Woodford County, Kentucky

Woodford County
County
Woodford County courthouse in Versailles
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°02′N84°44′W / 38.04°N 84.74°W / 38.04; -84.74
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	November 12, 1788
Named for	William Woodford
Seat	Versailles
Largest city	Versailles
Area
• Total	192 sq mi (500 km2)
• Land	189 sq mi (490 km2)
• Water	3.3 sq mi (9 km2)  0.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,871
• Estimate  (2023)	27,268
• Density	140/sq mi (54/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	6th
Website	woodfordcounty.ky.gov

Woodford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,871. ^[1] Its county seat is Versailles. ^[2] The area was home to Pisgah Academy. Woodford County is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located in the center of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.

History

The county was formed from a part of Fayette County, Virginia in 1788. ^{[3] [4]} It was named for William Woodford, an American Revolutionary War general from Virginia who died while a prisoner of war in 1780. ^[5] It was the last of the original nine counties established that formed the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1792. ^[6]

Scott County was formed from part of the county in 1792. Franklin County took another part of the county in 1794. ^[7]

Queen Elizabeth II stayed in Woodford County at Lane's End Farm in May 2007. ^[8] She also attended the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.

Pisgah Academy

Pisgah Academy was a school in Woodford County. It was established by Col. Alexander Dunlap. ^[9] The Library of Congress has photographs of the church and academy. ^[10]

The Kentucky Historical Society has a photograph of the school building. ^[11]

Geography

Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary, Woodford County, Kentucky

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 192 square miles (500 km²), of which 189 square miles (490 km²) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²) (1.7%) is water. ^[12]

Adjacent counties

• Franklin County (northwest)
• Scott County (northeast)
• Fayette County (east)
• Jessamine County (southeast)
• Mercer County (southwest)
• Anderson County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	9,210		—
1800	6,624		−28.1%
1810	9,659		45.8%
1820	12,207		26.4%
1830	12,273		0.5%
1840	11,740		−4.3%
1850	12,423		5.8%
1860	11,219		−9.7%
1870	8,240		−26.6%
1880	11,800		43.2%
1890	12,380		4.9%
1900	13,134		6.1%
1910	12,571		−4.3%
1920	11,784		−6.3%
1930	10,981		−6.8%
1940	11,847		7.9%
1950	11,212		−5.4%
1960	11,913		6.3%
1970	14,434		21.2%
1980	17,778		23.2%
1990	19,955		12.2%
2000	23,208		16.3%
2010	24,939		7.5%
2020	26,871		7.7%
2023 (est.)	27,268	[13]	1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [14] 1790-1960 [15] 1900-1990 [16] 1990-2000 [17] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 23,208 people, 8,893 households, and 6,643 families residing in the county. The population density was 122 per square mile (47/km²). There were 9,374 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile (19/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.08% White, 5.41% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 2.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,893 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,491, and the median income for a family was $58,218. Males had a median income of $39,284 versus $27,972 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,839. About 5.20% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Tourism

Barrels of bourbon outside the Woodford Reserve Distillery

Woodford County is home to one of Kentucky's oldest bourbon whiskey distilleries, Labrot & Graham (established 1812, now owned by Brown–Forman, which produces the Woodford Reserve brand); the Life Adventure Center, an equine and outdoor experience to assist youth affected by trauma; ^[18] and the Kentucky Castle.

Education

• Huntertown Elementary
• Northside Elementary
• Southside Elementary
• St. Leo's (Serves K-8/Private)
• Simmons Elementary
• Woodford County High School
• Woodford County Middle School
• Woodford Christian School K-5 (Private)
• Midway University

Politics

Since 1956, Woodford County has generally voted Republican at the federal level. However, it sometimes votes for Democrats statewide, which it did for Andy Beshear in the 2019 gubernatorial election and the 2023 gubernatorial election.

United States presidential election results for Woodford County, Kentucky ^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	8,362	54.97%	6,530	42.93%	319	2.10%
2016	7,697	56.75%	4,958	36.56%	908	6.69%
2012	7,219	58.54%	4,883	39.60%	230	1.87%
2008	7,130	57.98%	5,027	40.88%	140	1.14%
2004	6,937	60.31%	4,480	38.95%	85	0.74%
2000	5,890	58.10%	3,995	39.41%	252	2.49%
1996	4,270	47.57%	3,910	43.56%	797	8.88%
1992	3,992	45.75%	3,161	36.23%	1,572	18.02%
1988	4,512	62.63%	2,653	36.83%	39	0.54%
1984	4,746	66.73%	2,290	32.20%	76	1.07%
1980	3,105	47.66%	3,122	47.92%	288	4.42%
1976	2,646	48.42%	2,689	49.20%	130	2.38%
1972	3,363	70.34%	1,268	26.52%	150	3.14%
1968	1,901	42.51%	1,646	36.81%	925	20.68%
1964	1,215	28.84%	2,974	70.59%	24	0.57%
1960	2,227	53.32%	1,950	46.68%	0	0.00%
1956	2,170	50.97%	2,027	47.62%	60	1.41%
1952	1,845	44.23%	2,319	55.60%	7	0.17%
1948	1,229	33.16%	2,175	58.69%	302	8.15%
1944	1,374	38.79%	2,154	60.81%	14	0.40%
1940	1,514	36.47%	2,630	63.36%	7	0.17%
1936	1,558	37.65%	2,574	62.20%	6	0.14%
1932	1,720	34.97%	3,180	64.66%	18	0.37%
1928	2,490	54.71%	2,056	45.18%	5	0.11%
1924	2,091	45.69%	2,472	54.02%	13	0.28%
1920	2,218	40.02%	3,299	59.53%	25	0.45%
1916	1,300	41.85%	1,786	57.50%	20	0.64%
1912	779	27.87%	1,561	55.85%	455	16.28%

