Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Hopkinsville is a city in Christian County
, Kentucky
, United States
. The population was 31,577 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
of Christian County
.
. The Wood family settled in the vicinity of present-day West Seventh and Bethel Streets, near what would become known as the Old Rock Spring. Wood claimed 1200 acres (5 km²) of bounty land, based on his military service in the American Revolutionary War
. He built a second cabin on what is now the northeast corner of Ninth and Virginia streets, and a few years later built a home southeast of Fourteenth and Campbell streets, where he died in 1827. Wood's settlement soon attracted others, and a pioneer village emerged.
Wood donated 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land and a half interest in his spring for the new county seat. The following year a log courthouse, jail, and "stray pen" were built on the public square facing Main Street. The plat for the town, first called Christian Court House, was surveyed by John Campbell and Samuel Means in 1799. In honor of Wood's eldest daughter, the town was renamed Elizabeth that same year. However, a town in Hardin County
had the same name, and when the city incorporated in 1804, the General Assembly
renamed the settlement Hopkinsville, in honor of General
Samuel Hopkins
of Henderson County
.
generated major social and economic division among the people in Hopkinsville and Christian County
. Confederate
support in Hopkinsville and Christian County was evident in the formation of the "Oak Grove Rangers" and the 28th Kentucky Cavalry. Union
Camp Joe Anderson, located northwest of Hopkinsville, was established in 1862 after the Confederate
forces had retreated to Tennessee. Men who trained there became members of the 35th Kentucky Cavalry, the 25th Kentucky Infantry
, and the 35th Kentucky Infantry
. Union General James S. Jackson
, a Hopkinsville attorney before the war, was killed in the Battle of Perryville
, Kentucky, in October 1862. Private citizens who supported the Union cause provided the army with mules, wagons, clothing, and food, just as the pro-Confederates had done for their side earlier.
Christian County was the birthsite of Jefferson Davis
, President of the Confederate States of America
. Several local businessmen and plantation
owners contributed money and war supplies to the "Lost Cause." Hopkinsville changed hands at least half a dozen times, being occupied in turn by Confederate and Union forces. In December 1864, Confederate troops under General Hylan B. Lyon
captured the town and burned the Christian County courthouse, as it was being used by the Union army as barracks. A skirmish between Union and Confederate forces took place in the field opposite Western State Hospital near the end of the war.
planters formed a protectionist Dark Tobacco District Planters' Protective Association of Kentucky
and Tennessee
. This was in opposition to a corporate monopoly
: the American Tobacco Company
(ATC) trust, owned by James B. Duke.
Many farmers found that they could no longer sell their tobacco
crop at a profit and that the ATC was the region's only buyer, now that the many tobacco companies had formed the trust
using that agency to purchase all tobacco from any farmer at a fixed price
. Upon establishing the protective association and rivaling the monopoly by practicing boycott
s of tobacco sales, some farmers formed the "Silent Brigade" in an effort to apply social pressure for the purpose of terrorizing farmers into joining the Association against the Trust and holding to its boycott of raising no tobacco or selling no tobacco.
The Silent Brigade was later to become the infamous the Night Riders
, assembled and regulated by suspected leader Dr. David A. Amoss. The Night Riders, as they came to be called, were regarded as heroes by farmers they helped, but they were also known for violence in their fight against the changing tobacco industry
.
On December 7, 1907, 250 masked night riders captured the police station and cut Hopkinsville off from outside contact. They pursued city officials and tobacco executives who bought tobacco from farmers who were not members of the Dark Tobacco District Planters' Protective Association. Three warehouses were burned during the night. Peace Park in Hopkinsville now stands on the site of one of the warehouses.
at 36°51′17"N 87°29′20"W (36.854712, -87.488872).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 24.0 square miles (62.3 km²), of which 24.0 square miles (62.2 km²) is land and 0.04% is water.
of 2000, there were 30,089 people, 12,174 households, and 8,120 families residing in the city of Hopkinsville. The population density
was 1,252.4 people per square mile (483.5/km²). There were 13,260 housing units at an average density of 551.9 per square mile (213.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.9% White, 30% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races
, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.
