Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Harrodsburg is a city in and the county seat
of Mercer County
, Kentucky
, United States
. The population was 8,014 at the 2000 census
. It is the oldest city in Kentucky
.
, the first city in Kentucky. It was initially known as Harrod's Town or Harrodstown. The settlement was abandoned as a result of attacks by Native Americans
in Dunmore's War
the same year, but was resettled in 1775. It was the scene of much fighting with Native Americans during the American Revolutionary War
. Harrodsburg was the first seat of Kentucky County. Harrodsburg is listed in the Judiciary Act of 1789
as the location of the Kentucky Federal district court.
Harrodsburg was officially established by the Virginia legislature in 1785 and incorporated in 1836.
19th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
was organized at Camp Harwood in Harrodsburg, Kentucky and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on January 2, 1862 under the command of Colonel William J. Landram
.
Company D of the 192nd Tank Battalion
in the Battle of Bataan
was from Harrodsburg.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.3 sq mi (13.7 km²), all of it land.
, although nearing the humid continental climate
. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are cool with mild periods.
Average high is 87 °F in July and August, the warmest months, with the average lows of 26 °F occurring in January, the coolest month. The highest recorded temperature was 105 °F in September 1954. The lowest recorded temperature was -18 °F in January 1985. Average annual precipitation is 45.73 inches (1,161.5 mm), with the wettest month being May, averaging 4.68 inches (118.9 mm).
of 2000, there were 8,014 people, 3,449 households, and 2,234 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1510.5 /sqmi. There were 3,709 housing units at an average density of 699.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.92% White
, 7.52% African American
, 0.14% Native American
, 0.76% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 1.14% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.15% of the population.
There were 3,449 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% 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 2.91.
The age distribution was 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was US $27,500, and the median income for a family was $34,503. Males had a median income of $31,214 versus $21,216 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,327. About 14.2% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
Automotive Products is based in Harrodsburg.
Corning Incorporated has a plant located in Harrodsburg.
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 Mercer County
Mercer County, Kentucky
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 20,817. Its county seat is Harrodsburg. The county is named for General Hugh Mercer...
, 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 8,014 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 oldest city in 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...
.
History
Harrodsburg was founded on June 16, 1774 by James HarrodJames Harrod
James Harrod was a pioneer, soldier, and hunter who helped explore and settle the area west of the Allegheny Mountains. Little is known about Harrod's early life, including the exact date of his birth. He was possibly underage when he served in the French and Indian War, and later participated in...
, the first city in Kentucky. It was initially known as Harrod's Town or Harrodstown. The settlement was abandoned as a result of attacks by Native Americans
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...
in Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
the same year, but was resettled in 1775. It was the scene of much fighting with Native Americans during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Harrodsburg was the first seat of Kentucky County. Harrodsburg is listed in the Judiciary Act of 1789
Judiciary Act of 1789
The United States Judiciary Act of 1789 was a landmark statute adopted on September 24, 1789 in the first session of the First United States Congress establishing the U.S. federal judiciary...
as the location of the Kentucky Federal district court.
Harrodsburg was officially established by the Virginia legislature in 1785 and incorporated in 1836.
19th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
19th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
The 19th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 19th Kentucky Infantry was organized at Camp Harwood in Harrodsburg, Kentucky and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on January 2, 1862 under the...
was organized at Camp Harwood in Harrodsburg, Kentucky and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on January 2, 1862 under the command of Colonel William J. Landram
William J. Landram
William Jennings Landram was a lawyer, publisher, and Union officer during the American Civil War. He served in many of the campaigns associated with the XIII Corps often in command of a brigade and occasionally in division command...
.
Company D of the 192nd Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
The 192nd Tank Battalion of the United States Army was a federalized Army National Guard unit activated in November 1940. Deployed to the Philippines, the battalion was engaged in combat during the Japanese invasion and the US retreat to the Bataan Peninsula; being part of the force that...
in the Battle of Bataan
Battle of Bataan
The Battle of Bataan represented the most intense phase of Imperial Japan's invasion of the Philippines during World War II. The capture of the Philippine Islands was crucial to Japan's effort to control the Southwest Pacific, seize the resource-rich Dutch East Indies, and protect its Southeast...
was from Harrodsburg.
