Elizabethtown is a city in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 22,542 at the 2000 census.
It is the county seat of Hardin
County6. It is the principal city of
and is included in the Elizabethtown, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical
Area, which is included in the Louisville-Elizabethtown,
Kentucky-Scottsburg, Indiana Combined
Statistical Area.
Geography
Elizabethtown is located at 37°42′10″N, 85°51′58″W (37.702674,
−85.866173)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 63.1 km² (24.4 mi²). 62.3 km² (24.1 mi²) of it
is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.27%) is water.
On the list (by population) of all metropolitan statistical areas as defined by the United States Census Bureau, Elizabethtown
has a population of 109,551. Population estimates are current as of July 1, 2004. Metropolitan statistical area names are current
as of December 1, 2005. Elizabethtown metropolitan area includes the unincorporated town of Rineyville, where Abraham Lincoln's
school teacher lived.
History
Samuel Haycraft, Jr., in his History of Elizabethtown, wrote in 1869: "For who can tell what Elizabethtown will be with
her delightful location, her enterprising and energetic population, her railroad facilities, her fine water, and her surroundings
of intelligent and gentlemanly farmers, the best fruit country in the world, and her future manufactories that must spring up,
and when it becomes a large city it will be well to look back upon her starting point."
Founded in July 1797, Elizabethtown is the Hardin County seat. In 1779, three early settlers, Capt. Thomas Helm, Col.
Andrew Hynes, and Col. Samuel Haycraft, built forts with blockhouses to use as stockades
for defense against Native Americans. The forts, being one mile apart, formed a triangle. At the time, there were no other
settlements between the Ohio River and the Green River. Soon, however, other people came and
settled around these forts.
Hardin County was established in 1793 and named for Colonel John Hardin, an Indian fighter who had been killed by Native
Americans while on a peace mission with tribes in Ohio. It did not take long for the settlement to become an active community. In
just a few years, professional men and tradesmen came to live in the area. In 1793, Colonel Hynes had thirty acres of land
surveyed and laid off into lots and streets to establish Elizabethtown. Named in honor of the wife of Andrew Hynes, Elizabethtown
was legally established on July 4, 1797.
Thomas Lincoln was a resident of Hardin County and helped Samuel Haycraft build a millrace at Haycraft's mill on Valley Creek.
He married Nancy Hanks in 1806 and they lived in a log cabin built in Elizabethtown. Their daughter, Sarah, was born there in
1808. Soon after, they moved to the Sinking Spring Farm where Abraham Lincoln was born. Thomas Lincoln took his family to Indiana
in 1816. After his wife died in 1818, he came back to Elizabethtown and married Sarah Bush Johnston. Sarah had the privilege of
rearing ten year-old Abraham.
On March 5, 1850 the Commonwealth of Kentucky granted a charter to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company authorizing it to raise funds and built a
railroad from Louisville to the Tennessee state
line in the direction of Nashville. John L.
Helm, the grandson of Capt. Thomas Helm, became the president of the railroad in October 1854 and through his efforts, the
main stem of the road was built through Elizabethtown. The road was completed to Elizabethtown in 1858, the first train arriving
on June 15, 1858. The opening of the railroad brought growth and prosperity to Elizabethtown. The community became one of the
most important stops along the railroad and a strategic point during the Civil War. Joshua
Jewett (September 30, 1815 - July 14, 1861) was a United States Representative from Kentucky who lived in
Elizabethtown.
On December 27 1862, General John Hunt Morgan and his 3,000-man cavalry attacked Elizabethtown. During the battle more than 100
cannon balls were fired into the town. Although he successfully captured Elizabethtown, his goal was to disrupt the railroad. He
proceeded north along the route of the railroad burning trestles and destroying sections of the track. After the battle, one
cannon ball was lodged in the side of a building on the Public Square. The building later burned in 1887 and when it was rebuilt
the cannon ball was replaced in the side of the building, as close to its original impact as possible, where it remains in the
present day.
From 1871 to 1873, the Seventh Cavalry and a battalion of the Fourth Infantry, lead by General George Armstrong Custer, were stationed in Elizabethtown. The battalions were stationed in the
community to suppress the Ku Klux Klan and Carpet Baggers and to break up illegal distilleries which began to flourish in the
South after the Civil War. General Custer and his wife, Elizabeth, lived in a small cottage behind Aunt Beck Hill's boarding
house, now known as the Brown-Pusey House.
Today Elizabethtown is still a growing community. With a population of over 20,000 persons, the community has a growing
industrial and commercial economy. There are also many cultural and recreational opportunities in the area, including the summer
concert series at Freeman Lake Park, organized sports, and the Heartland Festival. The City Seal, with the inscription
"Elizabethtown, Strong and Growing Since 1779" still rings true today.
Culture
The town is regionally referred to as "E-town." It is notable as one of two larger towns (the other being Bowling Green) along I-65 between Louisville and Nashville. The movie
Elizabethtown (2005) was named after
the town, even though the majority of the movie was filmed in Versailles and
Louisville because Elizabethtown has lost most of its historic buildings in recent years due to development and sprawl.
Despite being in a dry county (Hardin),
drink sales are allowed in restaurants seating at least 100 diners and deriving at least 70% of their total sales from food. The
locals refer to this as being a "damp" or "moist" county.
Famous Elizabethtonians include Charles B. Middleton, who originated the
character of Ming the Merciless in the Flash
Gordon movie serials.
Transportation
The city is served by the airport at Addington Field (EKX) and the Elizabethtown
Airport Board is currently exploring options to bring commercial services back to the city.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 22,542 people, 9,306 households, and 6,123 families residing
in the city. The population density was 361.6/km² (936.6/mi²). There were 10,043
housing units at an average density of 161.1/km² (417.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.04% White, 9.70% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.79% of the population.
There were 9,306 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were
non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from
45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,823, and the median income for a family was $45,399. Males had a median
income of $32,406 versus $23,709 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$20,442. About 8.5% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
In 2000, Hardin County, Kentucky and Larue County, Kentucky were defined as the Elizabethtown, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area by the Bureau of the Census. It is part of the Louisville-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, KY-IN Combined
Statistical Area.
Education
Watertower near Panther Baseball Park in Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown Independent Schools
- Elizabethtown High School
- T.K. Stone Middle School
- Morningside Elementary School
- Helmwood Heights Elementary School
- Valley View Educational Center
Overall, the Elizabethtown Independent School district ranks 15th in the state. The district
is renowned for its long tradition of excellent academics. E.I.S. is also a member of the KY High Performing Districts' Alliance
Project.
Hardin County Schools
The Hardin County Schools are another district that encompasses some of the city limits.
- Central Hardin High School
- John Hardin High School
- North Hardin High School
- Bluegrass Middle School
- East Hardin Middle School
- West Hardin Middle School
- James T. Alton Middle School
- Radcliff Middle School
- Parkway Elementary School
- G.C. Burkhead Elementary School
- Lincoln Trail Elementary School
- New Highland Elementary School
- Meadowview Elementary School
- Woodland Elementary School
Private schools
Postsecondary education
Elizabethtown is home to Elizabethtown Community and Technical
College, a member of the Kentucky Community and
Technical College System.
Sister City
Elizabethtown has one sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
External links
Coordinates:
37.702674° N 85.866173°
W
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