Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
 The Kentucky State Capitol is one of 45 sites in Frankfort listed on the National Register of Historic Places. | |
 Location of Frankfort in Franklin County, Kentucky | |
  Frankfort, Kentucky Location of Frankfort in Franklin County, Kentucky | |
| Coordinates: 38°12′N 84°52′W / 38.200°N 84.867°WCoordinates: 38°12′N 84°52′W / 38.200°N 84.867°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Franklin |
| Established | 1786 |
| Incorporated | February 28, 1835 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council/Manager |
| • Mayor | Layne Wilkerson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15.07 sq mi (39.02 km2) |
| • Land | 14.77 sq mi (38.25 km2) |
| • Water | 0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2) |
| Elevation | 509 ft (155 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 25,527 |
| • Estimate (2019)[2] | 27,755 |
| • Density | 1,879.53/sq mi (725.71/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code | 40601-40604, 40618-40622 |
| Area code(s) | 502 |
| FIPS code | 21-28900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 517517 |
| Website | City website |
Frankfort is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the seat of Franklin County.[3] It is a home rule-class city[4] in Kentucky; the population was 25,527 at the 2010 census. Located along the Kentucky River, Frankfort is the principal city of the Frankfort, Kentucky Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Franklin and Anderson counties.
History[]
Pre-1900[]
The town of Frankfort likely received its name from an event that took place in the 1780s. Native Americans attacked a group of early European colonists from Bryan Station, who were making salt at a ford in the Kentucky River. Pioneer Stephen Frank was killed, and the settlers thereafter called the crossing "Frank's Ford". This name was later elided to Frankfort.[5]
In 1786, James Wilkinson purchased the 260-acre (110 ha) tract of land on the north side of the Kentucky River, which developed as downtown Frankfort. He was an early promoter of Frankfort as the state capital.
After Kentucky became the 15th state in 1792, five commissioners from various counties were appointed, on 20 June 1792, to choose a location for the capital. They were John Allen and John Edwards (both from Bourbon County), Henry Lee (from Mason), Thomas Kennedy (from Madison), and Robert Todd (from Fayette). A number of communities competed for this honor, but Frankfort won. According to early histories, the offer of Andrew Holmes' log house as capitol for seven years, a number of town lots, £50 worth of locks and hinges, 10 boxes of glass, 1,500 pounds of nails, and $3,000 in gold helped the decision go to Frankfort.[6]
Frankfort had a United States post office by 1794, with Daniel Weisiger as postmaster. On 1 October 1794, Weisiger sent the first quarterly account to Washington.[7]
John Brown, a Virginia lawyer and statesman, built a home now called Liberty Hall in Frankfort in 1796. Before Kentucky statehood, he represented Virginia in the Continental Congress (1777−78) and the U.S. Congress (1789−91). While in Congress, he introduced the bill granting statehood to Kentucky. After statehood, he was elected by the state legislature as one of the state's U.S. Senators.[8]
In 1796, the Kentucky General Assembly appropriated funds to provide a house to accommodate the governor; it was completed two years later. The Old Governor's Mansion is claimed to be the oldest official executive residence still in use in the United States. In 1829, Gideon Shryock designed the Old Capitol, Kentucky's third, in Greek Revival style. It served Kentucky as its capitol from 1830 to 1910. The separate settlement known as South Frankfort was annexed by the city on 3 January 1850.[9]
The Argus of Western America was published in Frankfort from 1808 until 1830.[10]
During the American Civil War, the Union Army built fortifications overlooking Frankfort on what is now called Fort Hill. The Confederate Army also occupied Frankfort for a short time, starting on 3 September 1862, the only such time that Confederate forces took control of a Union capitol.[5]
1900 to present[]
On 3 February 1900, Governor-elect William Goebel was assassinated in Frankfort while walking to the capitol on the way to his inauguration. Former Secretary of State Caleb Powers was later found guilty of a conspiracy to murder Goebel.[11]
Frankfort grew considerably in the 1960s. A modern addition to the State Office Building was completed in 1967. The original building was completed in the 1930s on the location of the former Kentucky State Penitentiary. Some of the stone from the old prison was used for the walls surrounding the office building. [12]
The Capitol Plaza was established in the 1960s. It comprised the Capitol Plaza Office Tower, the tallest building in the city, the Capitol Plaza Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn, Frankfort), and the Fountain Place Shoppes. The Capital Plaza Office Tower opened in 1972 and became a visual landmark for the center of the city. By the early 2000s, maintenance of the concrete structures had been neglected and the plaza had fallen into disrepair, with sections of the plaza closed to pedestrian activity out of concerns for safety. In August 2008, city officials recommended demolition of the Tower and redevelopment the area over a period of years. Ten years later, the demolition of the office tower was completed on Sunday, 11 March 2018, at 1:30 PM EST,[13] and was televised by WKYT-TV on The CW Lexington as well as streamed live on Facebook. Demolition of the nearby convention center, which opened in 1971 and has hosted sporting events, concerts, and other local events, was completed in Spring 2018.[13]
City officials intend to replace the outdated office tower with a smaller, four- or five-story building in order to create a more pedestrian-oriented scale at the complex, to encourage street activity.[14]
Frankfort is home to several distilleries including the Buffalo Trace Distillery (Kentucky Bourbon), Castle & Key Distillery (spirits), and Three Boys Farm Distillery (bourbon and whisky).[15]
Although there was some rapid economic and population growth in the 1960s, both tapered off in the 1980s and have remained fairly stable since that time.[16]
In 2018, several teachers protested at the city in response to Senate Bill 151 having been passed on 29 March 2018.[17]
Geography[]
Frankfort is located in the (inner) Bluegrass region of Central Kentucky. The city is bisected by the Kentucky River, which makes an s-turn as it passes through the center of town. The river valley widens at this point, which creates four distinct parts of town. The valley within the city limits contains Downtown and South Frankfort districts, which lie opposite one another on the river. A small neighborhood with its own distinct identity, Bellepoint, is located on the west bank of the river to the north of Benson Creek, opposite the river from the "downtown" district. The suburban areas on either side of the valley are respectively referred to as the "West Side" and "East Side" (or "West Frankfort" and "East Frankfort").
