Eddyville, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddyville, Kentucky
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Kentucky State Penitentiary
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Location in Lyon County, Kentucky
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Lyon |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.71 sq mi (19.98 km2) |
| • Land | 6.90 sq mi (17.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.81 sq mi (2.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 436 ft (133 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,375 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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2,429 |
| • Density | 344.30/sq mi (132.94/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
42038
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| Area code(s) | 270 & 364 |
| FIPS code | 21-23824 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403538 |
Eddyville is a city in Kentucky, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Lyon County. In 2020, about 2,375 people lived there. Eddyville is known for being home to the Kentucky State Penitentiary. It is also a popular spot for tourists because it's close to Lake Barkley, which is great for fishing and boating.
Contents
History of Eddyville
Eddyville was first settled around 1798. It got its name from the swirling waters, called eddies, in the nearby Cumberland River. This city has a special history because it has been the county seat for three different counties!
Early Beginnings
- In 1799, Eddyville became the county seat for Livingston County.
- Then, in 1809, it became the county seat for Caldwell County.
- Finally, in 1854, it became the county seat for Lyon County.
The Eddyville post office opened in 1801, helping the town grow.
Moving the Town
After the Kentucky Dam was built in the 1940s, people started hearing rumors. They heard that another dam, the Barkley Dam, would be built on the Cumberland River. This meant that Eddyville and a nearby town, Kuttawa, would be flooded.
By the mid-1950s, the rumors were true. The United States Army Corps of Engineers began planning the new dam. This news caused a lot of worry and upset among the people of Eddyville.
Lee S. Jones's Plan
A man named Lee S. Jones, who was from Lyon County, stepped in to help. He was a successful lawyer from Louisville. Jones owned land in the area where the new Eddyville would be built. He offered a solution to the town council.
His plan was simple: anyone who owned land in the old towns that would be flooded would get a free piece of land in the new Eddyville. This offer was for both homes and businesses.
The people of Eddyville accepted his generous offer. On August 13, 1959, the official map for the new town was filed. It showed 254 spots for homes and 46 spots for businesses. There was also land set aside for a school, a city park, a courthouse, and other important buildings.
Building the New Eddyville
August 28, 1959, was called "Dedication and Free Deed Day." Many people gathered to receive their new land deeds. The first house built in the new town belonged to Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Moore. The first business was the Kentucky Utilities office.
As Lake Barkley filled up in the 1960s, tourists started coming to the area. They came for the great fishing and boating. However, the number of tourists didn't grow as fast as many had hoped. The city faced some challenges.
The Outlet Mall's Impact
In December 1988, something big happened for Eddyville. Three brothers, Bob, Darrell, and Ben Jent, started building the West Kentucky Outlet Mall. It opened the next fall with ten stores. Soon, it grew to almost 50 stores!
The mall brought a huge boost to Eddyville. Many new businesses, like restaurants, motels, and clothing stores, opened up. For the first time, people in Eddyville had many choices without leaving town. Some say the mall helped Eddyville grow more than anything since the town started, except maybe the building of the Kentucky State Penitentiary. In 1997, Eddyville was even named the second-fastest growing area in Kentucky for tourism.
However, over time, the mall faced economic problems. Today, only a few stores remain.
Geography
Eddyville is located at 37°4′50″N 88°4′10″W / 37.08056°N 88.06944°W.
The city covers a total area of about 7.8 square miles (20.2 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 6.7 square miles (17.4 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 1.1 square miles (2.8 square kilometers), is water.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 69 | — | |
| 1840 | 167 | — | |
| 1860 | 599 | — | |
| 1870 | 386 | −35.6% | |
| 1880 | 390 | 1.0% | |
| 1890 | 680 | 74.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,210 | 77.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,442 | 19.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,182 | −18.0% | |
| 1930 | 1,990 | 68.4% | |
| 1940 | 2,407 | 21.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,840 | −23.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,858 | 1.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,981 | 6.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,949 | −1.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,889 | −3.1% | |
| 2000 | 2,350 | 24.4% | |
| 2010 | 2,554 | 8.7% | |
| 2020 | 2,375 | −7.0% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 2,429 | −4.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, the census showed that 2,375 people lived in Eddyville. There were 732 households, which are groups of people living together.
- About 13.3% of the population was under 18 years old.
- About 40.5% of the population was between 25 and 44 years old.
- About 13.6% of the population was 65 years or older.
The average age in the city was 38 years old.
Education
The public school district for the entire county is Lyon County Public Schools. It has about 970 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. There are about 18 students for every teacher. State tests show that 60% of students are good at math, and 65% are good at reading.
Eddyville also has a lending library, called the Lyon County Public Library.
Famous People from Eddyville
- Joe Fulks, a professional basketball player
- Chittenden Lyon, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Hylan B. Lyon, a general in the Confederate army
- Matthew Lyon, another member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Willis Benson Machen, a Confederate congressman and U.S. senator
- Travis Perry, a record-breaking high school basketball player now at the University of Kentucky
- John Long Routt, a Governor of Colorado
Images for kids
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A robot image
See also
In Spanish: Eddyville (Kentucky) para niños
