Editing West Point, Kentucky

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = West Point, Kentucky
|settlement_type          = [[List of cities in Kentucky|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Hardin County Kentucky Incorporated and Unincorporated areas West Point Highlighted 2181930.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of West Point in Hardin County, Kentucky.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Kentucky]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Kentucky|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Hardin County, Kentucky|Hardin]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_21.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 18, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 6.97
|area_land_km2            = 6.90
|area_water_km2           = 0.06
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.69
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.67
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.03

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 952
|population_density_km2   = 137.93
|population_density_sq_mi = 357.22

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 133
|elevation_ft             = 436
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|59|56|N|85|57|09|W|region:US-KY_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 40177
|area_code                = [[Area code 502|502]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 21-81930
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0506467
|website                  = {{URL|westpoint.ky.gov}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''West Point''' is a [[List of cities in Kentucky|home rule-class city]] in [[Hardin County, Kentucky|Hardin County]], [[Kentucky]], United States, near the edge of [[Fort Knox]] military reservation on [[U.S. Route 31W|Dixie Highway]]. It is located in a former meander bend of the [[Ohio River]]. The population was 952 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 Census]], up from 797 from the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2181930| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): West Point city, Kentucky| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=June 27, 2017}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> but still down from 1,100 at the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]].

West Point is part of the [[Elizabethtown metropolitan area|Elizabethtown–Fort Knox Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2007}}

West Point was founded by pioneer James Young, who built a cabin at the site in 1789 and, in 1797, built a brick house and inn that is still standing today. In 1803, [[Lewis and Clark]] passed nearby and recruited West Point citizen John Shields to join their Corps of Discovery.

West Point sits at the confluence of the Ohio and [[Salt River (Kentucky)|Salt]] rivers, a strategic position that led [[Union Army|Union]] forces to construct a fort here during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] to protect their supply routes. [[Fort Duffield]] is the state's largest and best-preserved earthen fortification from the period.

West Point also retains many of its other historic resources, and a large portion of the community is listed in the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as a historic district.

One of the newest preservation projects in West Point is the rehabilitation of the West Point Independent Colored School (1926), one of the "Rosenwald Schools" built by philanthropist [[Julius Rosenwald]] to educate African-Americans in rural areas. Plans call for using the one-room school as a visitor, educational, and research facility.

West Point commemorated the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's visit with a heritage festival that celebrated local history and drew heritage tourists. Year-round, Fort Duffield is an important tourist destination, and the city recently secured a grant to fund walking trails at the site.

West Point was a childhood residence of the late [[Louisiana]] Governor [[James A. Noe|James A. Noe Sr.]], a wealthy oilman and landowner.

==Geography==
West Point is located at the northern end of Hardin County at {{coord|37|59|30|N|85|57|16|W|type:city}} (37.991543, -85.954540),<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> at the confluence of the [[Ohio River|Ohio]] and [[Salt River (Kentucky)|Salt]] rivers. The Dixie Highway (U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 31W|31W]] and [[U.S. Route 60|60]]) passes through the city just east of the downtown, leading northeast {{convert|21|mi}} to [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]] and south {{convert|23|mi}} to [[Elizabethtown, Kentucky|Elizabethtown]], the Hardin County seat. Fort Duffield Park is located in the southern part of the city, with the remains of the fort sitting on top of a hill that rises {{convert|300|ft}} above the downtown. The city is bordered to the south by the northern end of [[Fort Knox]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city of West Point has a total area of {{convert|1.4|km2|order=flip}}, all land.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 206
|1880= 441
|1900= 489
|1910= 782
|1920= 724
|1930= 697
|1940= 992
|1950= 1669
|1960= 1957
|1970= 1741
|1980= 1339
|1990= 1216
|2000= 1100
|2010= 797
|2020= 952
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,100 people, 439 households, and 281 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|408.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 566 housing units at an average density of {{convert|210.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.09% [[White American|White]], 0.64% [[African American]], 0.64% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.09% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.09% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#Race|other races]], and 0.45% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanics or Latinos]] of any race were 0.82% of the population.

There were 439 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.09.

The age distribution was 26.2% under 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,792, and the median income for a family was $35,139. Males had a median income of $23,611 versus $18,125 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $13,381. About 15.9% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[West Point Independent School District]] operated a single [[K-8 school]], while high school students attended [[Elizabethtown High School]] of the [[Elizabethtown Independent Schools]].<ref name=Crumbiecouldclose>{{cite news|author=Crumbie, Trey|url=http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/news/education/west-point-school-could-close-merge/article_6deac31b-891c-5995-84ff-72977a2b08ae.html|title=West Point School could close, merge |newspaper=The News-Enterprise |location=Elizabethtown, KY |date=2019-07-03|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> On January 28, 2020, the West Point Independent Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to begin merger negotiations with [[Hardin County Schools]]; the West Point board approved the merger on February 18 and the Hardin County board followed two days later. The merger took effect on July 1, 2020. The relocation of students sent kindergarten students to North Park Elementary, first through fifth grades to Vine Grove Elementary, and sixth through eighth grade to J.T. Alton Middle School. Students who attended Elizabethtown High before the merger completed their high school there, while West Point high school students after the meger attend [[North Hardin High School]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://quicksie983.com/2020/02/19/west-point-agrees-to-merger/ |title=West Point agrees to merger |publisher=[[WQXE]] |location=Elizabethtown, KY |language=en-US |date=February 19, 2020| access-date=February 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wdrb.com/news/west-point-schools-to-shut-down-merge-with-hardin-county/article_d258b95e-5454-11ea-bb7e-77b5673af7d6.html |title=West Point schools to shut down, merge with Hardin County school district |first=Sara |last=Sidery |publisher=WDRB |date=February 20, 2020 |access-date=February 24, 2020}}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://quicksie983.com/2020/02/19/west-point-agrees-to-merger/|title=West Point agrees to merger – Quicksie 98.3|date=February 19, 2020 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
West Point and neighboring town [[Muldraugh, Kentucky|Muldraugh]] are featured in the open world survival horror game ''[[Project Zomboid]]'' as spawn points and explorable locations. The nearby city of [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]] is also featured in the game. For the sake of in-game difficulty, the infected population is far more abundant than the population of West Point during the year in which the game takes place. Spawning in West Point is not recommended for new or intermediate players due to the sheer amount of undead that litter the town relative to its small size, making it a challenging spawn location for advanced players.

==See also==
* [[List of cities and towns along the Ohio River]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.westpointky.org/ City of West Point official website]
* [http://westpoint.k12.ky.us West Point School] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614212951/http://www.westpoint.k12.ky.us/ |date=June 14, 2006 }}

{{Hardin County, Kentucky}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Hardin County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Cities in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1789]]
[[Category:Elizabethtown metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Kentucky populated places on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:1789 establishments in Virginia]]