Georgetown, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Georgetown is a city in Scott County
, Kentucky
, United States
. The population was 29,098 at the 2010 census. The original settlement of Lebanon, founded by Rev. Elijah Craig
, was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington
. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts college
. Georgetown is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
The city's growth began in the mid-1980s, when Toyota built Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky
, the first wholly owned United States plant, in a recently annexed
part of the city. The plant, which currently builds the Camry
, Camry Hybrid, Venza
, and Avalon
automobiles, opened in 1988. It is the largest building in terms of acres covered under one building in the United States, with over 200 acre (0.809372 km²) occupied. The city also serves as the home of the annual training camp for the NFL's
Cincinnati Bengals
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 13.7 square miles (35 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 18,080 people, 6,703 households, and 4,618 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1317.5 /sqmi. There were 7,209 housing units at an average density of 525.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.68% White
, 8.01% African American
, 0.23% Native American
, 0.64% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 1.03% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races
. Hispanics or Latinos
of any race were 1.99% of the population. According to the 2010 census, Georgetown is Kentucky's ninth largest city.
There were 6,703 households out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97.
The age distribution was 25.6% under 18, 16.1% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,186, and the median income for a family was $50,743. Males had a median income of $36,970 versus $25,936 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,859. About 8.7% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over.
In late 1785 or early 1786, the city of Georgetown was settled by the Rev. Elijah Craig
and other Baptists who migrated with him from Virginia. The city was incorporated on December 16, 1790. Craig established some of the first mill
s west of the Appalachian Mountains. Craig's early mills, which were located on the Royal Spring Branch, manufactured cloth and paper. He founded a distillery in 1789. Elijah Craig also founded a classical school in Georgetown, which became the basis of Georgetown College.
For his military service, Colonel John Floyd
was granted by the State of Virginia a total of 1000 acres (4 km²), which included the Cardome
property along the north fork of Elkhorn Creek
. Later the property was home to several famous people, including Kentucky Governor James F. Robinson
. More recently the site was the location of a girl's academy founded by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Visitation.
The historic Ward Hall, now the home of The Ward Hall Preservation Foundation, is located just outside of Georgetown. Ward Hall was the summer home of Junius Ward. The home represents the height of the Greek Revival
period of architecture in Kentucky.
The Georgetown business section has a historic district known as the Oxford Historic District
.
Public education in Georgetown and Scott County consists of seven elementary school
s (grades K-5), three middle school
s (grades 6-8) and one high school
(grades 9-12). These eleven schools are all part of the Scott County School system. Plans have been in progress for an additional high school and middle school within the city limits for several years due to the expanding population. Scott County High School also houses a separate (though still attached) wing for students in the ninth grade
, called the Ninth Grade Center, which was developed to ease the transition for students between middle school and high school. An extended campus of the high school, Elkhorn Crossing School, provides some sophomores and juniors with a curriculum that integrates academic and career-based disciplines. Another unique feature, the Alternative School, is also part of the Scott County High School educational complex. The Alternative School strives to give somewhat uneducated students a better education without the classroom setting.
Public schools located within Georgetown and Scott County include:
Private education in Georgetown and Scott County includes St. John elementary and middle school, Providence Christian Academy elementary and middle school, and Keystone Montessori elementary school.
, as designated by Sister Cities International
: Tahara
, Japan
, the Georgetown News-Graphic, prints on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Residents of the area commonly subscribe to this locally-geared newspaper in addition to the larger Lexington
daily newspaper, the Lexington Herald-Leader
.
Scott County, Kentucky
Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 47,173 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Georgetown.Scott County is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, 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...
. The population was 29,098 at the 2010 census. The original settlement of Lebanon, founded by Rev. Elijah Craig
Elijah Craig
Rev. Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher in Virginia, who became an educator and capitalist entrepreneur in the area of Virginia that later became the state of Kentucky...
, was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
. Georgetown is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area
Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 106th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States. It was originally formed by the United States Census Bureau in 1950 and consisted solely of Fayette County until 1980 when surrounding counties saw increases in their...
.
The city's growth began in the mid-1980s, when Toyota built Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. is an automobile manufacturing factory in Georgetown, Kentucky, USA. It is part of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America , owned by Toyota Motor Company of Japan....
, the first wholly owned United States plant, in a recently annexed
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
part of the city. The plant, which currently builds the Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
, Camry Hybrid, Venza
Toyota Venza
The Toyota Venza is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by Japanese automaker Toyota and unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit...