There were 12,174 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples
living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,419, and the median income for a family was $37,598. Males had a median income of $30,349 versus $21,259 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,796. About 13.6% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
, TN
–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clarksville lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) to the south of Hopkinsville. Prior to 2003, the area was officially known as the Clarksville-Hopkinsville Metropolitan Statistical Area and included only Montgomery and Christian counties. In 2003, Hopkinsville was removed from the official name as it was no longer considered a principal city. That year, Stewart and Trigg counties were also added to the MSA. The four-county metropolitan area had a population of 232,000 in 2000. A July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 261,816. As of 2007, the Clarksville Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 169th largest
MSA in the United States
.
There are nine Japanese companies (wholly owned or Joint ventures) in Hopkinsville Kentucky as well as one German, Spanish, and Italian.
For ten-pin bowler
s around the world, Hopkinsville is a manufacturing mecca. Hopkinsville is the headquarters and primary manufacturing facility for Ebonite International
, one of the oldest and largest bowling ball
manufacturers in existence. Ebonite has a broad market share as they own several well-known brand names including Hammer Bowling
, Dyno-Thane, Columbia 300
, Track International
, and Robby's. Statistically Hopkinsville produces 98 percent of the world's bowling balls.
Agribusiness
Hopkinsville-Christian County has strong agricultural roots dating back to the settlements in the 1790s. It has been a strong and consistent leader in the production of corn, winter wheat, soybeans, and tobacco.
Statistics released in December, 2007, by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, show Christian County continues to be a leading crop producer.
Christian County ranks:
Other key production includes burley tobacco, alfalfa hay, other hay, cattle, and calves and milk production.
The county is the second largest in area in Kentucky at 722 square miles (1,870 km²) and has an estimated 1,150 farms with over 300000 acres (1,214.1 km²) of farmland, with 230000 acres (930.8 km²) in cropland. Our average size farm is 267 acres (1.1 km²).
Agriculture has become a highly technical industry and Christian County farmers realized the need for continuing education and technical training concerning implements, machinery, fertilizers, chemicals, seeds, and overall good farming practice. Because of this progressive attitude, Christian County continues to be an agricultural leader and example of good farming practices. The Hopkinsville Community College has a technical center specializing in agricultural classes. FFA classes at local high schools have over 200 members. The local 4-H group is extremely active serving over a thousand members in a variety of subjects.
The Chamber of Commerce maintains an Agri-Business Committee that promotes “Ag Week”. The Agri-Business Committee promotes local agriculture with two events annually with a media blitz via newspaper, radio, and television; one in March during National Agriculture Week and again in July during Christian County Agriculture Week. It honors local farmers in the following four fields; Agri-Business of the Year, Farmer of the Year, Distinguished Service, and Friend of Agriculture. The committee also awards scholarships each year to a student who will pursue an agricultural course in college.
(usually referred to by only the former name, the Pennyrile Parkway) . A four-lane bypass almost completely circles the city. The Southern portion of the bypass is the route for US 68 Bypass. Congressional funding approved for an extension of the Pennyrile Parkway to Interstate 24
in southern Christian County near Fort Campbell
. Construction was completed in three phases. Phase One took the parkway to the US 68 bypass. Phase Two extend it to Lover's Lane. Phase Three, completed in late 2010 but not opened until early 2011, extended the parkway to meet I-24.
. Hopkinsville is served by the Hopkinsville-Christian County Regional Airport, a general aviation
airport with one 5502 feet (1,677 m) runway.
) in 1879. The Ohio Valley Railroad, purchased by the Illinois Central Railroad
(now Illinois Central Gulf) in 1897, was built from Gracey
to Hopkinsville in 1892 and abandoned in the 1980s. In 1903, the western division of the Tennessee Central Railway
entered Christian County at Edgoten (Edge-of-Tennessee), connecting Clarksville and Hopkinsville. In 1990 the Hopkinsville-Fort Campbell portion was operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.
