (30.2) | 89.3 (31.8) | 88.8 (31.6) | 82.6 (28.1) | 71.2 (21.8) | 58.4 (14.7) | 48.4 (9.1) | 69.3 (20.7) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.5 (2.5) | 40.5 (4.7) | 49.4 (9.7) | 59.4 (15.2) | 68.0 (20.0) | 75.8 (24.3) | 79.2 (26.2) | 78.1 (25.6) | 71.4 (21.9) | 59.8 (15.4) | 48.0 (8.9) | 39.6 (4.2) | 58.8 (14.9) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.4 (−2.6) | 30.7 (−0.7) | 38.2 (3.4) | 47.5 (8.6) | 57.0 (13.9) | 65.4 (18.6) | 69.0 (20.6) | 67.4 (19.7) | 60.3 (15.7) | 48.4 (9.1) | 37.6 (3.1) | 30.7 (−0.7) | 48.3 (9.1) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 10.1 (−12.2) | 13.7 (−10.2) | 21.5 (−5.8) | 32.4 (0.2) | 43.3 (6.3) | 55.0 (12.8) | 61.4 (16.3) | 58.9 (14.9) | 47.2 (8.4) | 33.7 (0.9) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 15.3 (−9.3) | 6.9 (−13.9) |
Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) | −12 (−24) | −6 (−21) | 20 (−7) | 33 (1) | 39 (4) | 44 (7) | 39 (4) | 28 (−2) | 21 (−6) | −1 (−18) | −13 (−25) | −20 (−29) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.24 (108) | 5.17 (131) | 5.54 (141) | 5.58 (142) | 5.76 (146) | 5.31 (135) | 4.73 (120) | 3.60 (91) | 3.86 (98) | 4.14 (105) | 4.63 (118) | 5.53 (140) | 58.09 (1,475) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.3 (5.8) | 1.8 (4.6) | 1.0 (2.5) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.1 (0.25) | 1.1 (2.8) | 6.5 (17) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.6 | 10.0 | 11.5 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 9.9 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 8.1 | 9.4 | 11.2 | 117.1 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
Source: NOAA [13] [14] |
Murray has had several tornadoes and storms in recent years and has been the site of two F4 tornadoes. On February 5, 2008, Kentucky and surrounding states were subject to many violent tornadoes with some of them in Western Kentucky. On June 30, 2009, a violent storm with winds of up to 90 miles per hour (140 km/h) ravaged trees and damaged buildings. On July 4, 2009, another tornado outbreak in Western Kentucky interrupted Independence Day celebrations throughout the region.
The architecture of Murray preserves its history throughout many of its downtown businesses. A commemoration was held on October 28, 2014, for the 150th Civil War anniversary of Fort Heiman in New Concord, Kentucky, which became a National Battlefield on October 30, 2006. [15]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 218 | — | |
1870 | 179 | −17.9% | |
1880 | 636 | 255.3% | |
1890 | 518 | −18.6% | |
1900 | 1,822 | 251.7% | |
1910 | 2,089 | 14.7% | |
1920 | 2,415 | 15.6% | |
1930 | 2,891 | 19.7% | |
1940 | 3,773 | 30.5% | |
1950 | 6,035 | 60.0% | |
1960 | 9,303 | 54.2% | |
1970 | 13,537 | 45.5% | |
1980 | 14,248 | 5.3% | |
1990 | 14,439 | 1.3% | |
2000 | 14,950 | 3.5% | |
2010 | 17,741 | 18.7% | |
2020 | 17,307 | −2.4% | |
2022 (est.) | 17,522 | [16] | 1.2% |
U.S. Decennial Census [17] |
As of the census [18] of 2000, there were 14,950 people, 6,004 households, and 2,869 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,541.5 inhabitants per square mile (595.2/km2). There were 6,622 housing units at an average density of 682.8 per square mile (263.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.16% White, 6.80% African American, 0.21% Native American, 2.75% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.73% of the population.