, and Avalon
Toyota Avalon
The Toyota Avalon is a full-size car produced by Toyota in the United States, and is the flagship sedan of Toyota in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Middle East. It was also produced in Australia from 2000 until July 2005 when it was replaced in November 2006 by the Toyota Aurion...
automobiles, opened in 1988. It is the largest building in terms of acres covered under one building in the United States, with over 200 acre (0.809372 km²) occupied. The city also serves as the home of the annual training camp for the NFL's
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
.
Geography
Georgetown is located at 38°12′52"N 84°33′20"W (38.214542, -84.555496).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 13.7 square miles (35 km²), all 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 18,080 people, 6,703 households, and 4,618 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 1317.5 /sqmi. There were 7,209 housing units at an average density of 525.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.68% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 8.01% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.23% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.64% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 1.03% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
. Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race were 1.99% of the population. According to the 2010 census, Georgetown is Kentucky's ninth largest city.
There were 6,703 households out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% 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 31.1% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97.
The age distribution was 25.6% under 18, 16.1% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,186, and the median income for a family was $50,743. Males had a median income of $36,970 versus $25,936 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 $18,859. About 8.7% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over.
History
Elijah Craig
Rev. Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher in Virginia, who became an educator and capitalist entrepreneur in the area of Virginia that later became the state of Kentucky...
and other Baptists who migrated with him from Virginia. The city was incorporated on December 16, 1790. Craig established some of the first mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s west of the Appalachian Mountains. Craig's early mills, which were located on the Royal Spring Branch, manufactured cloth and paper. He founded a distillery in 1789. Elijah Craig also founded a classical school in Georgetown, which became the basis of Georgetown College.
For his military service, Colonel John Floyd
John Floyd
John Floyd may refer to:*John B. Floyd, 19th century Governor of Virginia and United States Secretary of War*John E. Floyd, economist*John Floyd , 19th century United States representative from Georgia...
was granted by the State of Virginia a total of 1000 acres (4 km²), which included the Cardome
Cardome Centre
Cardome Centre is a historic property located in Georgetown, Kentucky along the north fork of Elkhorn Creek. The currently houses a community center for Georgetown. Previously the property was home to several famous people including Kentucky Governor James F. Robinson...
property along the north fork of Elkhorn Creek
Elkhorn Creek
Elkhorn Creek is an stream running through several counties in central Kentucky in the United States. It derives its name from the shape, as seen on a map, of its main stem with its two primary forks....
. Later the property was home to several famous people, including Kentucky Governor James F. Robinson
James F. Robinson
James Fisher Robinson was the 22nd Governor of Kentucky, serving the remainder of the unfinished term of Governor Beriah Magoffin. Magoffin, a Confederate sympathizer, became increasingly ineffective after the elections of 1861 yielded a supermajority to pro-Union forces in both houses of the...
. More recently the site was the location of a girl's academy founded by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Visitation.
The historic Ward Hall, now the home of The Ward Hall Preservation Foundation, is located just outside of Georgetown. Ward Hall was the summer home of Junius Ward. The home represents the height of the Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
period of architecture in Kentucky.
The Georgetown business section has a historic district known as the Oxford Historic District
Oxford Historic District (Georgetown, Kentucky)
Oxford Historic District in Georgetown, Kentucky is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It includes Greek Revival and Late Victorian architecture....
.
Education
Georgetown College is a private liberal arts college located in the downtown area of Georgetown.Public education in Georgetown and Scott County consists of seven elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s (grades K-5), three middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
s (grades 6-8) and one high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
(grades 9-12). These eleven schools are all part of the Scott County School system. Plans have been in progress for an additional high school and middle school within the city limits for several years due to the expanding population. Scott County High School also houses a separate (though still attached) wing for students in the ninth grade
Ninth grade
Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
, called the Ninth Grade Center, which was developed to ease the transition for students between middle school and high school. An extended campus of the high school, Elkhorn Crossing School, provides some sophomores and juniors with a curriculum that integrates academic and career-based disciplines. Another unique feature, the Alternative School, is also part of the Scott County High School educational complex. The Alternative School strives to give somewhat uneducated students a better education without the classroom setting.
Public schools located within Georgetown and Scott County include:
- Garth Elementary
- Northern Elementary
- Southern Elementary
- Eastern Elementary
- Western Elementary
- Anne Mason Elementary
- Stamping Ground Elementary
- Royal Spring Middle School
- Georgetown Middle SchoolGeorgetown Middle School (Georgetown, Kentucky)Georgetown Middle School is a public middle school in Georgetown, Kentucky.-6th Grade teachers:*Mrs. Farr Reading*Mrs. Foxworth Language Arts*Dr. Thompson*Ms. Gwynn Social Studies*Mrs. Grant Mathematics-7th grade teachers:...