, founded in 1869, is the daily newspaper for the city and surrounding area. Source 16 Television is a local low power television station.
Elder Watson Diggs, founder of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. As of 2000, its population was 72,265. Its county seat is Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
, 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 31,577 at the 2010 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 Christian County
Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. As of 2000, its population was 72,265. Its county seat is Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
.
History
Hopkinsville was settled in 1796 by Bartholomew and Martha Ann Wood, who came from Jonesborough, TennesseeJonesborough, Tennessee
Jonesborough is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The population was 4,168 at the 2000 census...
. The Wood family settled in the vicinity of present-day West Seventh and Bethel Streets, near what would become known as the Old Rock Spring. Wood claimed 1200 acres (5 km²) of bounty land, based on his military service in 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...
. He built a second cabin on what is now the northeast corner of Ninth and Virginia streets, and a few years later built a home southeast of Fourteenth and Campbell streets, where he died in 1827. Wood's settlement soon attracted others, and a pioneer village emerged.
Wood donated 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land and a half interest in his spring for the new county seat. The following year a log courthouse, jail, and "stray pen" were built on the public square facing Main Street. The plat for the town, first called Christian Court House, was surveyed by John Campbell and Samuel Means in 1799. In honor of Wood's eldest daughter, the town was renamed Elizabeth that same year. However, a town in Hardin County
Hardin County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 94,174 people, 34,497 households, and 25,355 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 37,673 housing units at an average density of...
had the same name, and when the city incorporated in 1804, the General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
renamed the settlement Hopkinsville, in honor of General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Samuel Hopkins
Samuel Hopkins (congressman)
Samuel Hopkins was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Albemarle County, Virginia, Hopkins was educated by private tutors...
of Henderson County
Henderson County, Kentucky
Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1799. As the latest census data update of 2010, the population was counted 46,250. The county seat is the City of Henderson. The county was named for Colonel Richard Henderson who originally purchased of land...
.
Hopkinsville in the Civil War
The Civil WarAmerican 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...
generated major social and economic division among the people in Hopkinsville and Christian County
Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. As of 2000, its population was 72,265. Its county seat is Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
. Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
support in Hopkinsville and Christian County was evident in the formation of the "Oak Grove Rangers" and the 28th Kentucky Cavalry. Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
Camp Joe Anderson, located northwest of Hopkinsville, was established in 1862 after the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces had retreated to Tennessee. Men who trained there became members of the 35th Kentucky Cavalry, the 25th Kentucky Infantry
25th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
The 25th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 25th Kentucky Infantry was organized at Camp Joe Anderson near Hopkinsville, Kentucky and mustered in for a three year enlistment on January 1, 1862.The...
, and the 35th Kentucky Infantry
35th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
The 35th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 35th Kentucky Infantry was organized at Owensboro, Kentucky and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on October 20, 1863 under the command of Colonel...
. Union General James S. Jackson
James S. Jackson
James Streshly Jackson was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky and a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, a Hopkinsville attorney before the war, was killed in the Battle of Perryville
Battle of Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive during the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Mississippi won a...
, Kentucky, in October 1862. Private citizens who supported the Union cause provided the army with mules, wagons, clothing, and food, just as the pro-Confederates had done for their side earlier.
Christian County was the birthsite of Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
, President of the Confederate States of America
President of the Confederate States of America
The President of the Confederate States of America was the Head of State and Head of Government of the Confederate States of America, which was formed from the states which declared their secession from the United States, thus precipitating the American Civil War. The only person to hold the...
. Several local businessmen and plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
owners contributed money and war supplies to the "Lost Cause." Hopkinsville changed hands at least half a dozen times, being occupied in turn by Confederate and Union forces. In December 1864, Confederate troops under General Hylan B. Lyon
Hylan B. Lyon
Hylan Benton Lyon was a career officer in the United States Army until the start of the American Civil War, when he resigned rather than fight against the South...
captured the town and burned the Christian County courthouse, as it was being used by the Union army as barracks. A skirmish between Union and Confederate forces took place in the field opposite Western State Hospital near the end of the war.