There were 6,004 households, out of which 19.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.2% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 13.6% under the age of 18, 33.7% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,647, and the median income for a family was $41,331. Males had a median income of $30,266 versus $22,294 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,389. About 11.2% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
The city of Murray is host to 75 religious assemblies within the surrounding area. [19] Baptists are the most prominent faith in Murray, with 28 assemblies within the area. [20]
The Clara M. Eagle Gallery is a multi-level art gallery that houses around 1,200 permanent artworks. The gallery has also been home to temporary shows, featuring contemporary art, African art, woodworking, and tapestries from Spain. The galleries have about 8,300 square feet (770 m2) of show space.
The Wrather West Kentucky Museum is located in the first building constructed on the campus of Murray State University and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum, which is free to the public, highlights the social development, economic and cultural development of the people of the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky through permanent and changing exhibits.
Murray has three city parks that cover over 200 acres (0.8 km2) of land: Central Park, Chestnut Park, and Bee Creek. A three-pool community swimming complex and Owens Spray Park are housed in Murray's Central Park. The parks feature 17 soccer fields, two basketball courts, five playgrounds, nine baseball and softball fields, four-bay batting cages, Lions Club Skate Park, and a three-mile (5 km) nature walking trail. The parks have nine covered picnic pavilions for family gatherings, the Murray Rotary amphitheater and west Kentucky's first dog park. The park features an 18-hole 5,200-foot (1,580 m) disc golf course that was the first one of its kind in the area. [21]
Playhouse in the Park is one of the oldest community theatres in the state of Kentucky. The theatre is located in Murray's Central Park and is housed in a 1907 train and freight depot. The playhouse is open year-round and produces original works, comedies, dramas, children's theatre, and musicals. On May 16, 2008, former President Bill Clinton made an appearance at Playhouse in the Park to speak about his wife's (Hillary Clinton) presidency campaign.
College athletics are the sporting events of choice in the Murray area. Murray State University participates in NCAA Division I athletics, the highest level of collegiate athletics. The university has 16 athletic programs that compete in the Ohio Valley Conference, and have provided 117 conference titles since 1948. [22] The most popular sport at Murray State is the men's basketball program. It is one of the winningest programs in NCAA history, with over 1,300 wins and an all-time winning percentage of .637, which places Murray State 20th best in NCAA history. [23] Murray State has won 23 regular season Ohio Valley Conference titles and 15 OVC Tournament titles, which is the best in the OVC. [24]
The men's basketball program has produced a number of NBA players, most notably Ja Morant, Jeff Martin, Popeye Jones, Isaiah Canaan, Cameron Payne, and Joe Fulks, who is a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and has been credited with being one of the pioneers of the jump shot. [25] The Murray State men's basketball program is currently coached by Steve Prohm, while past coaches include Matt McMahon, Billy Kennedy, and Mick Cronin.
The Murray State football program has won eight Ohio Valley Conference titles and has produced 17 NFL players. Even more well-known are the coaches the football program has produced. Ralph Friedgen, Frank Beamer, Mike Gottfried, Houston Nutt, and Ron Zook have all had their coaching careers run through the Murray State football program. Ten players have been selected as first team All-Americans, and 21 have been second, third, and honorable mention All-Americans. The Murray State football program has won more than 400 games, the most decisive win coming in 1932 when Murray State beat the University of Louisville 105–0. [26]
Murray has two movie theaters. The Cheri Theater has seven screens and shows nothing but first-run films. The Cheri was started in 1967 as a single-screen theater with seating for 600. There have been many additions and renovations throughout the years, and in 1997, two 290-stadium seat auditoriums were added. In 2008, the theater upgraded its projectors to take advantage of Dolby 3D technology.
The Curris Center Theater hosts Cinema International. The program is run through the department of modern languages at Murray State and is open, free of charge, to students and the public. Cinema International is open most weekends during regular university semesters. Around 18 shows per year showcase every film genre by directors around the world.
