Marshall County, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Marshall County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Kentucky
. As of 2000, the population was 30,125. The 2007 Census Bureau population estimate was 31,258. Its county seat
is Benton
. It was a dry county
until 2004, when residents of Calvert City
voted to allow sales of liquor by the drink in restaurants. It is the only Purchase Area
county to not border another state.
. The first settlement was around 1818, when the area was bought from Native Americans as part of the Jackson Purchase
. Marshall County was named in honor of Chief Justice
John Marshall
, who had died not long before the founding of the county.
From its settlement until the 1930s, the county was nearly completely agricultural.
The creation of Kentucky Lake
by the Tennessee Valley Authority
in the 1940s brought tourism and industry to the county with resorts along the lake. The Kentucky Dam
's cheap and plentiful electricity
also attracted chemical and manufacturing plants, mostly in the Calvert City
area. The creation of the lake led to the destruction of two Marshall County towns: Birmingham, located about six miles north of the present day town of Fairdealing, and Gilbertsville
, which was at the present-day dam site. Gilbertsville was rebuilt somewhat to the west of its original location. Birmingham residents were dispersed. Gilbertsville was an incorporated town until the 1970s, when its charter was dissolved by public vote. Kentucky Lake (created by the impounding of the Tennessee River) and Lake Barkley (created through the impounding of the Cumberland River) make up one of the largest man-made bodies of water in the world.
Historically, Marshall County has been a stronghold of the Democratic Party
. Since the founding of the county, Democrats have dominated county politics. Today, all elected county officials are Democrats, with the exception of one.
Marshall County was named Kentucky's "Best County to Live In" ten years in a row, from 1999-2009.
of 2000, there were 30,125 people, 12,412 households, and 8,998 families residing in the county. The population density
was 99 /sqmi. There were 14,730 housing units at an average density of 48 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.57% White
, 0.002% Black or African American
, 0.17% Native American
, 0.15% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.22% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
of any race.
There were 12,412 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples
living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.83.
The age distribution was 21.80% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,573, and the median income for a family was $43,670. Males had a median income of $36,673 versus $21,941 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $18,069. About 6.60% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.
. Originating in 1842 as a day for farmers to gather at the county seat to trade their agricultural goods, today Tater Day is a celebration that includes a festival and parade. Tater Day derives its name from the main items traded—sweet potato slips. Tater Day is the world's only celebration of the sweet potato
.
On the fourth Sunday of each May, The Big Singing, an all-day sing-along program of Southern Harmony
shape note
gospel music is held at the county courthouse. While other major singings still survive, The Big Singing, begun in 1884, is the only singing in the world to use the William Walker Southern Harmony system of shape-note singing. The Big Singing is also distinguished as the oldest continuously operating indigenous music festival in the United States.
Other annual events include Hardin Day and Aurora Country Festival, celebrated in the small towns of Hardin and Aurora. More recently, the area has become known for the annual Hot August Blues and Barbecue Festival and for the Kentucky Lake Bluegrass Festival, held at Kenlake State Resort Park
. Marshall County is also home to Jackson Purchase barbecue, a unique style that is found in the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. As of 2000, the population was 30,125. The 2007 Census Bureau population estimate was 31,258. Its 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....
is Benton
Benton, Kentucky
Benton is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 4,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County....
. It was a dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
until 2004, when residents of Calvert City
Calvert City, Kentucky
Calvert City is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,701 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Calvert City is located at ....
voted to allow sales of liquor by the drink in restaurants. It is the only Purchase Area
Jackson Purchase
The Jackson Purchase is a region in the state of Kentucky bounded by the Mississippi River to the west, the Ohio River to the north, and Tennessee River to the east. Although technically part of Kentucky at its statehood in 1792, the land did not come under definitive U.S. control until 1818, when...
county to not border another state.
History
The county was formed in 1842 from part of Calloway CountyCalloway County, Kentucky
Calloway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1823. As of 2010, the population was 37,191. Its county seat is Murray, Kentucky. The county is named for Colonel Richard Callaway, one of the founders of Boonesborough...
