Adair County, Kentucky
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county
Adair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,903.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat and only municipality is Columbia.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was founded in 1801 and named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky (1820 – 1824).<ref name="cogov">Template:Cite web</ref> Adair County has some of the few surviving American Chestnut trees in the United States.<ref>"State's largest historic Chestnut tree stands on an Adair County farm.", Columbia Magazine, June 17, 2005; Retrieved October 5, 2015.</ref><ref>Flavell, John. "American tale: Bringing back the perfect tree.", Daily Independent, July 24, 2009.</ref>
History
[edit]Adair County was formed on December 11, 1801, from sections of Green County.<ref name="kye" /> Columbia was chosen as the county seat the following year<ref name="kye" /> and the first courthouse was built in 1806.
The county was named in honor of John Adair, a veteran of the Revolutionary War and Northwest Indian War. Later he commanded Kentucky troops in the Battle of New Orleans. He served as the eighth Governor of Kentucky.<ref name="kye" /> This was the 44th of Kentucky's 120 counties to be organized.<ref name="kye" />
After the American Civil War, a gang of five men, believed to include Frank and Jesse James from Missouri, robbed the Bank of Columbia of $600 on April 29, 1872. They killed the cashier, R.A.C. Martin, in the course of the robbery.<ref>William A. Settle, Jr., Jesse James Was His Name 44 (1977).</ref>
The courthouse on the Columbia town square, completed in 1884, replaced the original 1806 courthouse.<ref>Template:Cite book</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 (1.7%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> It is part of the Pennyroyal Plateau region of Kentucky and is part of western Appalachia.<ref name="kye">Kleber, p. 2</ref> Over 40% of the county's land is covered with timber.<ref name="kye" />
The Green River is the county's major waterway but is not commercially navigable.<ref name="kye" /> The river was impounded to form Green River Lake, the major feature of Green River Lake State Park, which lies in Adair and Taylor counties.<ref name="kye" /> Template:Further
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Taylor County – north (EST)
- Casey County – northeast (EST)
- Russell County – east
- Cumberland County – south
- Metcalfe County – southwest
- Green County – northwest
Demographics
[edit]As of the census of 2000, there were 17,244 people, 6,747 households, and 4,803 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,792 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 96.00% White, 2.55% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,747 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.50% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $24,055, and the median income for a family was $29,779. Males had a median income of $23,183 versus $17,009 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,931. About 18.20% of families and 24.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.60% of those under age 18 and 21.70% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
[edit]Adair County's agrarian economy produces livestock, dairy products, corn, and tobacco.<ref name="kye" /> The county experienced a minor oil boom in the 1960s.<ref name="kye" />
Lack of adequate transportation infrastructure hindered the county's prosperity well into the 20th century.<ref name="kye" /> The completion of the east–west Cumberland Parkway in 1973 significantly ameliorated this problem, but since then the county has sought improved road access to the north.<ref name="kye" />
Education
[edit]The county is served by Adair County Schools.<ref name="KYDOE">Template:Cite web</ref>
Its schools are:<ref name="ACS">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Adair County Primary Center (Principal: Patty R. Jones; Asst. Principal: Laura H. Murrell<ref name="ACPC">Template:Cite web</ref>)
- Adair County Elementary School (Principal: Steve Burton; Assistant Principal: Sommer Brown<ref name="ACES">Template:Cite web</ref>)
- Adair County Middle School (Principal: Alma Rich; Assistant Principal: Donna Young<ref name="ACMS">Template:Cite web</ref>)
- Adair County High School (Principal: Troy Young; Assistant Principal: Doug Holmes<ref name="ACHS">Template:Cite web</ref>).
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
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|James Comer (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr |
|---|---|---|
| Ky. Senate | Template:Party shading/Republican|Max Wise (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|16 |
| Ky. House | Template:Party shading/Republican|Amy Neighbors (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|21 |
Voter registration
[edit]| Adair County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment Template:As of<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political Party | Total Voters | Percentage | |||
| Template:Party color cell | Republican | 9,431 | 68.91% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Democratic | 3,414 | 24.95% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Others | 433 | 3.16% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Independent | 368 | 2.69% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Libertarian | 31 | 0.23% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Green | 7 | 0.05% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Constitution | 1 | 0.01% | ||
| Total | 13,685 | 100% | |||
Statewide elections
[edit]| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 69.53% 3,946 | 28.65% 1,626 | 1.81% 103 |
| 2015 | 66.33% 2,727 | 30.84% 1,268 | 2.82% 116 |
| 2011 | 51.06% 1,877 | 43.69% 1,606 | 5.25% 193 |
| 2007 | 67.75% 3,138 | 32.25% 1,494 | 0.00% 0 |
| 2003 | 66.22% 3,085 | 33.78% 1,574 | 0.00% 0 |
| 1999 | 28.84% 663 | 62.68% 1,441 | 8.48% 195 |
| 1995 | 65.84% 2,951 | 34.09% 1,528 | 0.07% 3 |
Communities
[edit]City
[edit]- Columbia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Unincorporated communities
[edit]Below is partial listing of known unincorporated communities within Adair County. A more complete listing is available here.
- Breeding
- Crocus (partially in Russell County)
- Glens Fork
- Gradyville
- Knifley
- Neatsville
- Pellyton
- Sparksville
- Cane Valley
- Coburg
- Holmes Bend
- Kellyville
Notable residents
[edit]- Thomas E. Bramlette, Governor of Kentucky<ref name="cogov" />
- Robert Porter Caldwell (1821–1885), United States Congressman, was born in Adair County.<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896">Template:Cite book</ref>
- E. A. Diddle, men's basketball coach for Western Kentucky University<ref name="diddle">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Janice Holt Giles (1909–1979), a writer noted particularly for her regional novels and nonfiction, lived in Adair County from 1949 until her death in 1979.<ref>Janice Holt Giles Template:Webarchive.</ref>
- James R. Hindman, Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky<ref name="cogov" />
- Sergeant Dakota Meyer (b. 1988), born and initially educated in Adair County, received the Medal of Honor in 2011 for his actions in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2009<ref name="meyer">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Pinkney H. Walker, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, was born in Adair County.<ref>'Prominent Men Dead-Judge Pinkney H. Walker,' Chicago Tribune, February 9, 1885, pg. 1</ref>
- Evelyn West, burlesque actress<ref name="west">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Frank Lane Wolford, U.S. Representative from Kentucky<ref name="cogov" />
See also
[edit]- National Register of Historic Places listings in Adair County, Kentucky
- List of counties in Kentucky