The Murray Independent School system has been a part of the community since 1872, when the first public school was built in the center of town. Murray's school system has an enrollment of over 1,800 students.[ citation needed ] There have been 35 National Merit Finalists since 1974. In 2006, the Murray High School test scores were ranked as being 9th in the state of Kentucky. Standard & Poor's recognized the Murray Independent school district as being one of only 18 Kentucky school districts as an outperforming school district. The athletic program competes in Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Class AA in football and class A in cross-country, and track, the only three sports in which the KHSAA divides schools into classes by enrollment. Other sports, most notably basketball, are conducted in a single-class format. The school system also covers numerous extracurricular activities, from band, arts, social clubs, and an academic team. [27] [28]
The Calloway County School District has an enrollment of 3,200 students that are located in Calloway County Preschool, three elementary schools, Calloway County Middle School, and Calloway County High School. [29] The Calloway County Lakers participate in KHSAA sports such as football, basketball, baseball, softball, tennis, wrestling, cross-country, track and field, bass fishing, and trap shooting. Additionally, Calloway County students participate in several extracurricular activities, including state-renowned chapters of academic team, Future Business Leaders of America, FFA, and Robotics. In 2022, Calloway County High School won the state competition in Future Problem Solving, while in 2023, Calloway County Middle School placed second in the state in Quick Recall, a buzzer-style competition within academic team.
Students from both Murray High School and Calloway County High School can attend the Murray/Calloway County Area Technology Center, where students can take classes in automotive technology, carpentry, culinary arts, electrical skills, machine tool technology, nursing, and welding. [30]
Students from northern and western Murray attend schools in the Calloway County School District, while those from the rest of the city attend the Murray Independent school district. [31]
Murray is the home of Murray State University, a four-year public university. It was founded in 1922 as the Murray Normal School. The university today offers 11 associate, 64 bachelor, and 42 master's programs, and has an enrollment of over 10,000 students. [32] Murray State University is led by President Dr. Bob Jackson.
Murray has a lending library, the Calloway County Public Library. [33]
The only daily newspaper in the city of Murray is the Murray Ledger & Times. The Ledger was established in 1879 [34] and has remained locally operated. It is printed six days per week and has a city/county circulation of around 7,200 papers per day. [35] The Ledger also has many out-of-city readers who receive it via mail. The Murray State News is a weekly, award-winning student produced newspaper that has become popular not only with students, but with regular citizens of Murray. The paper features everything from campus news, sports, activities, and opinions.
There are four radio stations with buildings in Murray, although the city can receive 25 different FM signals.
Murray has one television station: WKMU 21, the local transmitter for the statewide KET public television network. Other major network stations available in Murray are:
Other road projects in Murray are to include the widening of Kentucky 121 through the city of Murray. Over 12,000 cars travel that stretch of road per day. [38] There are also a downtown loop and four-lane bypass in the works to help relieve traffic congestion within the city. [39]
The airport in Murray is the Murray-Calloway County Airport. The airport, known as Kyle-Oakley Field, is a general aviation airport that features a 24-hour terminal and has a runway dimension of 6,200'x 100' and can handle up to a 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) dual-wheel aircraft. The IATA airport code for Kyle-Oakley Field is CEY.
The Murray Calloway Transit Authority recently started the "Racer Routes" service which provides four public bus routes throughout Murray. It also has services for those who do not have a vehicle.
The KWT Railway [40] starts one mile (1.6 km) north of Murray and travels south to Bruceton, Tennessee, where it connects with CSX railway that travels to Memphis and beyond.
Electric service in the city of Murray is provided by the Murray Electric System. The electric system is locally owned and governed and gets all of its energy from the Tennessee Valley Authority. In turn, electric customers in Murray enjoy one of the lowest electric rates in the United States. The cost is around 7.2 cents per kilowatt hour. [41] In recent years, MES has branched out into telecommunications. It offers internet service with speeds of up to 12 Mbit/s, home telephone service, and digital cable television service.
Natural gas and water service falls under the city of Murray's Public Works department. The natural gas service has roughly 5,500 customers, in which 1,300,000 cubic feet (37,000 m3) is used per year. [42] The water system treats 1.3 billion gallons of water per year going through 105 miles (169 km) of water main piping. The current treatment plant was built in 1992 with a capacity of 7 million gallons per day. At current, the plant treats 3.6 million gallons per day. The Murray sewer treatment plant treats 4 million gallons of sewage per day and is connected with 122 miles (196 km) of sanitary sewer piping. [43] [44]
This section needs additional citations for verification .(October 2017) |
Lauderdale County is a county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Tennessee, with its border the Mississippi River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,143. Its county seat is Ripley. Since the antebellum years, it has been developed for cotton as a major commodity crop.
