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Hazard, Kentucky

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Hazard
City
Official seal of Hazard
Seal
Motto: 
Queen City of the Mountains
Location of Hazard, Kentucky
Location of Hazard, Kentucky
CountryUnited States
StateKentucky
CountyPerry
IncorporatedApril 30, 1884
Named forCdre. Oliver Hazard Perry
Government
 • MayorJimmy Ray Lindon[1]
 • City ManagerGrady Varney[2]
 • Assistant City ManagerPaul Townes[2]
 • City Treasurer / Secretary to the MayorBeverly Combs Maggard[2]
Area
 • Total7.0 sq mi (18.2 km2)
 • Land7.0 sq mi (18.2 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
928 ft (14,000 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total4,465
 • Density637.9/sq mi (245.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
41701, 41702
Area code606
FIPS code21-35362
GNIS feature ID0512617
Websitecityofhazard.com

Hazard is a home rule-class city[3] in and the county seat of Perry County, Kentucky, United States.[4] The population was estimated to be 5,346[5] in 2014.

History

Local landowner Elijah Combs Sr. laid out the town in 1824 as the planned seat of the newly established Perry County. Both the town and the county were named for Cdre. Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.[6] The post office was initially known as Perry Court House but the name was officially changed to Hazard in 1854.[7] The city was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1884.[8]

Coal miners' children cross a footbridge into Hazard, Kentucky, July 1940. Photograph by Marion Post Wolcott.

Long isolated by the surrounding mountains, Hazard was opened to the outside world by the arrival of the railroad in 1912. The only access to the valley had previously been 45 miles down the North Fork of the Kentucky River or a two-week trip over the surrounding mountains. The railroad brought boom times to the town, but the Great Depression saw prosperity end as quickly as it had begun.

The song "High Sheriff of Hazard" was written by Tom Paxton in reference to a coal miner's strike in 1964.

In 1981, several cast members of the television show The Dukes of Hazzard – viz., Catherine Bach, James Best, Sorrell Booke, and Rick Hurst – visited Hazard during its Black Gold Festival.[9] Soon afterwards, the show's stars Tom Wopat and John Schneider made appearances in Hazard.

Although there has been a steady decline in Hazard's population since the 1950s, there have been numerous commercial and residential developments within the city. The city is also actively working on a downtown renaissance plan to rejuvenate its business district. Nonetheless, in July 1999, Hazard was the first stop on Pres. Bill Clinton's tour of poverty-stricken communities that had failed to share in the boom of the 1990s. Clinton's wife Hillary visited Hazard on November 2, 2008, at a political rally for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford.[10][11]

Geography

Hazard is located at 37°15′21″N 83°11′37″W / 37.25583°N 83.19361°W / 37.25583; -83.19361 (37.255910, -83.193706).[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.0 square miles (18 km2), all land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hazard has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[13]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
188076—
1910587—
19204,348640.7%
19307,02161.5%
19407,3975.4%
19506,985−5.6%
19605,958−14.7%
19705,459−8.4%
19805,371−1.6%
19905,4160.8%
20004,806−11.3%
20104,456−7.3%
2014 (est.)5,346[14]20.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 4,806 people, 1,946 households, and 1,266 families residing in the city. The population density was 684.6 people per square mile (264.3/km²). There were 2,291 housing units at an average density of 326.4 per square mile (126.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.26% White, 6.58% African American, 0.08% Native American, 2.06% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.

There were 1,946 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,690, and the median income for a family was $27,226. Males had a median income of $34,398 versus $22,386 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,782. About 30.9% of families and 30.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.3% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

Media

The Mother Goose House in Hazard, Kentucky.

Television

Radio

Main Street

Newspapers

  • Hazard Herald

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Hazard, Kentucky

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hazard include:

Name Born Death Personal
Ernie Harwell 1918 2010 Major League Baseball announcer for the Detroit Tigers, was married to Hazard native Lulu Tankersley.
Marie McDonald 1923 1965 American singer and actress attended grade school in Hazard.
Red Allen 1930 1993 bluegrass singer, a native of in Pigeon Roost Hollow in Perry County, was a member of the Osborne Brothers band.
Sam Smith 1944 one of the first three African American basketball players at the University of Louisville, later played for the Chicago Bulls; born in Hazard.
Mary Lou Turner 1947 country music singer born in Hazard. Turner recorded the #1 song, "Sometimes" with Bill Anderson.
Shelby Lee Adams 1950 American environmental portrait photographer and artist best known for his images of Appalachian family life.
Joe Craft 1950 namesake of the Joe Craft Center, UK's practice basketball facility. Born in Hazard.
Louann Brizendine 1952 a Hazard native and author of the bestselling book The Female Brain.
Susan Perkins 1954 Miss America 1978; her parents lived in Hazard.
Daniel Mongiardo 1960 physician, Democratic Kentucky Senator, and Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
Brandon Smith 1967 businessman, Republican Kentucky Representative and Senator.
Rebecca Gayheart 1971 American actress.
Justin Townes Earle 1982 singer-songwriter and son of Steve Earle. The family of his mother, Carol-Ann Hunter, hails from Hazard. [17]

References

  1. ^ "Judge swears-in new city officials". Hazard Herald. 14 December 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "City Managers, City of Hazard, KY". Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform" (PDF). Kentucky League of Cities. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  5. ^ http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/SUB-EST2014.html
  6. ^ Bergstrom, Bill (December 11, 1984). "Origins of place names are traced". Kentucky New Era. pp. 2B. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  7. ^ Rennick, Robert M. (1987). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 134–135. Retrieved 28 Apr 2013.
  8. ^ Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "Hazard, Kentucky". Accessed 29 Jul 2013.
  9. ^ Hensley, Steve (2009-09-17). "A look back at the 1981 Black Gold Festival". WYMT-TV. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  10. ^ "Hillary makes pick in KY House speaker race?" Pol Watchers. Accessed 2 Nov 2008.
  11. ^ "Hillary Clinton Stumps For Bruce Lunsford". WYMT-TV. Accessed 2 Nov 2008.
  12. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  13. ^ Climate Summary for Hazard, Kentucky
  14. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  16. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  17. ^ http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/apr/29/q-justin-townes-earle/
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