. The first settlement was around 1818, when the area was bought from Native Americans as part of the Jackson Purchase
Jackson Purchase
The Jackson Purchase is a region in the state of Kentucky bounded by the Mississippi River to the west, the Ohio River to the north, and Tennessee River to the east. Although technically part of Kentucky at its statehood in 1792, the land did not come under definitive U.S. control until 1818, when...
. Marshall County was named in honor of Chief Justice
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
, who had died not long before the founding of the county.
From its settlement until the 1930s, the county was nearly completely agricultural.
The creation of Kentucky Lake
Kentucky Lake
Kentucky Lake is a major navigable reservoir along the Tennessee River in Kentucky and Tennessee. Created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority's impounding of the Tennessee River by Kentucky Dam, the lake is the largest artificial lake by surface area in the United States east of the...
by the Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
in the 1940s brought tourism and industry to the county with resorts along the lake. The Kentucky Dam
Kentucky Dam
Kentucky Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River on the county line between Livingston County and Marshall County in the U.S. state of Kentucky...
's cheap and plentiful electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
also attracted chemical and manufacturing plants, mostly in the Calvert City
Calvert City, Kentucky
Calvert City is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,701 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Calvert City is located at ....
area. The creation of the lake led to the destruction of two Marshall County towns: Birmingham, located about six miles north of the present day town of Fairdealing, and Gilbertsville
Gilbertsville, Kentucky
Gilbertsville is an unincorporated community in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. Its elevation is 351 feet , and it is located at . It is known as the closest village to Kentucky Dam...
, which was at the present-day dam site. Gilbertsville was rebuilt somewhat to the west of its original location. Birmingham residents were dispersed. Gilbertsville was an incorporated town until the 1970s, when its charter was dissolved by public vote. Kentucky Lake (created by the impounding of the Tennessee River) and Lake Barkley (created through the impounding of the Cumberland River) make up one of the largest man-made bodies of water in the world.
Historically, Marshall County has been a stronghold of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Since the founding of the county, Democrats have dominated county politics. Today, all elected county officials are Democrats, with the exception of one.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 340.32 square miles (881.4 km²), of which 304.89 square miles (789.7 km²) (or 89.59%) is land and 35.43 square miles (91.8 km²) (or 10.41%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Livingston CountyLivingston County, KentuckyLivingston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 9,804. Its county seat is Smithland. The county is named for Robert R. Livingston...
(north, across the Tennessee RiverTennessee RiverThe Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
) - Lyon CountyLyon County, KentuckyLyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 8,080. Its county seat is Eddyville. Created from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854, the county was named for former Congressman Chittenden Lyon....
(northeast, across Kentucky LakeKentucky LakeKentucky Lake is a major navigable reservoir along the Tennessee River in Kentucky and Tennessee. Created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority's impounding of the Tennessee River by Kentucky Dam, the lake is the largest artificial lake by surface area in the United States east of the...
) - Trigg CountyTrigg County, KentuckyTrigg County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1820. As of 2000, the population was 12,597. Its county seat is Cadiz. The county is named for Stephen Trigg, a frontier officer in the American Revolutionary War who died in the Battle of Blue Licks...
(east, across Kentucky Lake) - Calloway CountyCalloway County, KentuckyCalloway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1823. As of 2010, the population was 37,191. Its county seat is Murray, Kentucky. The county is named for Colonel Richard Callaway, one of the founders of Boonesborough...
(south) - Graves CountyGraves County, KentuckyGraves County is a county located in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was formed in 1824. As of 2000, the population was 37,028. Its county seat is Mayfield. The county is named for Major Benjamin Franklin Graves, soldier in the War of 1812...
(west) - McCracken CountyMcCracken County, KentuckyMcCracken County is a county located in the Jackson Purchase, the extreme western end of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 65,514. The county seat, largest city, and only incorporated community is Paducah....
(northwest)
National protected area
- Clarks River National Wildlife RefugeClarks River National Wildlife RefugeClarks River National Wildlife Refuge is a bottomland hardwood forest located in western Kentucky near Benton. The refuge lies along the East Fork of the Clarks River and is seasonal home to over 200 different species of migratory birds...
(part)
Marshall County was named Kentucky's "Best County to Live In" ten years in a row, from 1999-2009.