The Black Patch Tobacco Wars and the Night Riders
In the early years of the twentieth century, tobaccoTobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
planters formed a protectionist Dark Tobacco District Planters' Protective Association 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...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. This was in opposition to a corporate monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
: the American Tobacco Company
American Tobacco Company
The American Tobacco Company was a tobacco company founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers including Allen and Ginter and Goodwin & Company...
(ATC) trust, owned by James B. Duke.
Many farmers found that they could no longer sell their tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
crop at a profit and that the ATC was the region's only buyer, now that the many tobacco companies had formed the trust
Trust (19th century)
A special trust or business trust is a business entity formed with intent to monopolize business, to restrain trade, or to fix prices. Trusts gained economic power in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some, but not all, were organized as trusts in the legal sense...
using that agency to purchase all tobacco from any farmer at a fixed price
Fixed price
The term "fixed price" is a phrase used in the English language to mean that no bargaining is allowed over the price of a good or, less commonly, a service...
. Upon establishing the protective association and rivaling the monopoly by practicing boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
s of tobacco sales, some farmers formed the "Silent Brigade" in an effort to apply social pressure for the purpose of terrorizing farmers into joining the Association against the Trust and holding to its boycott of raising no tobacco or selling no tobacco.
The Silent Brigade was later to become the infamous the Night Riders
The Night Riders
The Night Riders were a vigilante group operating from about 1906 to 1908 in southwestern Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee that used fear and intimidation against the Duke tobacco monopoly in the area. The Night Riders were led by Dr. David Amoss, a medical doctor from the Cobb community in...
, assembled and regulated by suspected leader Dr. David A. Amoss. The Night Riders, as they came to be called, were regarded as heroes by farmers they helped, but they were also known for violence in their fight against the changing tobacco industry
History of commercial tobacco in the United States
The history of commercial tobacco production in the United States dates back to the 17th century when the first commercial crop was planted. The industry originated in the production of tobacco for pipes and snuff. Different war efforts in the world created a shift in demand and production of...
.
On December 7, 1907, 250 masked night riders captured the police station and cut Hopkinsville off from outside contact. They pursued city officials and tobacco executives who bought tobacco from farmers who were not members of the Dark Tobacco District Planters' Protective Association. Three warehouses were burned during the night. Peace Park in Hopkinsville now stands on the site of one of the warehouses.
Tornado of April 2006
On April 2, 2006, an F3 tornado caused major damage. 93 homes were destroyed and 199 others suffered severe damage. In addition, structural damage was reported to dozens of other businesses, along with countless trees, power lines, transmission towers and other structures, cutting electricity to the city of Hopkinsville. A gas line was also damaged, causing a gas leak. 32 people were injured but none seriously.Geography
Hopkinsville is located in Christian CountyChristian County, Kentucky
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. As of 2000, its population was 72,265. Its county seat is Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
at 36°51′17"N 87°29′20"W (36.854712, -87.488872).
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 24.0 square miles (62.3 km²), of which 24.0 square miles (62.2 km²) is land and 0.04% is water.
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 30,089 people, 12,174 households, and 8,120 families residing in the city of Hopkinsville. 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 1,252.4 people per square mile (483.5/km²). There were 13,260 housing units at an average density of 551.9 per square mile (213.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.9% White, 30% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.59% 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 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.
There were 12,174 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% 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, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,419, and the median income for a family was $37,598. Males had a median income of $30,349 versus $21,259 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 $15,796. About 13.6% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
Clarksville MSA
Hopkinsville is part of the ClarksvilleClarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
, TN
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clarksville lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) to the south of Hopkinsville. Prior to 2003, the area was officially known as the Clarksville-Hopkinsville Metropolitan Statistical Area and included only Montgomery and Christian counties. In 2003, Hopkinsville was removed from the official name as it was no longer considered a principal city. That year, Stewart and Trigg counties were also added to the MSA. The four-county metropolitan area had a population of 232,000 in 2000. A July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 261,816. As of 2007, the Clarksville Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 169th largest
Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas
thumb|An enlargeable map of the 942 [[Core Based Statistical Area]]s of the [[United States]]. The 367 [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]s are shown in red....
