Richmond, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 individuals and the average family size was 2.78.
The age distribution, influenced strongly by the presence of Eastern Kentucky University, is: 17.5% under the age of 18, 31.7% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,533; and the median income for a family was $36,222. Males had a median income of $30,817 versus $22,053 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,815. About 16.6% of families and 25.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.
who administers the day-to-day operations of the city.
The mayor is elected for a term of four years. Each city commissioner is elected for a term of two years. The term of the city manager is indefinite.
The downtown business district consists of many Victorian style
structures, including the Glyndon Hotel
. The only high rise in the downtown area is Madison Towers.
The majority of the city's high rises are located on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University
(EKU) which include the 20 storey Commonwealth Hall, the 16 storey Keene Hall, the 13 storey Telford Hall, and two 12-story buildings, Todd and Dupree Halls.
A 2,000-seat performing arts center is under construction on Lancaster Avenue. The center will house the only theater in central Kentucky with a “fly system” that allows quick changing of sets suitable for Broadway-type performances.
The Richmond Register
- daily (owned by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
)
The age distribution, influenced strongly by the presence of Eastern Kentucky University, is: 17.5% under the age of 18, 31.7% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,533; and the median income for a family was $36,222. Males had a median income of $30,817 versus $22,053 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 $15,815. About 16.6% of families and 25.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Richmond is served by the Madison County School System. Schools located in Richmond include:Elementary schools
- Daniel Boone
- Glenn Marshall
- Kirksville
- Kit CarsonKit Carson Elementary School (Kentucky)Kit Carson Elementary School is an elementary school in Richmond, Kentucky. It was named for Kit Carson, who was born not far from the school's site...
- Mayfield
- White Hall
- Model Laboratory SchoolModel Laboratory SchoolModel Laboratory School is a semi-private laboratory school located on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University, in Richmond, Kentucky, United States....
Middle schools
- B. Michael Caudill Middle School
- Clark-Moores Middle SchoolClark-Moores Middle SchoolClark-Moores Middle School is a middle school located in Richmond, Kentucky. It was built in 1974.-Principals:* Larry Barton * Kevin Combs * Franklin Thomas * Lawrence Bailey * Juanita Cox...
- Madison Middle School
- Model Laboratory SchoolModel Laboratory SchoolModel Laboratory School is a semi-private laboratory school located on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University, in Richmond, Kentucky, United States....
High schools
- Madison Central High SchoolMadison Central High School (Kentucky)Madison Central High School is a public high school located in Richmond, Kentucky. Its school mascot is the Native American. The original Central High School was built in 1938 and was one of several small high schools that were part of the Madison County school system...
- Bellvue Education Center
- Model Laboratory SchoolModel Laboratory SchoolModel Laboratory School is a semi-private laboratory school located on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University, in Richmond, Kentucky, United States....
Post-Secondary Education
- Eastern Kentucky UniversityEastern Kentucky UniversityEastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
- National College of Business & TechnologyNational College of Business & TechnologyNational College, formerly National College of Business & Technology and also formerly National Business College, is a for-profit career college operating in the southeastern and east-central United States...
Law and Government
Richmond operates under a council–manager government. The citizens elect a mayor and four city commissioners which form the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners is the legislative body of the city government and represents the interests of the citizens when applicable. The Board of Commissioners appoints a city managerCity manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
who administers the day-to-day operations of the city.
The mayor is elected for a term of four years. Each city commissioner is elected for a term of two years. The term of the city manager is indefinite.
Cityscape
The city has numerous parks, the most prominent being Lake Reba Recreational Complex. Paradise Cove, the city's aquatic center, is located in the complex along with a horse shoe pit, putt-putt golf course, football field, soccer field, baseball and softball fields, and a playground.The downtown business district consists of many Victorian style
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
structures, including the Glyndon Hotel
Glyndon Hotel
The Glyndon Hotel is a landmark in Richmond, Kentucky.The original Glyndon Hotel was built in 1889 to replace Green’s opera house. At that time horse drawn streetcars carried guests from the L&N Railroad depot located further east on Main Street to the hotel...
. The only high rise in the downtown area is Madison Towers.
The majority of the city's high rises are located on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
(EKU) which include the 20 storey Commonwealth Hall, the 16 storey Keene Hall, the 13 storey Telford Hall, and two 12-story buildings, Todd and Dupree Halls.
A 2,000-seat performing arts center is under construction on Lancaster Avenue. The center will house the only theater in central Kentucky with a “fly system” that allows quick changing of sets suitable for Broadway-type performances.
Economy
The Richmond economy is supported by many diverse entities:- Eastern Kentucky UniversityEastern Kentucky UniversityEastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
- Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD)
- Intertape Polymer Group - industrial packaging/tape products
- AGC - a North American flat glass manufacturer, subsidiary of Asahi Glass Co.Asahi Glass Co.is a Japanese manufacturing company. It is one of the core Mitsubishi companies.Founded in 1907 by Toshiya Iwasaki, the second son of the second president of the original Mitsubishi Zaibatsu. It was the first Japanese producer of sheet glass. Asahi Glass Co...
