Campbellsville, Kentucky
| Campbellsville, Kentucky | |||
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| — City — | |||
| Downtown Campbellsville | |||
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| Location of Campbellsville, Kentucky | |||
| Coordinates: 37°20′45″N 85°20′44″W / 37.34583°N 85.34556°WCoordinates: 37°20′45″N 85°20′44″W / 37.34583°N 85.34556°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Kentucky | ||
| County | Taylor | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 6.1 sq mi (15.7 km2) | ||
| • Land | 6.0 sq mi (15.4 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 814 ft (248 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| • Total | 10,498 | ||
| • Density | 1,760.9/sq mi (679.9/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP codes | 42718-42719 | ||
| Area code(s) | 270 | ||
| FIPS code | 21-12160 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0488742 | ||
Campbellsville is a city in Taylor County, Kentucky, United States. The population within city limits was 10,498 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Taylor County,[1] and the home of Campbellsville University. Campbellsville is twinned with Buncrana, County Donegal, Ireland.
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[edit] History
The city was founded in 1817 and laid out by Andrew Campbell, who had moved there from Augusta County, Virginia. Campbell owned a gristmill and a tavern, and began selling lots in Campbellsville in 1814. Campbellsville became the county seat when Taylor County was separated from Green County in 1848. The city agreed to sell the public square to the county for one dollar so a courthouse could be built there.
The first courthouse was burned by Confederate cavalry in 1864 because the Union Army was using it for barracks. A replacement courthouse was built on the same site after the war. A third courthouse in a modern design was built in 1965 on a property adjoining the "old courthouse". A portion of the old courthouse still stands near the current (3rd) courthouse.
Construction began in 2008 on a new Justice Center because of the demand for a more modern courthouse and for an "official" county jail (to save on transport of inmates to neighboring Lebanon in Marion County).
[edit] Historical Places
Campbellsville has several historic sites as listed under Taylor County in the National Register of Historic Places listings in Kentucky. Notably, the Campbellsville Historic Commercial District includes several blocks of Main Street. The most notable structure in this district is Merchant Tower (formally Merchants Hotel) which has Romanesque architecture and is listed individually on the National Register of Historical Places since 1980.
Just north of Campbellsville is the Spurlington Tunnel, it is said to be haunted by 3 different ghosts, the most famous was Nancy Bass. It is about 1,900 feet long and about a 1/3 the way in there is a shaft to the top.
[edit] Downtown
Downtown Campbellsville includes a Main Street and a designated historic district. The 100 and 200 block of Main Street are lined with century old brick, stone, and iron buildings with Italianate architecture facades. Since 2008, Campbellsville has been undergoing a revitalization with the help of a Main Street Manager. Campbellsville is known regionally for its Fourth Of July celebration.
[edit] Education
Campbellsville is home to a private university, Campbellsville University. Campbellsville has two public school systems: Taylor County and Campbellsville Independent.
[edit] Industry
In the 20th century, Campbellsville was a regional center of industry (agriculture, lumber, textiles, milling, automotive, distribution, oil and gas, light manufacturing, education, health care, and tourism).
In the 21st century, the local university, health care system, and ubiquitous access to the internet are attracting students and professionals.
For decades, employment in the area was dominated by a large Fruit of the Loom plant, formerly known as Union Underwear, which closed in 1998, along with, shortly thereafter, the Indiana-based Batesville Casket Company.[2]Amazon.com soon moved to fill the employment void, and ten other businesses either located or relocated to Taylor County over the next several years.
Campbellsville is home to an Amazon.com regional fulfillment center.
Parker-Kalon Company, a division of Black and Decker Corporation, is located here as well. It has produced threaded and non-threaded fasteners for the automotive, appliance, metal building construction, and electronic industries since the late 1960s.
The area is home to wood milling companies that produce interior trim products (Cox Interior, Wholesale Hardwoods).
An expanding health care industry serves the region of 110,000 people. Taylor Regional Hospital is one of the largest employers. In 2008, TRH served 86,100 patients.[3]
In 1969, there was a booming oil business that was shut down due to environmental concerns of excess salt water disposal. In 2008, attempts were being made to revitalize oil reserves estimated at 200,000,000 barrels (32,000,000 m3) Original Oil-In-Place (OOIP).