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.6 square miles (37.8 km2), of which 14.3 square miles (37.0 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) is water.
Frankfort does not have a commercial airport and travelers fly into Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport near Covington or Louisville International Airport in Louisville. Capital City Airport serves general and military aviation.
Climate[]
Frankfort has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Winter is generally cool with some snowfall. Spring and fall are both mild and relatively warm, with ample precipitation and thunderstorm activity. Summers are hot and humid.
| hideClimate data for , Kentucky (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1996–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 73 (23) |
80 (27) |
84 (29) |
87 (31) |
91 (33) |
100 (38) |
103 (39) |
103 (39) |
99 (37) |
97 (36) |
84 (29) |
73 (23) |
103 (39) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 43.1 (6.2) |
47.6 (8.7) |
57.2 (14.0) |
68.5 (20.3) |
76.7 (24.8) |
84.7 (29.3) |
87.6 (30.9) |
87.1 (30.6) |
81.1 (27.3) |
69.5 (20.8) |
56.7 (13.7) |
46.8 (8.2) |
67.2 (19.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 34.1 (1.2) |
37.8 (3.2) |
46.2 (7.9) |
56.7 (13.7) |
65.5 (18.6) |
73.7 (23.2) |
77.2 (25.1) |
76.1 (24.5) |
69.2 (20.7) |
57.6 (14.2) |
46.1 (7.8) |
38.1 (3.4) |
56.5 (13.6) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 25.1 (−3.8) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
35.3 (1.8) |
44.8 (7.1) |
54.4 (12.4) |
62.8 (17.1) |
66.8 (19.3) |
65.1 (18.4) |
57.3 (14.1) |
45.7 (7.6) |
35.6 (2.0) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
45.8 (7.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −8 (−22) |
−21 (−29) |
−10 (−23) |
21 (−6) |
28 (−2) |
42 (6) |
50 (10) |
48 (9) |
35 (2) |
22 (−6) |
9 (−13) |
−3 (−19) |
−21 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.27 (83) |
3.40 (86) |
4.72 (120) |
4.55 (116) |
5.10 (130) |
4.34 (110) |
4.69 (119) |
3.15 (80) |
3.35 (85) |
3.64 (92) |
3.36 (85) |
3.77 (96) |
47.34 (1,202) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 11.2 | 11.4 | 12.3 | 12.9 | 13.6 | 12.6 | 11.9 | 10.9 | 9.4 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 12.0 | 138.4 |
| Source: NOAA[18][19] | |||||||||||||
| showClimate data for Downtown Frankfort, Kentucky (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1895–present) |
|---|
Demographics[]
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 628 | — | |
| 1810 | 1,099 | 75.0% | |
| 1820 | 1,679 | 52.8% | |
| 1830 | 1,682 | 0.2% | |
| 1840 | 1,917 | 14.0% | |
| 1850 | 3,308 | 72.6% | |
| 1860 | 3,702 | 11.9% | |
| 1870 | 5,396 | 45.8% | |
| 1880 | 6,958 | 28.9% | |
| 1890 | 7,892 | 13.4% | |
| 1900 | 9,487 | 20.2% | |
| 1910 | 10,465 | 10.3% | |
| 1920 | 9,805 | −6.3% | |
| 1930 | 11,626 | 18.6% | |
| 1940 | 11,492 | −1.2% | |
| 1950 | 11,916 | 3.7% | |
| 1960 | 18,365 | 54.1% | |
| 1970 | 21,902 | 19.3% | |
| 1980 | 25,973 | 18.6% | |
| 1990 | 25,968 | 0.0% | |
| 2000 | 27,741 | 6.8% | |
| 2010 | 25,527 | −8.0% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 27,755 | [2] | 8.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[23] | |||
As of the 2010 Census,[24] there were 25,527 people, 11,140 households, and 6,053 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,746.3 per square mile (674.3/km2). There were 12,938 housing units at an average density of 885.1 per square mile (341.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 77.1% White or European American (75.6% non-Hispanic), 16.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 11,140 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32,6% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.7% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.83.