MSA in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Industry
Hopkinsville-Christian County, Kentucky is home to a wide range of businesses and industries including Fortune 500 Companies. Over 50 companies make up the local industrial community. Local industries provide a range of services and manufactured products. A full list of manufactures can be found HERE.There are nine Japanese companies (wholly owned or Joint ventures) in Hopkinsville Kentucky as well as one German, Spanish, and Italian.
For ten-pin bowler
Ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...
s around the world, Hopkinsville is a manufacturing mecca. Hopkinsville is the headquarters and primary manufacturing facility for Ebonite International
Ebonite International
Ebonite International is a parent company that oversees the manufacture of bowling balls and bowling equipment. Their headquarters and primary manufacturing facility is located in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.-Expansion in 2007:...
, one of the oldest and largest bowling ball
Bowling ball
A bowling ball is a spherical ball made from plastic, reactive resin, urethane or a combination of these materials which is used in the sport of bowling. Ten-pin bowling balls generally have a set of three holes drilled in them, one each for the ring and middle finger, and one for the thumb;...
manufacturers in existence. Ebonite has a broad market share as they own several well-known brand names including Hammer Bowling
Hammer Bowling
Hammer Bowling is a division of Ebonite International that specializes in the creation of mid to high performance bowling balls and quality accessories. Its products are manufactured in Ebonite's Hopkinsville, Kentucky plant...
, Dyno-Thane, Columbia 300
Columbia Industries
Columbia Industries was a company involved in the manufacture and sales of bowling balls and ten-pin bowling-related accessories. Their most notable brand name was Columbia 300, which produced some of the most well-known balls in the sport. In February 2007, Columbia announced that it had been...
, Track International
Track International
Track was a company involved in the manufacture and sales of bowling balls and ten-pin bowling related accessories. They were purchased by Columbia Industries and was subsequently transferred to Ebonite International when the latter acquired the former in February 2007. Currently, Track-related...
, and Robby's. Statistically Hopkinsville produces 98 percent of the world's bowling balls.
Agribusiness
Hopkinsville-Christian County has strong agricultural roots dating back to the settlements in the 1790s. It has been a strong and consistent leader in the production of corn, winter wheat, soybeans, and tobacco.
Statistics released in December, 2007, by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, show Christian County continues to be a leading crop producer.
Christian County ranks:
- #1 crops for cash receipts
- #1 winter wheat
- #2 corn
- #3 dark fired tobacco
- #4 soybeans
Other key production includes burley tobacco, alfalfa hay, other hay, cattle, and calves and milk production.
The county is the second largest in area in Kentucky at 722 square miles (1,870 km²) and has an estimated 1,150 farms with over 300000 acres (1,214.1 km²) of farmland, with 230000 acres (930.8 km²) in cropland. Our average size farm is 267 acres (1.1 km²).
Agriculture has become a highly technical industry and Christian County farmers realized the need for continuing education and technical training concerning implements, machinery, fertilizers, chemicals, seeds, and overall good farming practice. Because of this progressive attitude, Christian County continues to be an agricultural leader and example of good farming practices. The Hopkinsville Community College has a technical center specializing in agricultural classes. FFA classes at local high schools have over 200 members. The local 4-H group is extremely active serving over a thousand members in a variety of subjects.
The Chamber of Commerce maintains an Agri-Business Committee that promotes “Ag Week”. The Agri-Business Committee promotes local agriculture with two events annually with a media blitz via newspaper, radio, and television; one in March during National Agriculture Week and again in July during Christian County Agriculture Week. It honors local farmers in the following four fields; Agri-Business of the Year, Farmer of the Year, Distinguished Service, and Friend of Agriculture. The committee also awards scholarships each year to a student who will pursue an agricultural course in college.