Campbellsville Industries (CI) "The Steeple People (tm)" is the oldest and largest steeple and tower manufacturer in the United States.[4] CI has over 15,000 installations located throughout the 50 United States, Canada. CI claims the record for the worlds largest prefabricated church steeple at 229' at the First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama.[5]
Tourism is also part of the local economy due to close proximity of Green River Lake and Green River Lake State Park.
Campbellsville is also home to the last Druther's (a.k.a. Burger Queen) restaurant in existence.
[edit] Media
The local twice-weeky newspaper, the Central Kentucky News-Journal,[6] has been published since 1910.
[edit] Geography
Campbellsville is located at 37°20′45″N 85°20′44″W / 37.34583°N 85.34556°W (37.345951, -85.345444).[7]
Campbellsville is near the geographical center of Kentucky.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.1 square miles (16 km2), of which, 6.0 square miles (16 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (1.65%) is water.
US 68, KY 55, KY 210, and KY 70 pass through Campbellsville.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 512 |
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| 1880 | 775 | 51.4% | |
| 1890 | 1,018 | 31.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,341 | 31.7% | |
| 1910 | 1,206 | −10.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,535 | 27.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,923 | 25.3% | |
| 1940 | 2,488 | 29.4% | |
| 1950 | 3,477 | 39.8% | |
| 1960 | 6,966 | 100.3% | |
| 1970 | 7,598 | 9.1% | |
| 1980 | 8,715 | 14.7% | |
| 1990 | 9,577 | 9.9% | |
| 2000 | 10,498 | 9.6% | |
| Est. 2008 | 11,010 | [8] | 4.9% |
| U.S. Census Bureau[9] | |||
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 10,498 people, 4,432 households, and 2,814 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.9 people per square mile (680.1/km²). There were 4,876 housing units at an average density of 817.9 per square mile (315.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.11% White, 8.74% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.17% of the population.
There were 4,432 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,922, and the median income for a family was $30,643. Males had a median income of $26,672 versus $19,736 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,996. About 18.7% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.6% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Notable Personalities
- Damon E. Allen, optometrist and civic leader who led the campaign to legally permit optometrists to prescribe medication to their patients
- Ray H. Altman, former state representative
- Sandra Clark Blanton, member of the Indiana House of Representatives
- John "Bam" Carney, current state representative
- Ricky Lee Cox, dentist and former state representative
- Zack Cox, professional baseball player
- Damon R. Eubank, historian at Campbellsville University
- Betty Jane Gorin-Smith, historian
- Clem Haskins, former college and professional basketball player and college basketball coach
- J. B. Holmes, professional golfer
- Robert L. Miller, mayor of Campbellsville, 1966–1998
- Russ Mobley, former state representative
- Doug Moseley, former state senator
- Paul E. Osborne, mayor of Campbellsville, 1999–2002
- Herman Rattliff, former state representative
- Forest Shely (1924–2010), physician and civic leader
- Gilbert R. Tredway, historian; formerly at Campbellsville University
- Kenneth W. Winters, former president of Campbellsville University; Kentucky state senator
- Paul Campbell, Jr., former baseball player with Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers
[edit] References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Company News; Fruit of Loom to Cut 800 Jobs in Another Plant Closing". New York Times. 1998-04-16. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04E5DC143CF935A25757C0A96E958260.
- ^ TRH 2008 Annual Report
- ^ http://www.cvilleindustries.com/Featured%20Projects.htm#Hoboken%20Clock%20Tower
- ^ http://www.cvilleindustries.com/Featured%20Projects.htm#229_Steeple
- ^ http://www.cknj.com
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Kentucky State Data Center Retrieved on 2010-03-12
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau Retrieved on 2010-03-12
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- http://www.campbellsville.com - A portal website by a private company.
- http://www.downtowncampbellsville.com - Merchant's website.
- http://www.merchanttower.com - Registered historic place. Official site.
- http://www.campbellsvillechamber.com - Chamber of Commerce
- http://www.teamtaylorcounty.com/ - Economic Development Authority
- http://www.campbellsvilleky.com/ - Tourism Commission
- http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/gr/ - Kentucky State Parks
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