Christian County, Kentucky

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Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County courthouse in Hopkinsville
Location in the state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location in the U.S.
Founded	1797
Named for	William Christian
Seat	Hopkinsville
Largest city	Hopkinsville
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	724 sq mi (1,875 km²) 718 sq mi (1,860 km²) 6.5 sq mi (17 km²), 0.9%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	73,955 103/sq mi (40/km²)
Congressional district	1st
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.christiancountyky.gov

Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,955. Its county seat is Hopkinsville. The county was formed in 1797.

Christian County is part of the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county is named for Colonel William Christian, a native of Augusta County, Virginia, and a veteran of the Revolutionary War. He settled near Louisville, Kentucky in 1785, and was killed by Native Americans in southern Indiana in 1786.

Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America was born in Fairview, Christian County, Kentucky, in 1808. United States Vice President Adlai Stevenson I was born in Christian County in 1835.

The present courthouse, built in 1869, replaced a structure burned by Confederate cavalry in 1864 because the Union Army was using it as their barracks.

The United States Supreme Court case Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514 (1972), arose out of a 1958 double-murder in Christian County, Kentucky.

In 2006 and 2008, tornadoes touched down across northern Christian County, damaging homes in the Crofton area.

In 2017, northwestern Christian County will experience the longest duration of totality in the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 that will cross North America. The center will be in the Bainbridge/Sinking Fork area of the county, on the Orchard Dale farm.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 724 square miles (1,880 km²), of which 718 square miles (1,860 km²) is land and 6.5 square miles (17 km²) (0.9%) is water. It is the second-largest county by area in Kentucky and the largest in Western Kentucky.

Adjacent counties

• Hopkins County (north)
• Muhlenberg County (northeast)
• Todd County (east)
• Montgomery County, Tennessee (southeast)
• Stewart County, Tennessee (southwest)
• Trigg County (west)
• Caldwell County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	2,318		—
1810	11,020		375.4%
1820	10,459		−5.1%
1830	12,684		21.3%
1840	15,587		22.9%
1850	19,580		25.6%
1860	21,627		10.5%
1870	23,227		7.4%
1880	31,682		36.4%
1890	34,118		7.7%
1900	37,962		11.3%
1910	38,845		2.3%
1920	35,883		−7.6%
1930	34,283		−4.5%
1940	36,129		5.4%
1950	42,359		17.2%
1960	56,904		34.3%
1970	56,224		−1.2%
1980	66,878		18.9%
1990	68,941		3.1%
2000	72,265		4.8%
2010	73,955		2.3%
Est. 2016	72,351		0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

As of the census of 2000, there were 72,265 people, 24,857 households, and 18,344 families residing in the county. The population density was 100 per square mile (39 /km²). There were 27,182 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile (15 /km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.92% White, 23.73% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.32% Pacific Islander, 2.23% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races. 4.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. This number, however, was estimated to be around 4% for a 2006 Census Estimate, according to the United States Census Bureau.

There were 24,857 households out of which 41.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 13.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.30% under the age of 18, 15.80% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 16.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 106.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,177, and the median income for a family was $35,240. Males had a median income of $25,063 versus $20,748 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,611. About 12.10% of families and 15.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.

Education

High schools

• Christian County High School
• Hopkinsville High School
• Fort Campbell High School — physically located in Tennessee, but serving the entire Fort Campbell base, and a member of Kentucky's governing body for high school athletics, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
• University Heights Academy (private K-12)
• Heritage Christian Academy (private K-12)

Colleges

• Hopkinsville Community College (Website)
• Murray State University (regional campuses in Hopkinsville and Ft. Campbell)

Politics

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2016	63.9% 14,108	32.6% 7,188	3.6% 787
2012	61.4% 13,475	37.6% 8,252	1.0% 228
2008	60.1% 13,699	39.0% 8,880	0.9% 199
2004	66.3% 13,935	33.2% 6,970	0.5% 110
2000	60.7% 10,787	38.1% 6,778	1.2% 208
1996	51.0% 8,285	42.1% 6,843	7.0% 1,132
1992	47.5% 7,737	41.2% 6,709	11.3% 1,842
1988	61.6% 9,250	38.0% 5,704	0.4% 54
1984	66.1% 10,708	33.5% 5,432	0.4% 69
1980	52.9% 8,209	45.4% 7,048	1.6% 255
1976	38.4% 4,964	60.8% 7,845	0.8% 105
1972	63.3% 7,414	34.7% 4,063	2.0% 228
1968	30.0% 3,788	33.9% 4,281	36.0% 4,545
1964	30.7% 8,727	69.1% 3,882	0.2% 21
1960	43.3% 5,251	56.7% 6,874	0.0% 0
1956	43.2% 4,963	56.4% 6,487	0.4% 45
1952	41.6% 4,858	58.2% 6,787	0.2% 27
1948	31.9% 3,242	54.8% 5,582	13.3% 1,356
1944	41.7% 4,506	58.0% 6,260	0.3% 35
1940	45.7% 5,566	54.2% 6,599	0.1% 16
1936	44.6% 5,370	55.4% 6,660	0.0% 0
1932	40.5% 5,235	59.0% 7,618	0.5% 67
1928	55.4% 7,069	44.7% 5,702	0.0% 0
1924	51.8% 7,192	47.4% 6,585	0.8% 115
1920	54.5% 8,743	44.9% 7,209	0.7% 105
1916	55.1% 4,594	43.7% 3,644	1.2% 98
1912	49.0% 3,520	38.7% 2,784	12.3% 885

Communities

Cities

• Crofton
• Hopkinsville
• LaFayette
• Oak Grove
• Pembroke

Census-designated places

• Fairview
• Fort Campbell North

Other unincorporated communities

• Apex
• Bainbridge
• Bennettstown
• Bluff Spring
• Casky
• Edgoten
• Empire
• Fearsville
• Fruit Hill
• Gracey
• Hensleytown
• Herndon
• Honey Grove
• Howel
• Julien
• Kelly
• Mannington
• Newstead
• Saint Elmo
• Sinking Fork

Notable people

• Adlai Stevenson I, 23rd Vice President of the United States (1893-1897), was born in Christian County.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Christian County, Kentucky

External links

• Community Data and Relocation Info
• Economic Development Council- Hopkinsville/Christian County
• Chamber of Commerce- Hopkinsville/Christian County
• WHVO-AM (Local Radio Station)
• History of Christian County
•  "Christian. I. A S. W. county of Kentucky". The American Cyclopædia. 1879.