Berea, Kentucky
Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox settlement
Berea (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a home rule-class city<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in Madison County, Kentucky, in the United States. The town is best known for its art festivals, historic restaurants and buildings, and as the home to Berea College, a private liberal arts college. The population was 15,539 at the 2020 census. It is one of the fastest-growing towns in Kentucky, having increased by 27.4% since 2000. Berea is a principal city of the Richmond−Berea Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Madison and Rockcastle counties. It was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1890.<ref name=":0">Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "Berea, Kentucky". Accessed 15 July 2013.</ref>
History
[edit]The history of Berea is tied with the history of Berea College, which was founded in 1855.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> The Berea railway station was created in 1882 as part of the Kentucky Central Railroad, and later the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N).<ref name=":1" /> Berea was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1890.<ref name=":0" /> In April 1996 a tornado went through the city, causing damage to about 800-1000 homes, with 20 percent of those being destroyed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.32%) is water. The city is located along Interstate 75, which runs to the west of downtown, with access from exits 76 and 77. Via I-75, Lexington is Template:Convert north, and Knoxville, Tennessee is Template:Convert south. U.S. Route 25 is the main highway through the center of town, leading north Template:Convert to Richmond, the Madison County seat, and south Template:Convert to Mount Vernon. Kentucky Route 21 also runs through the city as well, leading east Template:Convert to Bighill and northwest Template:Convert to Paint Lick.
Berea is located on the border of the Cumberland Plateau. The area has a mountainous appearance, but most outcroppings in the area have a maximum elevation of Template:Convert.
Climate
[edit]Berea has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and relatively cold winters. Summers tend to be humid and sunny, with occasional storms, while winters are generally cold with many milder periods.
Demographics
[edit]Template:US Census population At the 2010 census,<ref name="2010census">American FactFinder - Results Retrieved on 2012-5-20</ref> there were 13,561 people, 5,119 households and 3,382 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,633 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 90.7% White, 4.00% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.2 percent Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.7% of the population.
There were 5,119 households, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 47.1% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.92.
The age distribution was 22.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 21, 53.2% from 21 to 62, 2.8% from 62 to 65, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.4 years. The population was 53.4% female and 46.6% male (81 males per 100 females).
The median household income was $38,333 and the median family income was $45,541. Males had a median income of $28,304 compared $12,163 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,003. About 27.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
[edit]Berea has a lending library, a branch of the Madison County Public Library.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Arts and culture
[edit]Due to the high number of arts and crafts produced, Berea is a tourist attraction. It hosts several crafts festivals throughout the year. Berea also hosts a Spoonbread Festival in mid-September, which features a cornmeal bread traditionally served with a wooden spoon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The annual Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music, started in 1974, takes place in mid-October and features traditional music as passed down by people in the Appalachian region.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Transportation
[edit]Foothills Express, operated by the Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, provides the Berea Bus Service bus service within Berea, Madison County Connector service to Richmond, and local and intercity demand-responsive transport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable people
[edit]- Sue Draheim, fiddler, lived in Berea in her later years until her death in 2013.
- John Gregg Fee (1816–1901), minister, abolitionist, founder of Berea College
- John Fenn, recipient of 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; grew up in Berea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Red Foley, singer, musician, and radio and TV personality; raised in Berea and graduated from Berea High School.
- Damien Harris, college football player at the University of Alabama; graduated from Madison Southern High School, now a running back for the Buffalo Bills.
- bell hooks, author, radical feminist, and social activist; lived in Berea until her death in 2021.
- Silas House, writer and novelist lives in Berea.
- Louise Gilman Hutchins (1911–1996), pediatrician and president of Berea's Mountain Maternal Health League.
- Ashley Judd, actress, humanitarian and political activist; briefly lived and attended school in Berea
- Naomi Judd, country music singer; briefly lived in Berea.
- Wynonna Judd, country music singer; briefly lived and attended school in Berea.<ref>CMT : News : Wynonna Reflects in Coming Home to Myself</ref>
- Lily May Ledford, banjo player, member of the Coon Creek Girls; lived in Berea and is buried in the Berea cemetery.<ref>The Kentucky Encyclopedia - John E. Kleber - Google Books</ref>
- J.P. Pennington, musician, son of Lily May Ledford; born in Berea.
- Jean Ritchie, musician, "Mother of Folk"; resided in Berea until her death in 2015.
- Anne Shelby, children's book writer; born in Berea
- Tony Snow, former White House press secretary; born in Berea.
- Luke Stocker, NFL player, tight end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings; graduated from Madison Southern High School.
See also
[edit]- Bobtown, Kentucky, a nearby hamlet