Warren County, Kentucky

Infobox U.S. County
county = Warren County
state = Kentucky


founded year = 1797
founded date =
seat wl = Bowling Green
largest city wl =
area_total_sq_mi = 548
area_total_km2 = 1419
area_land_sq_mi = 545
area_land_km2 = 1412
area_water_sq_mi = 2
area_water_km2 = 6
area percentage = 0.45%
census yr = 2007
pop = 104023
density_sq_mi = 170
density_km2 = 66
time zone = Central
UTC offset = -6
DST offset = -5
footnotes =
web = www.warrencountyky.com
named for =

Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky, specifically the Pennyroyal Plateau and Western Coal Fields regions [ [http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyAtlas/21227.html Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer] ] . It is included in the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2007, the population of Warren County was estimated to be 104,023. The county seat is Bowling Green. The county is dry, meaning that the sale of alcohol is prohibited, but contains the wet city of Bowling Green, where retail alcohol sales are allowed. This makes Warren County a moist county.cite web|url=http://www.abc.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/88403470-8A7E-410C-9816-8B520F7649C8/0/WetDryList.pdf |title=Wet & Dry Counties in Kentucky |publisher=Kentucky Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control |accessmonthday=March 21 |accessyear=2007 |format=PDF]

History

Evidence has shown that Warren County was the location of various Native American villages and burial mounds. The first whites to enter the area were the long hunters in the 1770s. Fact|date=May 2008 General Elijah Covington was among the first landowners. McFadden's Station, one of the earliest settlements, was established in 1785 by Andrew McFadden on the northern bank of the Barren River at the Cumberland Trace.

Warren County became the 23rd county of Kentucky on December 14, 1796 from a section of Logan County. It was named after General Joseph Warren of the Revolutionary War. He dispatched William Dawes and Paul Revere on their famous midnight ride to warn residents of the approaching British troops. He was also a hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Through the riverboat trade, Warren County thrived in the agricultural market. In 1859, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (currently CSX Transportation) was laid through the county.

During the Civil War, most Warren County residents preferred preservation of the Union.Fact|date=May 2008 However, because of its strategic value, the county was occupied by Confederate forces in September 1861 and was later recaptured by the Union on February 14, 1862. During the Confederate pull-out, troops destroyed bridges over Barren County, the Bowling Green train depot and other buildings.Fact|date=May 2008

The completion of Interstate 65 and Green River Parkway (currently the William H. Natcher Parkway) in the 1960s and 1970s, brought with them an industrial boom which transformed the farm-oriented county into a more urban one.

In 1997, along with Bowling Green, Warren County became a Tree City USA, sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation.Fact|date=May 2008

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 548 square miles (1,419 km²), of which, 545 square miles (1,412 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (6 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.45% water.

Geographic features

The county is mostly level land with a tall hill in the center of Bowling Green. The Green River forms the northern boundary of the county. Those tributaries of the Green River that flow through Warren County are the Barren and Gasper rivers, Drake's and Jennings creeks and Bay's Fork. Shanty Hollow Lake is in the northwest corner of the county. The soil is fertile and supports tobacco, hay, corn and soybean crop production.

Major highways

* Interstate 65
* William H. Natcher Parkway
* U.S. 231
* U.S. 31-W
* U.S. 68/KY 80
* KY 185
* KY 234
* KY 880

Adjacent counties

* Butler County - northwest
* Edmonson County - northeast
* Barren County - east
* Allen County - southeast
* Simpson County - south/southwest
* Logan County - southwest

Demographics

USCensusPop
1800= 4686
1810= 11937
1820= 11776
1830= 10949
1840= 15446
1850= 15123
1860= 17320
1870= 21742
1880= 27531
1890= 30158
1900= 29970
1910= 30579
1920= 30858
1930= 33676
1940= 36631
1950= 42758
1960= 45491
1970= 57884
1980= 71828
1990= 76673
2000= 92522
estimate= 104023
estyear= 2007
estref=
footnote=http://ukcc.uky.edu/~census/21227.txt

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 92,522 people, 35,365 households, and 23,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 170/sq mi (66/km²). There were 38,350 housing units at an average density of 70/sq mi (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.98% White, 8.58% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. 2.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 35,365 households out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.40% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.80% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.97.

The age distribution was 23.10% under the age of 18, 16.20% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 10.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,151, and the median income for a family was $45,142. Males had a median income of $32,063 versus $22,777 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,847. About 10.80% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 13.80% of those age 65 or over.

Cities & towns

* Bowling Green
* Oakland
* Plum Springs
* Smiths Grove
* Woodburn
* Rockfield
* Richpond
* Plano

Educational institutions

Elementary and secondary education

Two public school districts operate in the county:
*Warren County Public Schools, which serves most of the county. [ [http://www.warren.k12.ky.us/elementary.htm Warren County Public Schools - Elementary School List] ] [ [http://www.warren.k12.ky.us/middle.htm Warren County Public Schools - Middle School List] ] [ [http://www.warren.k12.ky.us/high.htm Warren County Public Schools - High School List] ]
*Bowling Green Independent Schools, which serves most of the city of Bowling Green. [ [http://www.b-g.k12.ky.us/schoolweb/index.htm Bowling Green Independent Schools] ]

Warren County Public Schools

Elementary Schools

* Alvaton
* Briarwood
* Bristow
* Cumberland Trace
* Lost River
* North Warren
* Oakland
* Plano
* Rich Pond
* Richardsville
* Rockfield
* Warren
* William H. Natcher

Middle Schools

* Drakes Creek
* Henry F. Moss
* Warren East

High schools

* Greenwood
* Light House Academy
* Warren Central
* Warren East

Bowling Green Independent Schools

Elementary schools

* Dishman McGinnis
* Parker Bennett Curry
* Potter Gray
* T. C. Cherry
* W. R. McNeill

Junior high schools

* Bowling Green

High schools

* Eleventh Street
* Bowling Green

Colleges and universities

* Bowling Green Technical College
* Western Kentucky University

Attractions

* Beech Bend Park - Roller coasters, waterpark, raceway
* Chevrolet Corvette and XLR Assembly Plant - Daily tours
* Eloise B. Houchens Center - Greek Revival-style mansion built in 1904 by a former Bowling Green mayor
* Fort Webb Historic Park - Preserved Civil War site
* Kentucky Museum and Library - Exhibits of Kentucky artifacts, located on Western Kentucky University campus
* Lost River Cave and Valley - Location of the shortest and deepest river in the world, once a hideout for Jesse James and company
* National Corvette Museum - Exhibits of the models of the Chevrolet Corvette since 1953
* Riverview at Hobson Grove - Preserved mansion overlooking Barren River built from the late 1850s until 1872

ee also

References

External links

* [http://warrencountygov.com/ Warren County Government]
* [http://beechbend.com/ Beech Bend Park] - Official Page
* [http://bgdailynews.com/ Bowling Green Daily News]
* [http://corvettemuseum.com/ Corvette Museum]
* [http://bowlinggreenassemblyplant.com/tour_information.html Corvette Bowling Green Plant]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~kywarren/ KYGenWeb Project, Warren County]
* [http://lostrivercave.com/ Lost River Cave] - Official Page
* [http://wku.edu/Library/museum/ WKU Library and Museum]