Top employers
According to Hopkinsville's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walmart | 875 |
| 2 | Jennie Stuart Medical Center | 850 |
| 3 | Western State Hospital Western State Hospital Western State Hospital may refer to:*Western State Hospital *Western State Hospital *Western State Hospital... |
776 |
| 4 | Metalsa | 480 |
| 5 | Martinrea | 438 |
| 6 | Toyoda Gosei | 330 |
| 7 | Hopkinsville Community College Hopkinsville Community College Hopkinsville Community College , located in Hopkinsville, KY, is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System . Founded in 1965, HCC maintains a main campus in Hopkinsville and a branch campus on the Fort Campbell Army base... |
290 |
| 8 | Douglas Autotech | 471 |
| 9 | Ebonite International Ebonite International Ebonite International is a parent company that oversees the manufacture of bowling balls and bowling equipment. Their headquarters and primary manufacturing facility is located in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.-Expansion in 2007:... |
225 |
| 10 | T. RAD | 218 |
Road
Hopkinsville is intersected by US 41, US 41A, US 68, US 68 Bypass, and the Ned Breathitt Pennyrile ParkwayPennyrile Parkway
The Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway is a controlled-access highway from Henderson to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The parkway begins at Henderson as a continuation of the limited-access U.S. Route 41 at exit 81; the northernmost three miles of the Pennyrile Parkway are signed as US 41...
(usually referred to by only the former name, the Pennyrile Parkway) . A four-lane bypass almost completely circles the city. The Southern portion of the bypass is the route for US 68 Bypass. Congressional funding approved for an extension of the Pennyrile Parkway to Interstate 24
Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
in southern Christian County near Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
. Construction was completed in three phases. Phase One took the parkway to the US 68 bypass. Phase Two extend it to Lover's Lane. Phase Three, completed in late 2010 but not opened until early 2011, extended the parkway to meet I-24.
Air
All commercial air traffic for residents and visitors to Hopkinsville use Nashville International AirportNashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
. Hopkinsville is served by the Hopkinsville-Christian County Regional Airport, a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport with one 5502 feet (1,677 m) runway.
Rail
Railroad construction and operation in the late 1860s opened markets for agricultural and industrial products. Railroad service was inaugurated in Hopkinsville on April 8, 1868, by the Evansville, Henderson, & Nashville Railroad. This line was later extended north to Henderson and was acquired by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (now CSX TransportationCSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
) in 1879. The Ohio Valley Railroad, purchased by the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
(now Illinois Central Gulf) in 1897, was built from Gracey
Gracey, Kentucky
Gracey is an unincorporated town in Christian County, Kentucky, USA....
to Hopkinsville in 1892 and abandoned in the 1980s. In 1903, the western division of the Tennessee Central Railway
Tennessee Central Railway
The Tennessee Central Railway was founded in 1884 as the Nashville and Knoxville Railroad by Alexander S. Crawford. It was an attempt to open up a rail route from the coal and minerals of East Tennessee to the markets of the midstate, a service which many businessmen felt was not being adequately...
entered Christian County at Edgoten (Edge-of-Tennessee), connecting Clarksville and Hopkinsville. In 1990 the Hopkinsville-Fort Campbell portion was operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Media
The Kentucky New EraKentucky New Era
The Kentucky New Era is the major daily newspaper in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in the United States.- History :The paper was founded in 1869 by John D. Morris and Asher Graham Caruth, as the Weekly Kentucky New Era....
, founded in 1869, is the daily newspaper for the city and surrounding area. Source 16 Television is a local low power television station.
Attractions and points of interest
- Hopkinsville was a stop along the Trail of TearsTrail of TearsThe Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
and a park along 9th Street on the Little River commemorates this history. Every September, the Trail of Tears Indian Pow-Wow comes to town to Trail of Tears Park. There is a museum, and a burial ground, including two important Cherokee Chiefs who died during the removal - Fly Smith and Whitepath, along with several large osage orange trees in it and dream catchers hanging from the wrought iron fence. There is also a sunken amphitheater. A group of plaques commemorate the great uprooting and journey, and its devastating effect upon the CherokeeCherokeeThe Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
people. It is listedNational Register of Historic Places listings in Christian County, KentuckyThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Christian County, Kentucky. It is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Christian County, Kentucky, United States...
in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - The PennyroyalPennyroyalPennyroyal refers to two plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. For the American species, see American pennyroyal. The European pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium, , is a plant in the mint genus, within the family Lamiaceae. Crushed Pennyroyal leaves exhibit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint...
