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Daviess County, Kentucky

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Daviess County (/ˈdeɪvɪs/ "Davis"), is a county in Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,312.[1] Its county seat is Owensboro.[2] The county was formed from part of Ohio County on January 14, 1815.

Daviess County
County
Daviess County courthouse in Owensboro
Daviess County courthouse in Owensboro
Flag of Daviess County
Flag
Official seal of Daviess County
Seal
Map of Kentucky highlighting Daviess County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°44′N 87°05′W / 37.73°N 87.09°W / 37.73; -87.09
Country United States
State Kentucky
FoundedJanuary 14, 1815
Named forJoseph Hamilton Daveiss
SeatOwensboro
Largest cityOwensboro
Area
 • Total
477 sq mi (1,240 km2)
 • Land458 sq mi (1,190 km2)
 • Water18 sq mi (50 km2)  3.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
103,312
 • Estimate 
(2023)
103,458 Increase
 • Density220/sq mi (84/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.daviessky.org

Daviess County is included in the Owensboro, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area. Daviess County also shares its namesake with another nearby Daviess County of Indiana. Both counties are in the Illinois-Indiana-Kentucky Tri-State Area.

History

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Daviess County was established in 1815. The county is named for Major Joseph Hamilton Daveiss (a recording error in the State Clerk's office accounts for the error in spelling, which was never corrected), the United States Attorney who unsuccessfully prosecuted Aaron Burr.[3] The county's borders were altered in 1829 to form Hancock County, in 1830 to absorb a small area surrounding Whitesville, in 1854 to cede land to McLean County, and finally in 1860 to annex 44 square miles (110 km2) from Henderson County.

The courthouse was burned in January 1865 during the American Civil War, but the county records were spared destruction because they had been transferred to a church.[4]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 477 square miles (1,240 km2), of which 458 square miles (1,190 km2) is land and 18 square miles (47 km2) (3.8%) is water.[5] The northern half of the county along the Ohio River is relatively flat, with a few rolling hills dotting the landscape. The southern portion is mostly rolling hills mixed with flat valleys. The southern portion was mined for coal in the past, especially in the rolling hills along Panther Creek and other streams.

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18203,876—
18305,20934.4%
18408,33159.9%
185012,36248.4%
186015,54925.8%
187020,71433.2%
188027,73033.9%
189033,12019.4%
190038,66716.7%
191041,0206.1%
192040,733−0.7%
193043,7797.5%
194052,33519.5%
195057,2419.4%
196070,58823.3%
197079,48612.6%
198085,9498.1%
199087,1891.4%
200091,5455.0%
201096,6565.6%
2020103,3126.9%
2023 (est.)103,458[6]0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1]

As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 96,656 people, 36,033 households, and 24,826 families residing in the county. The population density was 198 per square mile (76/km2). There were 38,432 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.69% White, 4.35% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 36,033 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,813, and the median income for a family was $45,404. Males had a median income of $35,295 versus $21,971 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,739. About 9.40% of families and 12.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

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Distilling

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Daviess County has long had a reputation as the leading center of the production of distilled spirits, chiefly Kentucky bourbon. Walter McFarland, who moved here from North Carolina, began making whiskey and peach brandy in about 1804 on a 200-acre (0.81 km2) estate just south of Panther Creek, on today's U.S. 431.[12] Cornelius Westerfield also began distilling corn whiskey in the early 1800s on his farm three miles (4.8 km) southwest of Whitesville, Kentucky, on Deserter Creek. It finally closed in 1872, after more than 60 years of production.[12]

By the 1880s, 18 large distilleries operated in Daviess County at the same time. Today only three remain. One dates back to 1869, the former Glenmore Distillery Company, which was originally the R. Monarch Distillery. In 1885, J.W. McCullough began the Green River Distillery which ran until Prohibition and was subsequently purchased thereafter by Charles Medley Distillers where it ran until the 1950s, changing ownership a number of times without producing anything until its eventual purchase by Trinidad-based Angostura Limited, who bought the Medley Distillery in 2007 with plans to make its entrance into the world's bourbon market, but the severe global recession in 2008 ended those plans.[13] The distillery was sold to the Terressentia Corporation in 2014.[13] In 2020, the distillery was renamed as Green River Distilling Co, restoring the Green River name that was used at the facility under McCulloch's original ownership.[13]

The following is list of distilleries operating in 1883[14]

  • Owensboro Distilling Company, founded 1880
  • Sour-Mash Distilling Company, founded 1868
  • Hill, Perkins and Company, founded 1880
  • Rock Spring Distillery, founded 1881
  • Hill and Perkins Distillery, founded 1866
  • R. Monarch Distillery, founded 1869, acquired and renamed in 1901 Glenmore Distillery Company
  • E.P. Millet and Company, founded 1880
  • John Thixton Distillery Company
  • John Hanning Distillery Company, founded 1869
  • Eagle Distillery Company, founded 1869
  • Daviess county Distilling Company, founded April 16, 1874[15]
  • M.P. Mattingly's Distyillery, founded 1855
  • Daviess County Club Distillery, founded 1880
  • J.W.M. Field Distillery, founded February 3, 1873
  • J.T. Welch Distilling Company, founded March 1, 1881
  • Boulware and Wilhoute's Distillery, founded 1880
  • C.L. Appelgate and Company distillery, founded 1879 at Yelvington, Kentucky

Coal mining

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The southwestern portion of the county around the Panther Creek area was heavily mined through the 1960s till the early 1990s. After 1998 large tracts of mined land were left unclaimed. Then after a lengthy search for contractors by the state government's Division of Abandoned Mine Lands, work commenced on the largest tract, a 42-acre (170,000 m2) tract once part of the now defunct Green Coal Company. The 42 acres (170,000 m2) of unclaimed land were part of Green Coal Company's mine once known as the "Panther Surface Mine". Green Coal Company was a staple mining company in Daviess County and was based nearby in Henderson.

