Warren County, Kentucky
|
|
Map_of_Kentucky_highlighting_Warren_County.png
Image:Map of Kentucky highlighting Warren County.png
Warren County is a county located in the state of Kentucky, specifically the Pennyroyal Plateau and Western Coal Fields regions. [1] (http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyAtlas/21227.html) As of 2000, the population is 92,522. The county seat is Bowling Green6.
| Contents |
History
Evidence has shown that Warren County was the location of various Native American villages and burial mounds. The first whites to enter the area were the long hunters in the 1770s. General Elijah Covington was among the first landowners. McFadden's Station, one of the earliest settlements, was established in 1785 by Andrew McFadden on the northern bank of the Barren River at the Cumberland Trace.
Warren County became the 23rd county of Kentucky on December 14, 1796 from a section of Logan County. It was named after General Joseph Warren of the Revolutionary War. He dispatched William Dawes and Paul Revere on their famous midnight ride to warn residents of the approaching British troops. He was also a hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Through the riverboat trade, Warren County thrived in the agricultural market. In 1859, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (currently CSX Transportation) was laid through the county.
During the Civil War, most Warren County residents preferred preservation of the Union. However, because of its strategic value, the county was occupied by Confederate forces in September 1861 and was later recaptured by the Union on February 14, 1862. During the the Confederate pull-out, troops destroyed bridges over Barren County, the Bowling Green train depot and other buildings.
After the completion of Interstate 65 and Green River Parkway (currently the Western Kentucky Parkway) in the 1960s and 1970s, an industrial boom took place and county residents became more urbanized and less farm-dependant. [2] (http://www.kycourts.net/Counties/Warren.asp?County=Warren#countyinfo)
In 1997, along with Bowling Green, Warren County became a Tree City USA, sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 545.21 mi² (1,419 km²). 1,412 545 mi² (km²) of it is land and 2 mi² (6 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.45% water.
Geographic features
The county is mostly level land with a tall hill in the center of Bowling Green. The Green River forms the northern boundary of the county. Those tributaries of the Green River that flow through Warren County are the Barren and Gasper rivers, Drake's and Jennings creeks and Bay's Fork. Shanty Hollow Lake is in the northwest corner of the county. The soil is fertile and supports tobacco, hay, corn and soybean crop production.
Major highways
- Interstate 65
- Kentucky State Route 231
- US Highway 31W
- US Highway 68 / Kentucky State Route 80
- Western Kentucky Parkway
- William H. Natcher Parkway
[3] (http://transportation.ky.gov/planning/maps/SPRS/cnty%20maps/warren.pdf)
Adjacent counties
- Butler County - northwest
- Edmonson County - northeast
- Barren County - east
- Allen County - southeast
- Simpson County - south/southwest
- Logan County - southwest
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 92,522 people, 35,365 households, and 23,411 families residing in the county. The population density is 170/mi² (66/km²). There are 38,350 housing units at an average density of 70/mi² (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 86.98% White, 8.58% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. 2.67% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 35,365 households out of which 31.40% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.40% are married couples living together, 11.20% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.80% are non-families. 26.10% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.30% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 2.97.
In the county the population is spread out with 23.10% under the age of 18, 16.20% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 10.50% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $36,151, and the median income for a family is $45,142. Males have a median income of $32,063 versus $22,777 for females. The per capita income for the county is $18,847. 15.40% of the population and 10.80% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 17.80% of those under the age of 18 and 13.80% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns
Attractions
- Beech Bend Park - Roller coasters, waterpark, raceway [4] (http://beechbend.com/)
- Chevrolet Corvette and XLR Assembly Plant - Daily tours [5] (http://bowlinggreenassemblyplant.com/tour_information.html)
- Disc golf - Seven 18-hole courses [6] (http://bgdg.org/)
- Eloise B. Houchens Center - Greek Revival-style mansion built in 1904 by a former Bowling Green mayor
- Fort Webb Historic Park - Preserved Civil War site
- Kentucky Museum and Library - Exhibits of Kentucky artifacts, located on Western Kentucky University campus [7] (http://wku.edu/Library/museum/)
- Lost River Cave and Valley - Location of the shortest and deepest river in the world, once a hideout for Jesse James and company [8] (http://lostrivercave.com/)
- National Corvette Museum - Exhibits of the models of the Chevrolet Corvette since 1953
- Riverview at Hobson Grove - Preserved mansion overlooking Barren River built from the late 1850s until 1872 [9] (http://bgky.org/riverview/)
Educational institutions
Elementary schools
- Alvaton*
- Briarwood*
- Bristow*
- Cumberland Trace*
- Dishman McGinnis
- Lost River*
- North Warren*
- Oakland*
- Parker Bennett Curry
- Potter Gray
- Rich Pond*
- Richardsville*
- Rockfield*
- T. C. Cherry
- W. R. McNeill
- Warren*
- William H. Natcher*
Middle and junior-high schools
High schools
Colleges and universities
[10] (http://www.b-g.k12.ky.us/schoolweb/index.htm)
* School is a part of the Warren County Public School System [11] (http://www.warren.k12.ky.us/elementary.htm) [12] (http://www.warren.k12.ky.us/middle.htm) [13] (http://www.warren.k12.ky.us/high.htm)
External links
- Warren County Government (http://warrencountygov.com/)
- KYGenWeb Project, Warren County (http://www.rootsweb.com/~kywarren/)
- Bowling Green Daily News (http://bgdailynews.com/)
