Area 606.1 km² Population 16,915 (2013) | Founded 1797 Unemployment rate 4.7% (Apr 2015) Cities Lancaster | |
Website www.garrardcounty.ky.gov Rivers Kentucky River, Dix River, Paint Lick Creek, Gilberts Creek | ||
Garrard County (/ˈɡærɪd/ GAIR-id;) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,912. Its county seat is Lancaster. The county was formed in 1796 and was named for James Garrard, Governor of Kentucky from 1796 to 1804. It is a prohibition or dry county but Lancaster is wet. Lancaster was founded as a settlement of log cabins in 1776 at a springs that later provided a constant source of water to early pioneers. It is one of the oldest city's in the Commonwealth. Boonesborough, 25 miles to the east, was founded by Daniel Boone in 1775. Lexington, 28 miles to the north, was founded in 1775. Stanford, originally known as St. Asaph, is 10 miles south of Lancaster. It too was founded in 1775. The oldest permanent settlemenet in Kentucky, Harrodsburg, was founded in 1774 and is 18 miles to the west. The present day courthouse is one of the oldest courthouses in Kentucky in continuous use.
Contents
- Map of Garrard County KY USA
- History
- Geography
- Adjacent counties
- Law and government
- Popular culture
- Demographics
- Communities
- Notable residents
- References
Map of Garrard County, KY, USA
History
Garrard County was formed in 1796 from parts of Lincoln County, Madison County and Mercer County and was the 25th county of Kentucky out of 120. It was named for Col. James Garrard, second Governor of Kentucky and acting governor at the time of the county's establishment.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, visited the Thomas Kennedy home located in the Paint Lick section of Garrard County in her only visit to the South while gathering material for the book. The cabin of the inspiration for Uncle Tom stood behind the plantation house. County officials intend to recreate the slave cabin on the grounds of the Governor William Owsley House.
Garrard County is historically a Whig and Republican County. Its early political leaders were outspoken supporters of Henry Clay. It was strongly pro-Union during the Civil War and has remained a Republican stronghold in the Bluegrass Region which was, until recently, largely Democratic. Histories from the Civil War era record that "On August 6, 1861, Union recruits marched into Camp Dick Robinson [in north Garrard County], making it the first Federal base south of the Ohio River. Union military figures such as Col. George C. Kniffen stated "the wisdom of President Lincoln commissioning . . .Gen. William Nelson to organize a military force on the [neutral] soil of Kentucky" prevented making the state a "battle ground for many months" and ... thereby changed the whole direction of the war. In 1864, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase declared in a speech at Louisville "when Kentucky faltered, hesitated" in the early stages of the Civil War, that [its] undecided "status was settled by Gen. Nelson, at Camp Dick Robinson." Six years later, Indiana Senator Daniel D. Pratt reported to the U. S. Senate that Camp Dick Robinson "was one of the most noted military encampments of the war. . . . From its admirable locality and advantages, it was almost indispensable for the successful operations of the" War. Correspondence from President Lincoln indicates the Camp's importance militarily as well as sympbolically, since pro-Southern elements in Kentucky's state government urged Lincoln to close it.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 234 square miles (610 km2), of which 230 square miles (600 km2) is land and 3.9 square miles (10 km2) (1.7%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Law and government
In the United States Senate, Garrard County is represented by US Senator Mitch McConnell and US Senator Rand Paul. Garrard County is in the 2nd Congressional District, represented by US Rep. Brett Guthrie; in the 22nd State Senatorial District represented by State Senator Tom Buford and in the 36th State Legislative District represented by State Representative Jonathan Shell.
Garrard County is governed by the Garrard County Fiscal Court, composed of the [County Judge Executive], who is elected county wide, and five Magistrates who are elected in magisterial districts representing different geographic areas of the county. Each member of the Fiscal Court is elected to a four-year term, pursuant to the Kentucky Constitution. The Fiscal Court is represented by the County Attorney.
Popular culture
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,792 people, 5,741 households, and 4,334 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 per square mile (25/km2). There were 6,414 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.75% White, 3.06% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.43% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,741 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.95.
By age, 24.40% of the population was under 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,284, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $30,989 versus $21,856 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,915. About 11.60% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.10% of those under age 18 and 17.00% of those age 65 or over.