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 30,125 people, 12,412 households, and 8,998 families residing in the county. 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 99 /sqmi. There were 14,730 housing units at an average density of 48 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.57% 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...
, 0.002% Black or 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...
, 0.17% 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...
, 0.15% 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...
, 0.22% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were 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.
There were 12,412 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% 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, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.83.
The age distribution was 21.80% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,573, and the median income for a family was $43,670. Males had a median income of $36,673 versus $21,941 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 county was $18,069. About 6.60% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated cities
- BentonBenton, KentuckyBenton is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 4,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County....
- Calvert CityCalvert City, KentuckyCalvert City is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,701 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Calvert City is located at ....
- HardinHardin, KentuckyHardin is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 564 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hardin is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
Unincorporated communities
- AuroraAurora, KentuckyAurora is an unincorporated community in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. Aurora is located near Kentucky Lake in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, it is a popular tourist attraction area during the summer having several small restaurants and a few surrounding stores...
- DraffenvilleDraffenville, KentuckyDraffenville is an unincorporated community in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. It lies at the intersection of the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway, U.S. Route 68, and U.S. Route 641. Several businesses, Marshall County High School, and Mike Miller County Park are located in the...
- GilbertsvilleGilbertsville, KentuckyGilbertsville is an unincorporated community in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. Its elevation is 351 feet , and it is located at . It is known as the closest village to Kentucky Dam...
- Possum TrotPossum Trot, KentuckyPossum Trot is an unincorporated community in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. Possum Trot is located on Highway 62 between Paducah and Calvert City in the Jackson Purchase region of Western Kentucky....
- Sharpe
- Briensburg
- Palma
- Olive
- Fairdealing
Annual events
On the first Monday of April, Benton holds its Tater DayTater Day
Tater Day is a large festival in Benton, Kentucky.It was started in 1843 as a celebration of spring, and a time when all of the townsfolk would get together and trade in sweet potato slips, used to grow the plants. It is also the oldest continuous trade day in the United States, in which goods such...
. Originating in 1842 as a day for farmers to gather at the county seat to trade their agricultural goods, today Tater Day is a celebration that includes a festival and parade. Tater Day derives its name from the main items traded—sweet potato slips. Tater Day is the world's only celebration of the sweet potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
.
On the fourth Sunday of each May, The Big Singing, an all-day sing-along program of Southern Harmony
Southern Harmony
The Southern Harmony is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker. The book was released in 1835 under the full title of The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note singing....
shape note
Shape note
Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. The notation, introduced in 1801, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools...
gospel music is held at the county courthouse. While other major singings still survive, The Big Singing, begun in 1884, is the only singing in the world to use the William Walker Southern Harmony system of shape-note singing. The Big Singing is also distinguished as the oldest continuously operating indigenous music festival in the United States.
Other annual events include Hardin Day and Aurora Country Festival, celebrated in the small towns of Hardin and Aurora. More recently, the area has become known for the annual Hot August Blues and Barbecue Festival and for the Kentucky Lake Bluegrass Festival, held at Kenlake State Resort Park
Kenlake State Resort Park
Kenlake State Resort Park is a park located on the western shore of Kentucky Lake. The park's main entrance and most of its facilities are located in Marshall County; the park also extends into Calloway County. The nearest town of substantial size is Murray. The park encompasses of land, of...
. Marshall County is also home to Jackson Purchase barbecue, a unique style that is found in the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky.
See also
- Dry counties
- Kaintuck TerritoryKaintuck TerritoryKaintuck Territory was a theme park located near Benton, Kentucky, United States. The park was situated on the east side of U.S. highway 641, about a mile northeast of U.S. highway 68. It was largely conducted around an Old West theme. It was built and operated by Walter Sill. The hourly gunfights...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Marshall County, Kentucky
- Sacred HarpSacred HarpSacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that took root in the Southern region of the United States. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note music.- The music and its notation :...
Books
- Big Singing Day in Benton, Kentucky: A Study of the History, Ethnic Identity and Musical Style of Southern Harmony Singers, by Deborah Carlton Loftis, Ph.D. dissertation, University of Kentucky, 1987. Review