Elizabethtown, Kentucky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elizabethtown, Kentucky
City
Hardin County Old Courthouse in downtown Elizabethtown
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  E-town or E'town
Location of Elizabethtown in Hardin County, Kentucky.
Elizabethtown, Kentucky Location in Kentucky Show map of Kentucky Elizabethtown, Kentucky Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Hardin
Area
• Total	27.99 sq mi (72.49 km2)
• Land	27.50 sq mi (71.22 km2)
• Water	0.49 sq mi (1.27 km2)
Elevation	725 ft (221 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	31,394
• Estimate  (2022)	31,892
• Density	1,141.68/sq mi (440.81/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	42701–42702
Area code(s)	270 & 364
FIPS code	21-24274
GNIS feature ID	0491640

Elizabethtown is a city in Kentucky, United States. It is the main city of Hardin County. People sometimes call it "E-town" or "E'town."

In 2020, about 31,394 people lived here. This makes it one of the largest cities in Kentucky. Elizabethtown is also the main city in a larger area called the Elizabethtown–Fort Knox Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area includes several nearby counties and towns.

History of Elizabethtown

How Elizabethtown Started

Hardin County was created in 1793. It was named after Colonel John Hardin, who worked with local Native American tribes. A few years later, more people, including skilled workers, moved to the area.

In 1793, Colonel Andrew Hynes measured out 30 acres of land. He planned streets and lots to create a new settlement. This area was known as "Severn's Valley Settlement." In 1797, the settlement was officially named Elizabethtown, after Colonel Hynes' wife.

Abraham Lincoln's Family Connection

Thomas Lincoln, the father of future President Abraham Lincoln, helped build a mill in the area. In 1806, Thomas Lincoln married Nancy Hanks. They lived in a log cabin in Elizabethtown. Their daughter, Sarah, was born there in 1807.

Soon after, the family moved to a farm where Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809. In 1816, Thomas Lincoln moved his family to Indiana. After his wife Nancy died, he returned to Elizabethtown. He married Sarah Bush Johnston, who had also lost her husband. Sarah and her three children moved with Thomas back to Indiana.

The Railroad and the Civil War

In 1850, a company was allowed to build a railroad from Louisville to Nashville. John L. Helm became the president of this railroad in 1854. He made sure the main railroad line went through Elizabethtown.

The first train arrived in Elizabethtown on June 15, 1858. The railroad brought a lot of growth to the city. Elizabethtown became an important trading spot. It was also a key location during the Civil War.

The Battle of Elizabethtown

On December 27, 1862, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and his 3,000 cavalry soldiers attacked Elizabethtown. During the fight, over 100 cannonballs were fired into the town.

Morgan's main goal was to damage the railroad and stop transportation. He captured Elizabethtown and then moved north. He burned bridges and destroyed parts of the train tracks. After the battle, a cannonball was found stuck in a building wall. Today, you can still see a cannonball in a building on the historic town square.

General Custer in Elizabethtown

From 1871 to 1873, after the Civil War, General George Armstrong Custer and his soldiers were stationed in Elizabethtown. They were there to help keep the peace. They also worked to stop illegal alcohol production. General Custer and his wife lived in a small house. This house is now known as the Brown-Pusey House.

Geography and Climate

Where is Elizabethtown?

Elizabethtown is in the eastern part of Hardin County. It is about 15 miles south of Fort Knox. Major highways like Interstate 65 pass through the city. I-65 goes north to Louisville and southwest to Bowling Green.

Other important roads also start here. The Western Kentucky Parkway goes west from Elizabethtown. The Bluegrass Parkway goes east towards Lexington.

City Size and Water

The city of Elizabethtown covers about 25.8 square miles. Most of this area is land, about 25.4 square miles. A small part, about 0.5 square miles, is water.

Elizabethtown Metropolitan Area

The Elizabethtown–Fort Knox metropolitan area includes Hardin, Meade, and Larue counties. This area includes other nearby towns like Radcliff and Vine Grove. It also includes the housing areas of the Fort Knox Military Installation.

What is the Climate Like?