The age distribution was 20.8% under 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,009, and the median income for a family was $43,949. Full-time male workers had a median income of $37,445 versus $34,613 for females. The per capita income was $22,299. About 19.8% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.7% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Frankfort is the focal point of a micropolitan statistical area consisting of Frankfort and Franklin County as well as adjacent Lawrenceburg and Anderson County. The city is also classified in a combined statistical area with Lexington and Richmond to the east.
Frankfort's municipal population makes it the fourth smallest capital city in the United States.
Parks and recreation[]
The city operates nine parks:[25]
- Capitol View—playing fields, nature trails, picnic areas
- Cove Spring—240 acres, nature trails, picnic areas, archery range
- Dolly Graham—basketball courts, picnic, community garden, playground
- East Frankfort—nature trails, dog park, picnic areas, playgrounds, volleyball court, 18-hole disc golf course.[26]
- Juniper Hill Park—124 acres, pool, golf course, play areas, picnic areas, war memorials
- Lakeview (operated jointly with Franklin County[27])—ball fields, golf course, horse show arena, skatepark
- Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill—American Civil War battlefield, wilderness forest, forts, trails
- River View—picnic area along the Kentucky River, walking trail with historic cultural sites, amphitheatre, boat ramp, farmers market
- Todd Park—trail, picnic areas, community garden
Other recreation in the area:
- Walk/Bike Frankfort - Volunteer group to improve the city for pedestrians and cyclists.[28]
- Josephine Sculpture Park - Provides community arts education and creative experiences.[29]
- The Folkbike Re-Cyclery - Volunteer organization that restores and repairs used bicycles, and then gives them to riders who cannot afford to buy one.[30][31]
Education[]
Kentucky State University is located with the Frankfort city limits. KSU (also known as KYSU) is a public historically black university and an 1890 land-grant institution.[32]
Two public school districts serve the city, with three public high schools within the city limits.[32]
Frankfort Independent School District serves the downtown neighborhoods including Downtown, South Frankfort, Bellepoint and Tanglewood. FIS operates The Early Learning Academy (a preschool), Second Street School (primary and middle grades), Frankfort High School, and Panther Transition Academy (a non-traditional high school program).[33]
Franklin County Public Schools serves the rest of the city and county, including seven elementary schools (Bridgeport, Collins Lane, Early Learning Village, Elkhorn, Hearn, Peaks Mill, Westridge), two middle schools (Bondurant, Elkhorn), and two high schools (Franklin County High School and Western Hills High School).[34]
There are several private schools in the area, including Capital Day School, Frankfort Christian Academy, and Good Shepherd Catholic School.
Frankfort has a lending library, Paul Sawyier Public Library, named in 1965 after the watercolor artist Paul Sawyier whose many paintings document the history of the area.[35][36][37]
Points of interest[]
- Kentucky State Capitol building, built 1909
- Kentucky Governor's Mansion, residence of the Governor of Kentucky, built 1914
- Old State Capitol building, now a museum, built 1837
- Courthouse, built 1887
- Singing Bridge, a 125 year old bridge that crosses the Kentucky River, built 1893
- Liberty Hall, historic house museum, built 1796
- Fort Hill, a hill overlooking downtown, American Civil War site, now a park
- Frankfort Cemetery, historic military monuments and final resting place of numerous statesmen and famous figures, established 1844
- Corner in Celebrities Historic District
- Buffalo Trace Distillery, built 1792
- Jesse R. Zeigler House (private), Kentucky's only Frank Lloyd Wright, built 1909
Notable people[]
- William Wirt Adams (1819−88), brigadier general in the Confederate Army[38]
- Thomas Carlin, seventh Governor of Illinois[39]
- Will Chase, actor and singer best known for Broadway musicals and ABC series Nashville
- Elijah Craig, Baptist preacher and early bourbon distiller, moved to Frankfort from Virginia in the 1780s
- Tim Farmer, outdoorsman and television presenter; host of Kentucky Afield
- John Marshall Harlan, U.S. Supreme Court justice
- Grover Land (1884−1958), professional baseball player
- Archer Prewitt, musician and cartoonist
- J. T. Riddle, professional baseball player for the Miami Marlins
- Paul Sawyier (1865−1917), Kentucky Impressionist artist
- Arthur St. Clair, 1700s soldier and politician, after which St Clair Street is named
- Landon Addison Thomas (1799−1889), state legislator
- George Graham Vest (1830−1904), U.S. Senator from Missouri, best known for popularizing the notion that a dog is a man's best friend[40]
- George C. Wolfe (1954−), Broadway producer, playwright, and film director
- William Goebel, 34th Governor of Kentucky
- James Wilkinson, who named Mero St. after his paymaster, Louisiana Governor Esteban Rodríguez Miró.[41]
Sister cities[]
Gallery[]
The floral clock near the Capitol building
Downtown Frankfort
Downtown Frankfort at night
Grave site of pioneer Daniel Boone and his wife at Frankfort Cemetery
Singing Bridge
Jackson Hall of Kentucky State University
Whitaker Bank building
Buffalo Trace Distillery
References[]
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform" (PDF). Kentucky League of Cities. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "City History". Official website. City of Frankfort, Kentucky. Archived from the original on July 18, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ "Kentucky Historical Marker 1774" Archived August 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Kentucky Historical Society Website
- ^ Rennick, Robert M. (1993) Kentucky's Bluegrass: A Survey of the Post Offices, pp. 91 & 99. Lake Grove, Oregon: The Depot, ISBN 0-943645-31-X. Note that Post Office Department records were destroyed by a fire in 1836.
