Hart County, Kentucky
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county
Hart County is a county located in the south central portion of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,288.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Munfordville, its largest city is Horse Cave.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Hart County is a prohibition or dry county.
History
[edit]Hart County was formed in 1819 from portions of Hardin and Barren counties.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The county is named for Captain Nathaniel G. S. Hart, a Kentucky militia officer in the War of 1812 who was wounded at the Battle of Frenchtown and died in the Massacre of the River Raisin.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The Battle of Munfordville, a Confederate victory, was fought in the county in 1862, during the American Civil War.
A courthouse fire in January 1928 resulted in the loss of some county records.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1989 the Amish settlement near Munfordville was founded. It has ties to the Geauga Amish settlement in Ohio, from where many of the Munfordville Amish came. It is the fastest growing Amish settlement in America and had 14 church districts and a total population of about 1,800 people Template:As of.<ref name="Joseph F page 114">Joseph F. Donnermeyer and David Luthy: Amish Settlements across America: 2013, page 114.</ref><ref name="Munfordville">"Munfordville" at amishamerica.com.</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (1.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>
Fauna
[edit]A female wolf shot in 2013 in Hart County by a hunter was the first gray wolf seen in Kentucky in modern times.<ref name=EFN81913>Template:Cite news</ref>
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Hardin County (north/Eastern Time Border)
- LaRue County (northeast/Eastern Time Border)
- Green County (east)
- Metcalfe County (southeast)
- Barren County (south)
- Edmonson County (southwest)
- Grayson County (northwest)
Natural features
[edit]A portion of Mammoth Cave National Park and the cave for which it is named is located in western Hart County.
The Fisher Ridge Cave System is located in Hart County. Template:As of it has been mapped to a length of Template:Convert and is the fifth-longest cave in the United States and the tenth-longest cave in the world.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
[edit]As of the census of 2000, there were 17,445 people, 6,769 households, and 4,812 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 8,045 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 92.58% White, 6.20% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,769 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,378, and the median income for a family was $31,746. Males had a median income of $26,994 versus $19,418 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,495. About 18.60% of families and 22.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 22.00% of those age 65 or over.
Amish settlement
[edit]The Amish settlement in Hart County mainly between Munfordville and Horse Cave was founded in 1989. It has ties to the Geauga Amish settlement in Ohio, from where many of the Hart County Amish came. It is the fastest-growing Amish settlement in America and had 14 church districts and a total population of about 1,800 Template:As of.<ref name="Joseph F page 114"/><ref name="Munfordville"/> According to ARDA,in 2020,the Amish population was 2,486 or 12.9% of the total population.[1]
Religion
[edit]Template:Pie chart*"Nones" is an unclear category.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Johnson 2022" /> It is a heterogenous group of the not religious and intermittently religious.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Researchers argue that most of the "Nones" should be considered "unchurched", rather than objectively nonreligious;<ref name="Johnson 2022">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Unaff Yet Rel" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Hout 2017">Template:Cite journal</ref> especially since most "Nones" do hold some religious-spiritual beliefs and a notable amount participate in behaviors.<ref name="Johnson 2022" /><ref name="Unaff Yet Rel">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For example, 72% of American "Nones" believe in God or a Higher Power.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]- Horse Cave
- Munfordville (county seat)
Census-designated place
[edit]Other unincorporated places
[edit]- Bee
- Big Windy
- Bonnieville
- Bunnell Crossing
- Canmer
- Cash
- Cub Run
- Eudora
- Hammonville
- Jonesville
- Legrande
- Linwood
- Lone Star
- Monroe
- Northtown
- Pascal
- Priceville
- Rowletts
- Seymour
- Three Springs
- Uno
- Woodsonville
Politics
[edit]Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot In presidential elections, Hart County was a swing county up until the 21st century. After that, they have shifted heavily towards the Republican Party. The last Democratic Party presidential candidate to carry the county was Bill Clinton in 1992.
Elected officials
[edit]| Elected officials as of January 3, 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| U.S. House | Template:Party shading/Republican|Brett Guthrie (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr |
|---|---|---|
| Ky. Senate | Template:Party shading/Republican|David P. Givens (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|9 |
| Ky. House | Template:Party shading/Republican|Ryan Bivens (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|24 |
Education
[edit]School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list - For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see: Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
[edit]- Dry county
- James Greene Hardy Local politician of the 1850s, was Lt. Gov. of Kentucky.
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hart County, Kentucky