Area Museum, located in the old post office building downtown, has exhibits on the history of Hopkinsville and the Pennyrile region. The Pennyroyal Area Museum is owned and funded by the City of Hopkinsville and was established to perpetuate the heritage of Southwestern Kentucky's rich history. In 1974, the City of Hopkinsville acquired the old Post Office Building from the U. S. Government for use as an educational museum. The Pennyroyal Area Museum was established in October 1975, and opened on July 8, 1976. Its board and staff maintain a wide range of activities in its endeavor to preserve and interpret the past. Area citizens have contributed important roles in the Kentucky tradition from the post revolution era to the present. Historical in scope, the museum attempts to portray the development of the nine county Pennyrile region.- Exhibits include the night riders of the Black Patch Tobacco WarsBlack Patch Tobacco WarsThe "Black Patch" or "dark fired" tobacco area included counties in southwestern Kentucky and adjoining districts in Tennessee. On September 24, 1904, American tobacco planters formed the protectionist Dark Tobacco District Planters' Protective Association of Kentucky and Tennessee to oppose the...
; Edgar CayceEdgar CayceEdgar Cayce was an American psychic who allegedly had the ability to give answers to questions on subjects such as healing or Atlantis while in a hypnotic trance...
, famed local clairvoyant; Jefferson DavisJefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
; period room settings; a pioneer bedroom; a miniature circus; antique quilts; blackAfrican AmericanAfrican 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...
history; historic modes of transportation; as well as historical license plates from Kentucky.
- Exhibits include the night riders of the Black Patch Tobacco Wars
- Every May, Hopkinsville hosts Little River Days which is a 2 day family fun festival featuring road runningRoad runningRoad running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
, canoe racingCanoe racingThis article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
, a bicycle tour, arts and craftsArts and craftsArts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
, food vendors and live entertainment. All activities take place at Merchant Park in downtown Hopkinsville. - During the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 Hopkinsville will be the closest metropolitan area to the expected point of greatest eclipse, which will occur about 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the city center.
- In the opening of the horror-comedy film Attack of the Killer TomatoesAttack of the Killer TomatoesAttack of the Killer Tomatoes is a 1978 comedy film directed by John De Bello and starring David Miller. The film is a spoof of B movies. Made on a budget of less than US$100,000, the story involves tomatoes becoming sentient by unknown means and revolting against humanity. Writing credits were...
it incorrectly states that the town was besieged by thousands of birds in 1975 corresponding with the classic horror film The BirdsThe Birds (film)The Birds is a 1963 horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on the 1952 short story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California which is, suddenly and for unexplained reasons, the subject of a series of widespread and violent bird attacks over the course of a few...
.
Notable people
- Edward T. BreathittEdward T. BreathittEdward Thompson "Ned" Breathitt, Jr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. A member of one of the state's political families, he was the 51st Governor of Kentucky, serving from 1963 to 1967...
, former governor of KentuckyKentuckyThe 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... - Greg BucknerGreg BucknerGregory Derayle Buckner is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA...
, NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
shooting guardShooting guardThe shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... - Edgar CayceEdgar CayceEdgar Cayce was an American psychic who allegedly had the ability to give answers to questions on subjects such as healing or Atlantis while in a hypnotic trance...