- Scott County Middle SchoolScott County Middle School (Georgetown, Kentucky)Scott County Middle School is a public middle school school in Georgetown, Kentucky.-Band:The band director is Lyndsey King.* Sixth Grade Band* Seventh Grade Band* Eighth Grade BandSports...
- Scott County High SchoolScott County High School, Georgetown, KentuckyScott County High School is a public high school in Georgetown, Kentucky.-Athletics:* Basketball * Cheerleading squad * Cross country team * Football...
(which includes the Ninth Grade Center, the Alternative School, and Elkhorn Crossing School)
Private education in Georgetown and Scott County includes St. John elementary and middle school, Providence Christian Academy elementary and middle school, and Keystone Montessori elementary school.
Sister city
Georgetown has one sister cityTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
, as designated by Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
: Tahara
Tahara, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 63,886 and a population density of 338 persons per km². The total area was 188.81 km².-Geography:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
News publications
Georgetown's newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, the Georgetown News-Graphic, prints on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Residents of the area commonly subscribe to this locally-geared newspaper in addition to the larger Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
daily newspaper, the Lexington Herald-Leader
Lexington Herald-Leader
The Lexington Herald-Leader is a newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company and based in the U.S. city of Lexington, Kentucky. According to the 1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook, the Herald-Leaders paid circulation is the second largest in the Commonwealth of Kentucky...
.
Notable residents
Notable past or current residents include:- Benjamin Franklin BradleyBenjamin Franklin BradleyBenjamin Franklin Bradley was a politician in the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.-Biography:Bradley was born in Georgetown in Scott County, Kentucky...
- politician, representative to the Confederate States Congress from Kentucky. Born in Georgetown in 1825. - J. Campbell CantrillJ. Campbell CantrillJames Campbell Cantrill was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Georgetown, Kentucky, Cantrill attended the common schools, Georgetown College, and the University of Virginia at Charlottesville....
- politician, U.S. Representative from Kentucky. Born in Georgetown in 1870. - Elijah CraigElijah CraigRev. Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher in Virginia, who became an educator and capitalist entrepreneur in the area of Virginia that later became the state of Kentucky...
, early Baptist preacher, educator and entrepreneur. Worked on protecting religious freedom with James MadisonJames MadisonJames Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
of Virginia. - Basil W. DukeBasil W. DukeBasil Wilson Duke was a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. His most noted service in the war was as second-in-command for his brother-in-law John Hunt Morgan; Duke would later write a popular account of Morgan's most famous raid: 1863's Morgan's Raid...
- lawyer and Confederate general during the Civil War. Born in Georgetown in 1838. - William H. HatchWilliam H. HatchWilliam Henry Hatch was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.-Biography:Born near Georgetown, Kentucky, Hatch attended the schools of Lexington, Kentucky, where he studied law....
- politician, U.S. Representative from Missouri. Born in Georgetown in 1833. - Tom L. JohnsonTom L. JohnsonThomas Loftin Johnson , better known as Tom L. Johnson, was an American politician of the Democratic Party from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He headed relief efforts after the Johnstown, Pennsylvania floods of 1889, was a U.S. Representative from 1891–1895 and the 35th mayor of...
- U.S. Representative from Ohio 1891-95, Mayor of Cleveland 1901-1909. Born in Georgetown in 1854. - James F. RobinsonJames F. RobinsonJames Fisher Robinson was the 22nd Governor of Kentucky, serving the remainder of the unfinished term of Governor Beriah Magoffin. Magoffin, a Confederate sympathizer, became increasingly ineffective after the elections of 1861 yielded a supermajority to pro-Union forces in both houses of the...
- politician, 22nd Governor of Kentucky. Federal Governor during the Civil War. Cardome in Georgetown was his family home. - John McCracken Robinson - politician, United States Senator from Illinois. Born in Georgetown in 1794.
- Gustavus W. Smith - General in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; Confederate Secretary of War in 1862.
- Barton W. StoneBarton W. StoneBarton Warren Stone was an important preacher during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. He was first ordained a Presbyterian minister, then was expelled from the church after the Cane Ridge, Kentucky revival for his stated beliefs in faith as the sole prerequisite for salvation...
, influential Presbyterian and Restorationist preacher of the Second Great AwakeningSecond Great AwakeningThe Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
; founded the Restoration MovementRestoration MovementThe Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
with Alexander Campbell - Steve ZahnSteve Zahn-Early life:Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Zelda, who worked for the YMCA, and Carleton E. Zahn, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor. Zahn spent part of his childhood in Mankato, Minnesota, attending Kennedy Elementary School...
- Actor, lives on a 330 acres (1.3 km²) horse farm - George ClooneyGeorge ClooneyGeorge Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
- Actor, born in Georgetown May 6, 1961.