Newspaper
The Eastern Progress - weekly (Student publication of Eastern Kentucky University)The Richmond Register
Richmond Register
The Richmond Register is a seven-day daily newspaper based in Richmond, Kentucky, and covering Madison County. It publishes in the afternoons, Monday through Thursday, and in the mornings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays...
- daily (owned by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
Community Newspaper Holdings
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. is a publisher of newspapers and advertising-related publications throughout the eastern part of the United States. The company was formed in 1997 by Ralph Martin, and is based in Birmingham, Alabama. The company is financed by the Retirement Systems of...
)
Radio stations
- WEKYWEKYWEKY is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Richmond, Kentucky, USA, the station serves the Lexington Metro Area. The station is currently owned by Wallingford Communications, LLC and features programing from ABC Radio ....
(1340 AM) - WCBRWCBRWCBR is a radio station broadcasting a Religious format. Licensed to Richmond, Kentucky, USA, the station serves the Lexington Metro Area. The station is currently owned by W.C.B.R. Radio, Inc.....
(1110 AM) - WEKUWEKUWEKU , is a National Public Radio-affiliated station in Richmond, Kentucky. It primarily features NPR news and talk programming, along with classical music from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. at night...
(88.9 FM) - WVLK-FMWVLK-FMWVLK-FM is a radio station licensed to the community of Richmond, Kentucky, and serves the greater Lexington, Kentucky, area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and licensed to Cumulus Licensing LLC...
(101.5 FM)
Notable natives
- Kit CarsonKit CarsonChristopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
, born near Richmond in Madison County, KentuckyMadison County, KentuckyMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2008, the population was 82,192. Its county seat is Richmond. The county is named for Virginia statesman James Madison, who later became the fourth President of the United States. This is also where famous pioneer Daniel...
, but raised in Franklin, MissouriFranklin, MissouriFranklin is a city in Howard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 112 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.- Geography :Franklin is located at... - Cassius Marcellus Clay, abolitionist and politician; Minister to SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, a founder of the Republican Party - Earle CombsEarle CombsEarle Bryan Combs was an American professional baseball player, who played his entire career for the New York Yankees . Combs batted leadoff and played center field on the Yankees' fabled 1927 team...
, New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
player, Baseball Hall of Fame member; longtime resident of the area - Odon GuitarOdon GuitarOdon Guitar was a general in the Union Missouri State Militia during the American Civil War. He was noted for his successful campaign against Joseph C. Porter and John A. Poindexter’s recruiting commands in northern Missouri.-Early life and career:Odon Guitar was born in Richmond, Madison County,...
, a brigadier generalBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the UnionUnion (American Civil War)During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Missouri State MilitiaMissouri State Militia (Union)The Missouri State Militia was a federally funded state militia organization of Missouri conceived in 1861 and beginning service in 1862 during the American Civil War...
in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe 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... - Leigh Ann HesterLeigh Ann HesterLeigh Ann Hester of the 617th Military Police Company, a Kentucky Army National Guard unit out of Richmond, Kentucky, received the Silver Star for her actions on March 20, 2005 during an enemy ambush on a supply convoy near the town of Salman Pak, Iraq.Hester was the first female soldier to...
of the 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...
Army National GuardArmy National GuardEstablished under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
, first woman in United States military history to be cited for valor in close quarters combatClose quarters battleClose quarters combat or close quarters battle is a type of fighting in which small units engage the enemy with personal weapons at very short range, potentially to the point of hand-to-hand combat or fighting with hand weapons such as swords or knives...
, for action near Salman Pak, IraqSalman PakSalman Pak is a city approximately 15 miles south of Baghdad near a peninsula formed by a broad eastward bend of the Tigris River. It is named after Salman the Persian, a companion of Muhammad who is buried there....
on March 20, 2005; she is the first female recipient of the Silver Star MedalSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for valor in combat - James B. McCrearyJames B. McCrearyJames Bennett McCreary was a lawyer and politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in both houses of the U.S. Congress and served as its 27th and 37th governor...
, United States Senator and two-term Governor of Kentucky - Samuel Freeman MillerSamuel Freeman MillerSamuel Freeman Miller was an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1862–1890. He was a physician and lawyer.-Early life and education:...
, United States Supreme Court Justice - Fiddlin' Doc RobertsFiddlin' Doc RobertsFiddlin' Doc Roberts was an American Kentucky-style old-time fiddler.-Biography:Dock Philipine Roberts was born and raised on a farm in Madison County, Kentucky and learned to play the fiddle at an early age with some help from his older brother Liebert. Doc's and Liebert's musical mentor was the...
, American old-time fiddler (April 26, 1897 - August 4, 1978) - Samuel Hanson StoneSamuel Hanson StoneSamuel Hanson Stone was an American politician.- Life :Stone was born as a son of the merchant, farmer and banker James C. Stone from Leavenworth, Kansas and the daughter of a lawyer Matilda, born Hanson, a sister to the Confederate General Roger Hanson...
, Kentucky politician, born near Richmond