Notable residents

• William Taylor Barry ^[20]
• Dr. Lyman Beecher, for one year ^[21]
• James W. Blackburn, former secretary of state of Kentucky
• Joseph Clay Stiles Blackburn, former U.S. senator, representative, and governor of Panama Canal Zone
• Luke P. Blackburn, former governor of Kentucky
• John Cabell Breckinridge, vice-president of the United States ^[22]
• William Campbell Preston Breckinridge, Representative from Kentucky ^[22]
• John Buford, Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War, was born in Woodford County but grew up in Illinois. ^[23]
• Alexander Campbell ^{[ citation needed ]}
• Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr., Governor of Kentucky, baseball commissioner ^[24]
• Ben Chandler, U.S. Representative ^[25]
• James Clark
• John Conlee, country music singer
• John J. Crittenden, governor of Kentucky ^[26]
• Charles W. Field, United States Army officer and Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives ^[27]
• Chris Hogan, New York Times best-selling author, motivational speaker, financial guru
• George B. Kinkead, who served as Kentucky secretary of state ^{[ citation needed ]}
• Thomas Marshall (1730–1802), colonel of the 3rd Virginia Regiment in the American Revolution; father of the future Chief Justice John Marshall ^[28]
• Chad Pennington, former NFL quarterback ^[29]
• Charles Scott, Brig. General during the American Revolution and fourth Governor of Kentucky 1808-12 ^[30]
• William Shatner, actor
• William T. Sterling, Wisconsin legislator and pioneer ^[31]
• William A. Trimble, United States Senator ^[32]

Communities

Cities

• Midway
• Versailles (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Millville
• Nonesuch
• Mortonsville
• Milner
• Pinckard
• Huntertown
• Mundy's Landing
• Pisgah
• Wallace
• Troy
• Keene
• Jackson Town
• Clover Bottom

See also

• United States portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Woodford County, Kentucky

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Collins, Lewis (1882). Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2. Collins & Company. p. 26.
4. "Woodford County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 2000. p. 146. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
5. The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp.  37.
6. Railey, William E, "History of Woodford County, Kentucky," 1938, p 3
7. Railey, William E, "History of Woodford County, Kentucky," 1938, p 4
8. "Get to Know UWBG: Woodford County". www.uwbg.org. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
9. Railey, William E.; Railey, William Edward (1975). History of Woodford County, Kentucky. ISBN   9780806379999.
10. "Pisgah Presbyterian Church & Academy, Pisgah-Georgetown Pike, Pisgah, Woodford County, KY". Library of Congress.
11. "Pisgah Academy in Woodford County, KY. :: Visual Materials". www.kyhistory.com.
12. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
13. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
14. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
15. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
16. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
17. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
18. "Life Adventure Center website" . Retrieved May 8, 2023.
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
20. Capace, Nancy (January 1, 1999). Encyclopedia of Kentucky. Somerset Publishers, Inc. ISBN   9780403097401 – via Google Books.
21. Rule, Lucien V. (December 9, 1927). "Forerunners of Lincoln in the Ohio Valley: With historic summaries". Press of Brandt & Fowler – via Google Books.
22. Congress, United States; Printing, United States Congress Joint Committee on (December 9, 1928). "Biographical Directory of the American Congress. 1774-1927: The Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788 and the Congress of the United States from the First to the Sixty-ninth Congress, March 4, 1789, to March 3, 1927, Inclusive". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
23. Railey, William Edward (1938). History of Woodford County, Kentucky. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 91. ISBN   9780806379999 . Retrieved July 17, 2014.
24. Kleber, John E. (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky. p. 179. ISBN   0813128838 . Retrieved July 17, 2014.
25. "Ben Chandler is named director of Kentucky Humanities Council". Kentucky.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
26. Harrison, Lowell H. (January 13, 2015). Kentucky's Governors. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN   9780813159744 – via Google Books.
27. Evans, Clement Anselm (1899). Johnston, J. S.; Kentucky. Moore, J. C.; Missouri. Confederate Publishing Company. p.  238 . Retrieved July 17, 2014. Charles W. Field woodford county ky.
28. Railey, William Edward (1938). History of Woodford County, Kentucky. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 179. ISBN   9780806379999 . Retrieved July 17, 2014.
29. "UK Football: Former NFL quarterback Chad Pennington says Mark Stoops' hire a good one for Cats - Central Kentucky News". Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
30. Railey, William Edward (1938). History of Woodford County, Kentucky. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 276. ISBN   9780806379999 . Retrieved July 17, 2014.
31. The Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, vol. 64, pg. 97. 1904
32. "TRIMBLE, William Allen, (1786 - 1821)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved July 16, 2014.

External links

• Government web site
• Community web site
• Chamber of Commerce
• City-Data.com

38°02′N84°44′W / 38.04°N 84.74°W / 38.04; -84.74