Berea, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Berea, Kentucky
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Berea City Hall
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| Nickname(s):
The Folk Arts And Crafts Capital Of Kentucky
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| Motto(s):
"Where Art's Alive"
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Location of Berea in Madison County, Kentucky.
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Kentucky | ||
| County | Madison | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 16.58 sq mi (42.95 km2) | ||
| • Land | 16.51 sq mi (42.76 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 958 ft (292 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 15,539  |
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| • Estimate
(2022)
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15,494 | ||
| • Density | 941.13/sq mi (363.36/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP codes |
40403-40404
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| Area code(s) | 859 | ||
| FIPS code | 21-05842 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2403858 | ||
| Website | bereaky.gov | ||
Berea (/bəˈriːə/ bə-REE-ə) is a city in Madison County, Kentucky, in the United States. It's famous for its art festivals, old buildings, and as the home of Berea College. This college is a private school focused on liberal arts.
In 2020, about 15,539 people lived in Berea. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Kentucky. Berea is part of the larger Richmond−Berea area, which includes Madison and Rockcastle counties. The city officially became a town in 1890.
Contents
History of Berea
The story of Berea is closely connected to Berea College. This college was started in 1855. Later, in 1882, a railway station was built in Berea. This station was part of the Kentucky Central Railroad.
Berea officially became a city in 1890. In April 1996, a strong tornado passed through the city. It affected many homes in the area.
Geography and Location
Berea is located in Kentucky. The city covers an area of about 9.4 square miles (24.3 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.
How to Get Around Berea
Interstate 75 runs west of downtown Berea. You can get on or off the highway at exits 76 and 77.
- Lexington is about 40 miles (64 km) north on I-75.
- Knoxville, Tennessee is about 134 miles (216 km) south on I-75.
U.S. Route 25 is the main road through the center of Berea.
- It goes north about 14 miles (23 km) to Richmond. Richmond is the main city in Madison County.
- It goes south about 17 miles (27 km) to Mount Vernon.
Kentucky Route 21 also goes through Berea.
- It leads east about 6 miles (10 km) to Bighill.
- It goes northwest about 10 miles (16 km) to Paint Lick.
Berea's Landscape
Berea is located near the edge of the Cumberland Plateau. This area looks mountainous. However, most of the hills in the area are not extremely high. They usually reach a maximum height of about 2,500 feet (762 meters).
Berea's Climate
Berea has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot summers and winters that are fairly cold. Summers are often humid and sunny, with storms sometimes. Winters are generally cold, but there are also many milder days.
| Climate data for Berea, Kentucky | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) |
80 (27) |
85 (29) |
90 (32) |
92 (33) |
98 (37) |
104 (40) |
102 (39) |
104 (40) |
93 (34) |
82 (28) |
78 (26) |
104 (40) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45 (7) |
50 (10) |
60 (16) |
70 (21) |
77 (25) |
85 (29) |
87 (31) |
87 (31) |
80 (27) |
69 (21) |
58 (14) |
47 (8) |
68 (20) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 28 (−2) |
31 (−1) |
38 (3) |
47 (8) |
56 (13) |
64 (18) |
67 (19) |
66 (19) |
59 (15) |
49 (9) |
41 (5) |
31 (−1) |
48 (9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −21 (−29) |
−10 (−23) |
−3 (−19) |
21 (−6) |
27 (−3) |
39 (4) |
47 (8) |
42 (6) |
31 (−1) |
22 (−6) |
−3 (−19) |
−17 (−27) |
−21 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.91 (74) |
3.56 (90) |
4.11 (104) |
3.71 (94) |
5.26 (134) |
4.65 (118) |
4.74 (120) |
3.58 (91) |
3.58 (91) |
3.29 (84) |
3.81 (97) |
4.09 (104) |
47.29 (1,201) |
| Source: The Weather Channel. | |||||||||||||
People of Berea
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 580 | — | |
| 1900 | 762 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,510 | 98.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,640 | 8.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,827 | 11.4% | |
| 1940 | 2,176 | 19.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,372 | 55.0% | |
| 1960 | 4,302 | 27.6% | |
| 1970 | 6,956 | 61.7% | |
| 1980 | 8,226 | 18.3% | |
| 1990 | 9,126 | 10.9% | |
| 2000 | 9,851 | 7.9% | |
| 2010 | 13,561 | 37.7% | |
| 2020 | 15,539 | 14.6% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 15,494 | 14.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 13,561 people living in Berea. The city had 5,119 households. Most people living in Berea were White (90.7%). There were also people who identified as African American, Native American, Asian, and other backgrounds. About 2.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
About 31.2% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.39 people. The average age of people in Berea was 32.4 years old.
Education in Berea
Berea has a lending library. It is a part of the Madison County Public Library system.
Arts and Culture in Berea
Berea is known for its many arts and crafts. Because of this, it is a popular place for tourists to visit. The city hosts several crafts festivals throughout the year.
Berea also has a special event called the Spoonbread Festival. This festival happens in mid-September. It celebrates a type of cornmeal bread that is traditionally eaten with a wooden spoon.
Every mid-October, Berea College hosts the annual Celebration of Traditional Music. This event started in 1974. It showcases traditional music that has been passed down through generations in the Appalachian region.
Transportation in Berea
The Foothills Express provides bus services within Berea. It also offers connections to Richmond. This service helps people travel around Berea and to nearby areas.
Notable People from Berea
Many interesting people have connections to Berea:
- Sue Draheim: A fiddler who lived in Berea later in her life.
- John Gregg Fee: A minister and abolitionist who founded Berea College.
- John Fenn: A chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 2002. He grew up in Berea.
- Red Foley: A famous singer and musician. He was raised in Berea.
- Damien Harris: A college football player who now plays for the Buffalo Bills.
- bell hooks: A well-known author and social activist. She lived in Berea.
- Silas House: A writer and novelist who lives in Berea.
- Louise Gilman Hutchins: A pediatrician and president of a health organization in Berea.
- Ashley Judd: An actress and activist who briefly lived and went to school in Berea.
- Naomi Judd: A country music singer who briefly lived in Berea.
- Wynonna Judd: A country music singer who briefly lived and went to school in Berea.
- Lily May Ledford: A banjo player and member of the Coon Creek Girls. She lived and is buried in Berea.
- J.P. Pennington: A musician and son of Lily May Ledford. He was born in Berea.
- Jean Ritchie: A musician known as the "Mother of Folk" music. She lived in Berea.
- Anne Shelby: A children's book writer who was born in Berea.
- Tony Snow: A former White House press secretary. He was born in Berea.
- Luke Stocker: An NFL player who graduated from Madison Southern High School.
See also
In Spanish: Berea (Kentucky) para niños