, notable psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot... - Warren ChaneyWarren ChaneyWarren Herbert Chaney, Ph.D. is an American executive, author, filmmaker, behavioral scientist, entertainer, businessman and a pioneer in early television. In a career spanning four decades, Chaney wrote fifteen books, fourteen screenplays, and seventy-eight professional and nonprofessional...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, filmmaker (producer, director, screenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
) and educator. - Jerry ClaiborneJerry ClaiborneJerry Claiborne was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Virginia Tech , the University of Maryland, College Park , and his alma mater, the University of Kentucky , compiling a career college football record of 179–122–8...
, former college football coach for the Kentucky WildcatsKentucky Wildcats footballThe Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era... - John Miller CooperJohn Miller CooperJohn Miller Cooper was an American educator. He is also regarded as one of the early innovators of the basketball jump shot and as a pioneer in the field of biomechanics and human movement.-Early years:...
, pioneer of kinesiology - Steve GormanSteve GormanSteve Gorman is a musician best known as the drummer of the American hard rock band The Black Crowes. He also spent some time as the drummer for British rock band Stereophonics.- Early career :...
, drummer for The Black CrowesThe Black CrowesThe Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the... - bell hooksBell hooksGloria Jean Watkins , better known by her pen name bell hooks, is an American author, feminist, and social activist....
, social activist - Willie "Sonny" Killebrew, former saxophonist for The S.O.S. Band
- Mac KingMac KingMac King is a comedy magician who has performed on television specials, often as a co-host. He has his own family-friendly show, "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show," at the Harrah's Las Vegas in the Clint Holmes Theater....
, comedic magician - Brice LongBrice LongBrice Long is an American country music singer. Signed to Columbia Records in 2005, Long charted one single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts that year: "Anywhere but Here", which was also released by Chris Cagle a year later...
, country music artist - Riccardo MartinRiccardo MartinRiccardo Martin was an American tenor.Born Hugh Whitfield Martin in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Martin was granted an endowment which allowed him, in 1901, to go to Paris to study with Giovanni Sbriglia and Jean de Reszke; he later completed his studies with Vincenzo Lombardi in Florence and Beniamino...
, operatic tenor - Doug MoseleyDoug MoseleyDouglas Dewayne Moseley, known as Doug Moseley , is a retired United Methodist minister and author who served as a Republican member of the Kentucky State Senate from 1974 to 1986...
, former member of the Kentucky State Senate; youth pastor at First United Methodist Church in Hopkinsville from 1948–1949 - Artose PinnerArtose PinnerArtose Deonce Pinner is an American football running back who is currently a free-agent. He was originally drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, NFLNational Football LeagueThe 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...
running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... - Christine Johnson Smith, opera singer and Tony AwardTony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nominated Broadway actress - Thomas R. UnderwoodThomas R. UnderwoodThomas Rust Underwood served Kentucky in the United States House of Representatives and in the United States Senate.Underwood was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
, former U.S. Representative and Senator - Ed WhitfieldEd WhitfieldWayne Edward "Ed" Whitfield is the U.S. Representative of , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers much of the western part of the state, including Hopkinsville, Paducah, Henderson and Kentucky's share of Fort Campbell.-Early life, education and...
, member, United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Chris WhitneyChris WhitneyChristopher Antoine Whitney is a former American professional basketball player.A 6'0" point guard from Clemson University, Whitney was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the 1993 NBA Draft...
, former NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
point guardPoint guardPoint guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that... - Moe WilliamsMoe WilliamsMaurece Jabari "Moe" Williams is a former American football running back in the National Football League . He formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens...
, former NFL running back, now successful Thoroughbred owner and trainer. - Bird AverittBird AverittWilliam Rodney "Bird" Averitt is a retired American basketball player.He played collegiately for Pepperdine University...
,former NBA and ABA guard
Elder Watson Diggs, founder of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
External links
- wwww.hopkinsville.info - Community information and relocation resources for Hopkinsville/Christian County Kentucky
- www.hopkinsvillechamber.com - Business Directory and Resources from the Hopkinsville/Christian County Chamber of Commerce
- www.hopkinsvilleindustry.com - Economic Development Council provides information and updates on existing industries
- www.HopkinsvilleKy.US - The official local government website for the City of Hopkinsville.