Wayne County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky along the southern border with Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,555. Its county seat is Monticello. The county, on the south-central border with Tennessee, was named for Gen. Anthony Wayne, a Revolutionary War hero. As of November 3, 2020, Wayne County is a wet county—a measure allowing the sales and consumption of alcoholic drinks passed by a margin of 4,901 for and 3,966 against.
Nelson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,065. Its county seat is Bardstown. Nelson County comprises the Bardstown, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Louisville/Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Madison, KY-IN Combined Statistical Area.
Martin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,287. Its county seat is Inez. The county was founded in 1870 and is named for Congressman John Preston Martin. Warfield, Kentucky, is the only non-dry city in the county.
Marshall County is a county located in far western portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,659. Its county seat is Benton.
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,748. Its county seat is Hopkinsville. The county was formed in 1797. Christian County is part of the Clarksville, Tennessee–Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Calloway County is a county located on the southwest border of the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,103. Its county seat is Murray. The county was founded in November 1822 and named for Colonel Richard Callaway, one of the founders of Boonesborough. Calloway County comprises the Murray, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of July 18, 2012 Calloway County is a moist county: the sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited, with the exception of the city of Murray.
Princeton is a home rule-class city in Caldwell County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 6,329 during the 2010 U.S. Census. Princeton is home to several notable attractions such as Adsmore Museum, Champion-Shepherdson House, University of Kentucky Research and Education Center Botanical Garden, Capitol Cinemas, the Annual Black Patch Festival, and Newsom's Aged Kentucky Ham.
Hazel is a home rule-class city in Calloway County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 410 at the 2010 census.
Burkesville is a home rule-class city in Cumberland County, Kentucky, in the United States. Nestled among the rolling foothills of Appalachia and bordered by the Cumberland River to the south and east, it is the seat of its county. The population was 1,521 at the 2010 census.
Eddyville is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,554 at the 2010 census, up from 2,350 in 2000. The Kentucky State Penitentiary is located at Eddyville. The town is considered a tourist attraction because of its access to nearby Lake Barkley.
Richmond is a home class city in KY and the county seat of Madison County, Kentucky, United States. It is named after Richmond, Virginia, and is home to Eastern Kentucky University. With close proximity to Lexington, Richmond is considered by many to be a great place to live. It has an average - high cost of living compared to other areas. The population was 36,826 as of 2023. Richmond is the fourth-largest city in the Bluegrass region and the state's seventh-largest city. It is the ninth largest population center in the state with a Micropolitan population of 106,864. The city serves as the center for work and shopping for south-central Kentucky, with many local and chain options alike. Richmond KY is home to numerous festivals, notably the Millstone Festival. In addition, Richmond is the principal city of the Richmond-Berea, Kentucky Micropolitan Area, which includes all of Madison and Rockcastle counties.
Lebanon is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Marion County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 6,274 at the 2020 census, up from 5,539 in 2010. Lebanon is located in central Kentucky, 63 miles (101 km) southeast of Louisville. A national cemetery is nearby.
Paducah is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. The largest city in the Jackson Purchase region, it is located in the Southeastern United States at the confluence of the Tennessee and the Ohio rivers, halfway between St. Louis, Missouri, to the northwest and Nashville, Tennessee, to the southeast. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,137, up from 25,024 in 2010. Twenty blocks of the city's downtown have been designated as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bardstown is a home rule-class city in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 13,567 in the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Nelson County.
Clarksville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state, after Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 2020 census.
Cross Plains is a city in Robertson County, Tennessee. The city's population was 1,789 at the 2020 census. Cross Plains was the first area of Robertson County that was settled by European settlers, with the arrival of Thomas Kilgore in 1778.
Springfield is the county seat of Robertson County, Tennessee, United States. It is located in Middle Tennessee near the northern border of the state. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 18,782.
Covington is a city in central Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. Covington is the second largest city and county seat of Tipton County. The city is located in West Tennessee, 12 mi (19 km) east of the Mississippi River. The city's population was 9,038 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census. Located 42 mi (68 km) northeast of Memphis, Covington is part of the Memphis, Tennessee Metropolitan Area.
The U.S. State of Kentucky is currently home to two professional soccer teams: Louisville City FC, which plays in the USL Championship, and Racing Louisville FC, which plays in the NWSL. Kentucky has had professional sports teams in its past, such as the Louisville Brecks/Colonels of the NFL in the early 1920s.