Brandenburg, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Brandenburg is a city in Meade County
, Kentucky
, United States
, along the Ohio River
. The population was 2,049 at the 2000 census
. It is the county seat
of Meade County.
Brandenburg was devastated by an F5
tornado
during the Super Outbreak
of April 3, 1974; 31 were killed in the city.
During the American Civil War
, Confederate
General John Hunt Morgan
crossed at Brandenburg to start his Raid into Indiana
in July 1863. During the Battle of Brandenburg Crossing two men on the Indiana side of the river were killed by cannon fire from Brandenburg. Although a Union gunship was deployed to stop the crossing, Morgan and his men were able to pass into Indiana after it ran out of ammunition.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4 square miles (10.4 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,049 people, 844 households, and 535 families residing in the city. The population density
was 518.0 people per square mile (199.8/km²). There were 917 housing units at an average density of 231.8 per square mile (89.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.05% White, 3.90% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.24% from other races
, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 844 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.1% 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 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,351, and the median income for a family was $42,950. Males had a median income of $30,565 versus $21,143 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,863. About 14.4% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.
Meade County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,349 people, 9,470 households, and 7,396 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 10,293 housing units at an average density of...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. The population was 2,049 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Meade County.
History
Brandenburg was built on a 3000 acres (12.1 km²) tract of land called Falling Springs, purchased in 1804 by Solomon Brandenburg. He opened a tavern around which the community grew, and in 1825 the community became the county seat, but the settlement didn't incorporate until March 28, 1872.Brandenburg was devastated by an F5
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
during the Super Outbreak
Super Outbreak
The Super Outbreak is the second largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period, just behind the tornado outbreak of April 25–28, 2011...
of April 3, 1974; 31 were killed in the city.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
General John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
crossed at Brandenburg to start his Raid into Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in July 1863. During the Battle of Brandenburg Crossing two men on the Indiana side of the river were killed by cannon fire from Brandenburg. Although a Union gunship was deployed to stop the crossing, Morgan and his men were able to pass into Indiana after it ran out of ammunition.
Geography and maps
Brandenburg is located at 37°59′34"N 86°10′29"W (37.992664, -86.174657).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 4 square miles (10.4 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,049 people, 844 households, and 535 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 518.0 people per square mile (199.8/km²). There were 917 housing units at an average density of 231.8 per square mile (89.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.05% White, 3.90% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.24% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 844 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.1% 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 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,351, and the median income for a family was $42,950. Males had a median income of $30,565 versus $21,143 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,863. About 14.4% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.
Attractions
Attractions near Brandenburg include:- Doe Run InnDoe Run InnDoe Run Inn is a restaurant/inn business two miles southeast of Brandenburg, Kentucky. It is within the Doe Run Creek Historic District, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 19, 1978....
- Otter Creek ParkOtter Creek ParkOtter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area is a 2,600 acre riverfront park in Meade County, Kentucky. The park is located near Muldraugh and Fort Knox, along State Highway 1638, near U.S. 31W...
, with campgrounds and river frontage