Geography
Harrodsburg is located at 37°45′50"N 84°50′46"W (37.764019, -84.845974).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 5.3 sq mi (13.7 km²), all of it land.
Climate
Harrodsburg is in the humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, although nearing the humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are cool with mild periods.
Average high is 87 °F in July and August, the warmest months, with the average lows of 26 °F occurring in January, the coolest month. The highest recorded temperature was 105 °F in September 1954. The lowest recorded temperature was -18 °F in January 1985. Average annual precipitation is 45.73 inches (1,161.5 mm), with the wettest month being May, averaging 4.68 inches (118.9 mm).
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 8,014 people, 3,449 households, and 2,234 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 1510.5 /sqmi. There were 3,709 housing units at an average density of 699.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.92% 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...
, 7.52% 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...
, 0.14% 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...
, 0.76% 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,...
, 0.02% 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...
, 1.14% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.15% of the population.
There were 3,449 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% 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, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% 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 2.91.
The age distribution was 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was US $27,500, and the median income for a family was $34,503. Males had a median income of $31,214 versus $21,216 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 $15,327. About 14.2% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public education is provided by the Mercer County School District. The following list consists of the schools located within the district:- Harrodsburg Area Technology Center
- Mercer County Senior High SchoolMercer County Senior High School (Kentucky)Mercer County Senior High School is a public secondary school located in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The school mascot is the Titan.-Establishment:...
- Mercer County 9th Grade Academy
- Kenneth D. King Middle School
- Mercer County 5th Grade Academy
- Mercer County Elementary School
- Harlow Elementary School
Economy
HitachiHitachi
Hitachi is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology.Hitachi may also refer to:*Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan*Hitachi province, former province of Japan*Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi, members of the Japanese imperial family...
Automotive Products is based in Harrodsburg.
Corning Incorporated has a plant located in Harrodsburg.
Notable natives
- Frances Wisebart JacobsFrances Wisebart JacobsFrances Wisebart Jacobs was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, to Bavarian immigrants and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She married her brother Jacob Wisebart's partner, Abraham Jacobs, and came west with him to Colorado where Wisebart and Jacob's had established businesses in Denver and Central City...
, philanthropist - William LoganWilliam Logan (Kentucky)William Logan was a United States Senator from Kentucky.Born within the fort at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, Logan spent his early childhood in St. Asaphs Fort, receiving private instruction from his parents and tutors. He moved to Shelby County, Kentucky about 1798. He studied law, was admitted to the...
, politician - Beriah MagoffinBeriah MagoffinBeriah Magoffin was the 21st Governor of Kentucky, serving during the early part of the Civil War. Personally, Magoffin adhered to a states' rights position, including the right of a state to secede from the Union, and he sympathized with the Confederate cause...
, Governor of KentuckyGovernor of KentuckyThe Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
(1859 – 1862) and namesake of Magoffin County, KentuckyMagoffin County, KentuckyMagoffin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky which was formed from parts of Floyd, Johnson, and Morgan Counties and officially created on 22 February 1860. As of 2000, the population was 13,332. Its county seat is Salyersville... - John Burton ThompsonJohn Burton ThompsonJohn Burton Thompson was a United States Representative and Senator from Kentucky.Born near Harrodsburg, Kentucky, Thompson completed preparatory studies and studied law. He was admitted to the bar and practiced in Harrodsburg, becoming the Commonwealth's Attorney...
, politician - Jason Dunn (American football) National Football League player.
- Craig YeastCraig YeastCraig Nelson Yeast was a Canadian Football League wide receiver and kick returner for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Previously, he played in the National Football League from 1999 through 2001...
National Football League Player. - Dennis Johnson (defensive end) National Football League Player.