Bourbon County, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bourbon County
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Bourbon County Courthouse in Paris
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Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
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 Kentucky's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | 1785 |
| Named for | House of Bourbon |
| Seat | Paris |
| Largest city | Paris |
| Area | |
| • Total | 292 sq mi (760 km2) |
| • Land | 290 sq mi (800 km2) |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2) 0.6%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,252 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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20,134  |
| • Density | 69.36/sq mi (26.78/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
Bourbon County is a place in Kentucky, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 20,252 people lived there. The main town and government center is Paris. Bourbon County is part of the larger Lexington-Fayette area. It is one of Kentucky's first nine counties. It is famous for its connection to bourbon whiskey.
Contents
History of Bourbon County
Bourbon County was created in 1785. The land came from Fayette County, Virginia. It was named after the French House of Bourbon. This was to thank Louis XVI of France for his help during the American Revolutionary War. Bourbon County became part of the new state of Kentucky in 1792.
The county's courthouse burned down twice, in 1872 and 1901. Because of these fires, many old county records were lost.
What Was "Old Bourbon"?
In 1780, the area known as Kentucky County, Virginia, was split into three parts. These were Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties. This area was called the District of Kentucky.
Bourbon County was formed in 1786 from Fayette County. At first, it was much larger than it is today. It included 34 of Kentucky's current 120 counties. This large original area later became known as Old Bourbon.
How Bourbon Whiskey Got Its Name
Whiskey was made in this area very early on. Barrels of whiskey from the region were marked Old Bourbon. They were shipped down the Ohio River from a local port. This whiskey was mostly made from corn. It had a special taste.
The name bourbon started to be used to tell it apart from other types of whiskey. For example, Monongahela whiskey came from western Pennsylvania. The word Old in Old Bourbon was probably misunderstood. People thought it meant the whiskey was aged, but it actually referred to the name of the area.
The port where whiskey was shipped was first called Limestone. Today, it is Maysville. This port was in Bourbon County until 1789. Then, the borders changed, and it became part of Mason County, Virginia. Now, it is in Mason County, Kentucky.
Many distilleries (places that make whiskey) were in Bourbon County. By some counts, there were 26 distilleries within the county's current borders. In 1919, a law called Prohibition stopped the making and selling of alcohol. Kentucky adopted this law a year before the rest of the country. All the distilleries in Bourbon County closed. They did not open again until late 2014, after 95 years.
Geography of Bourbon County
Bourbon County covers about 292 square miles (756 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 290 square miles (751 square kilometers), is land. Only a small part, about 1.9 square miles (4.9 square kilometers), is water.
There are no large lakes in the county. However, there are several streams. The most important one is Stoner Creek. The county seat, Paris, is located on this creek. Stoner Creek flows into the South Fork of the Licking River.
The land in Bourbon County mostly has gently rolling hills. Because of farming, not much of the county is covered in forests. However, deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves) are common.
Nearby Counties
- Harrison County (to the northwest)
- Nicholas County (to the northeast)
- Bath County (to the east)
- Montgomery County (to the southeast)
- Clark County (to the south)
- Fayette County (to the southwest)
- Scott County (to the west)
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 7,837 | — | |
| 1800 | 12,825 | 63.6% | |
| 1810 | 18,009 | 40.4% | |
| 1820 | 17,664 | −1.9% | |
| 1830 | 18,436 | 4.4% | |
| 1840 | 14,478 | −21.5% | |
| 1850 | 14,466 | −0.1% | |
| 1860 | 14,860 | 2.7% | |
| 1870 | 14,863 | 0.0% | |
| 1880 | 15,956 | 7.4% | |
| 1890 | 16,976 | 6.4% | |
| 1900 | 18,069 | 6.4% | |
| 1910 | 17,462 | −3.4% | |
| 1920 | 18,418 | 5.5% | |
| 1930 | 18,060 | −1.9% | |
| 1940 | 17,932 | −0.7% | |
| 1950 | 17,752 | −1.0% | |
| 1960 | 18,178 | 2.4% | |
| 1970 | 18,476 | 1.6% | |
| 1980 | 19,405 | 5.0% | |
| 1990 | 19,236 | −0.9% | |
| 2000 | 19,360 | 0.6% | |
| 2010 | 19,985 | 3.2% | |
| 2020 | 20,252 | 1.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 20,134 | 0.7% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900–1990 1990-2000 2010–2020 |
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In 2010, there were 19,985 people living in Bourbon County. There were 8,128 households. The county had about 66 people per square mile (25 people per square kilometer).
Most of the people in the county were White (90.38%). About 6.94% were Black or African American. A small number were Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander. About 2.60% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
About 32.80% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 54.70% were married couples. The average household had 2.49 people. The average family had 2.95 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 25.00% were under 18 years old. About 13.60% were 65 years or older. The average age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were about 94.60 males.
Towns and Communities
- Cane Ridge
- Centerville
- Clintonville
- Little Rock
- Millersburg
- North Middletown
- Paris (county seat)
- Ruddles Mills
Famous People from Bourbon County
- Mitchell Dazey (1820–1896), an Illinois politician and farmer, was born here.
- Mary Rootes Thornton McAboy (1815–1892), a poet.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Bourbon (Kentucky) para niños