- ^ "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Retro Search". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "Frankfort, Kentucky". Accessed July 25, 2013.
- ^ "How Politicians Bought the 19th Century Media". Steve Inskeep: NPR Host and Author. May 4, 2015.
- ^ Egerton, John (April 10, 1983). Generations: An American Family. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813127831 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Knight's Penny Magazine". Charles Knight & Company. April 10, 1834 – via Google Books.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Miller, Alfred (January 14, 2018). "Dates set for Frankfort Convention Center, Capital Plaza Tower demolition". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ Redevelopment Plan", Kentucky
- ^ "Home of the Distilleries of Bourbon Country". Bourbon Country.
- ^ Jochim, Mark Joseph (May 31, 2018). "Kentucky & Tennessee Statehood". A Stamp A Day. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ "See the best video, photos as Kentucky teachers pack Frankfort, protest in the Capitol". kentucky. Archived from the original on December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
- ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Frankfort Capital City AP, KY". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Frankfort Lock 4, KY". U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1981-2010). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ "Monthly Highest Max Temperature and Monthly Lowest Min Temperature for Frankfort Downtown, KY". Applied Climate Information System. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ "General Climate Summary tables". Southeast Regional Climate Center. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Parks". www.frankfortparksandrec.com.
- ^ "Lawrenceburg Disc Golf Association - Lawrenceburg (KY) Disc Golf Association". Lawrenceburg Disc Golf Association. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ "Parks & Recreation | Franklin County".
- ^ "Walk/Bike Frankfort". Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
- ^ "Josephine Sculpture Park". Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ "The Folkbike Re-Cyclery - Join The Revolution - Frankfort, KY". folkbikerecyclery.org. Archived from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ Staff (May 1, 2013). "How to Celebrate Kentucky Derby 2013 in Central Kentucky". Ace. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Education | Frankfort, KY". www.frankfort.ky.gov.
- ^ "Frankfort Independent Schools". www.frankfort.k12.ky.us. Archived from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
- ^ "Franklin County Schools". www.franklin.kyschools.us.
- ^ "Kentucky Public Library Directory". Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- ^ Roe, Amy. "Paul Sawyier Library". ExploreKYHistory. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- ^ "Paul Sawyier Art Exhibit". pspl.org. September 8, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607−1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
- ^ "Illinois Governor Thomas Carlin". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ "George Graham Vest: Tribute to the Dog". The History Place. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Robert Brammer (April 21, 2020). "General James Wilkinson, the Spanish Spy Who was a Senior Officer in the U.S. Army During Four Presidential Administrations". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
Frankfort, the capital of Kentucky, where Wilkinson laid out the grid for many of the early streets. Wilkinson brazenly named one of those streets for a Spanish governor who was paying him, Mero Street (the correct spelling of the governor’s name is Miro)
- ^ "New sister city official | The State Journal". www.state-journal.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frankfort, Kentucky. |
 |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Frankfort, Kentucky. |
- Official site
- Frankfort Information page from Kentucky Secretary of State
- . The American Cyclopædia. 1879.
| show Municipalities and communities of Franklin County, Kentucky, United States |
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| show County seats in Kentucky |
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| show Authority control  |
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- Frankfort, Kentucky
- Cities in Kentucky
- Cities in Franklin County, Kentucky
- County seats in Kentucky
- Populated places established in 1786
- Frankfort, Kentucky micropolitan area
- 1786 establishments in Virginia