Reclamation work commenced at the site on November 8, 1999, and was completed April 14, 2000. The licensed blaster employed by the contractor blasted the highwall into the pit, resulting in a reduced effort to grade and dress the final slope. Enough topsoil was gained from the area above the highwall to allow a growing medium for re-vegetation purposes. Through innovative field techniques and extraordinary cooperation from the contractor, this site has been returned to a very safe, stable and productive property. All 42 acres (170,000 m2) of this project was reclaimed expending $127,538.82 of the available bond. The land is now safe for the public and is considered prime farm property once again.[16]

Politics

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United States presidential election results for Daviess County, Kentucky[17][18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 30,705 65.24% 15,673 33.30% 689 1.46%
2020 31,025 62.95% 17,286 35.07% 976 1.98%
2016 28,907 63.11% 14,163 30.92% 2,737 5.98%
2012 25,092 59.62% 16,208 38.51% 787 1.87%
2008 23,692 54.31% 19,282 44.20% 648 1.49%
2004 25,372 61.16% 15,788 38.06% 323 0.78%
2000 21,361 58.94% 14,126 38.98% 753 2.08%
1996 15,844 45.36% 15,366 43.99% 3,720 10.65%
1992 14,936 40.45% 16,592 44.93% 5,401 14.63%
1988 17,356 53.49% 14,815 45.66% 274 0.84%
1984 19,495 58.92% 13,347 40.34% 244 0.74%
1980 14,643 47.67% 14,902 48.51% 1,172 3.82%
1976 12,826 46.72% 14,114 51.41% 514 1.87%
1972 17,234 65.64% 8,168 31.11% 854 3.25%
1968 10,111 40.22% 9,947 39.56% 5,084 20.22%
1964 8,350 35.15% 15,253 64.21% 152 0.64%
1960 13,385 57.62% 9,846 42.38% 0 0.00%
1956 11,491 62.54% 6,674 36.33% 208 1.13%
1952 10,462 58.09% 7,522 41.77% 26 0.14%
1948 4,873 35.06% 8,682 62.46% 344 2.47%
1944 6,135 42.74% 8,143 56.73% 77 0.54%
1940 5,633 37.49% 9,344 62.19% 49 0.33%
1936 4,636 30.21% 9,957 64.88% 754 4.91%
1932 5,059 32.25% 10,527 67.12% 99 0.63%
1928 8,896 54.77% 7,332 45.14% 15 0.09%
1924 7,270 46.67% 8,116 52.10% 192 1.23%
1920 7,584 43.69% 9,669 55.70% 106 0.61%
1916 4,078 42.60% 5,396 56.37% 99 1.03%
1912 1,506 19.45% 4,314 55.72% 1,922 24.83%
1908 3,922 42.06% 5,218 55.96% 184 1.97%
1904 3,381 40.33% 4,754 56.71% 248 2.96%
1900 3,738 42.14% 4,910 55.36% 222 2.50%
1896 3,105 37.28% 4,952 59.46% 271 3.25%
1892 1,638 24.29% 3,431 50.87% 1,675 24.84%
1888 2,238 36.60% 3,818 62.44% 59 0.96%
1884 1,571 32.91% 3,139 65.77% 63 1.32%
1880 1,271 27.85% 3,054 66.91% 239 5.24%

Communities

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Cities

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Rennick, Robert M. (1987). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. p. 78. ISBN 0813126312. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  4. ^ Hogan, Roseann Reinemuth (1992). Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research. Ancestry Publishing. p. 223. ISBN 9780916489496. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  6. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  12. ^ a b "Medley Distillers eager to join Kentucky Bourbon Trail", by Keith Lawrence, Messenger-Inquirer, Monday, September 21, 2009
  13. ^ a b c Weaver, Katelyn (February 8, 2022). "Medley family continues legacy in local bourbon industry". Visit Owensboro, KY.
  14. ^ History of Daviess County, Ky., pgs 341–345, Interstate Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill.
  15. ^ Daviess County Distilling Company records, 1850–1964, 1850–1940 (bulk dates) full text File Size: 5 K bytes |14 reels of microfilm (50 vols.)Call number: 1F67M-621 University of Kentucky Special Collections and Digital Programs Lexington, Kentucky 40506
  16. ^ "Green Coal". May 27, 2010. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  18. ^ "Our Campaigns - U.S. President". Retrieved January 22, 2021.
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37°44′N 87°05′W / 37.73°N 87.09°W / 37.73; -87.09

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