Elizabethtown has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool.

Population and People

In 2010, there were 28,531 people living in Elizabethtown. The city had about 15,711 households. Many different groups of people live in the city. About 80.4% of the people were White. About 19.6% were African American. People of Asian descent made up 2.6% of the population. About 4.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in the city was about 35.4 years old. About 25.1% of the people were under 18 years old.

Churches in Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown has a rich history of different churches. The first Baptist settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains was in Elizabethtown. It was called Severns Valley Baptist Church.

Many different Christian groups have churches in Elizabethtown. Today, there are more than 100 churches from over 12 different denominations in the city.

Culture and Nickname

People in the region often call Elizabethtown "E-town." It is one of the larger towns along Interstate 65 between Louisville and Nashville. A movie called Elizabethtown was named after the town in 2005. However, most of the movie was filmed in other Kentucky cities.

Transportation Options

Elizabethtown has its own airport, the Elizabethtown Regional Airport (EKX). As of 2013, there were plans to bring commercial flights to the city.

Education in Elizabethtown

Water tower near Panther Baseball Park in Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown has several schools for students of all ages.

Elizabethtown Independent Schools

This school district operates several schools:

• Elizabethtown High School
• T.K. Stone Middle School
• Morningside Elementary School
• Helmwood Heights Elementary School
• Valley View Educational Center

Hardin County Schools

The Hardin County Schools district also serves parts of Elizabethtown. Schools within the city limits include:

• Bluegrass Middle School
• Central Hardin High School
• G.C. Burkhead Elementary School
• Heartland Elementary School
• Lincoln Trail Elementary School
• New Highland Elementary School

Some schools with an Elizabethtown mailing address are actually in the nearby city of Radcliff. Also, Central Hardin High School is in Elizabethtown but has a mailing address in Cecilia.

Private Schools

• Saint James Catholic Regional School
• Gloria Dei Lutheran School

Colleges and Higher Learning

Elizabethtown is home to Elizabethtown Community and Technical College. This college is part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Western Kentucky University also has a campus here. The Elizabethtown Japanese School, a weekend program for Japanese students, holds its classes at the community college.

Public Library

Elizabethtown has a lending library. It is a branch of the Hardin County Public Library.

Notable People from Elizabethtown

Many interesting people have connections to Elizabethtown:

• Nathan Adcock, a baseball pitcher.
• Philip Arnold, known for a famous diamond hoax.
• Antwain Barbour, a professional basketball player.
• Ben M. Bogard, a clergyman who founded the American Baptist Association.
• Mark Bradley, a former baseball outfielder.
• John Y. Brown, a former Governor of Kentucky.
• Chaz Cardigan, an alternative rock musician.
• Frank Chelf, a former U.S. Representative.
• Brandon Deaderick, an NFL defensive tackle.
• Steve Delabar, an MLB relief pitcher.
• Greg Downs, an award-winning author.
• Daniel Cameron, the 51st Attorney General of Kentucky.
• Sarah Lincoln Grigsby, Abraham Lincoln's sister, born here.
• Benjamin Hardin Helm, a Confederate brigadier general.
• John LaRue Helm, a former Governor of Kentucky.
• Walter Dee Huddleston, a former U.S. Senator.
• Andrew Hynes, the founder of Elizabethtown.
• Steve Jameson, an award-winning painter and children's book illustrator.
• Joshua Jewett, a former U.S. Representative.
• Keen Johnson, a former Governor of Kentucky.
• Sarah Bush Johnston, Abraham Lincoln's stepmother.
• Jimmie Lee, a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives.
• Thomas Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's father.
• Usher F. Linder, a former Illinois Attorney General.
• Danny Lloyd, an actor famous for The Shining.
• Charles B. Middleton, an actor known for playing Ming the Merciless.
• Daniel Martin Moore, a singer-songwriter.
• Elizabeth Helm Nitchie, an educator.
• Dennis Parrett, a member of the Kentucky Senate.
• Kenny Perry, a professional golfer.
• Todd Perry, a former NFL offensive guard.
• Steffphon Pettigrew, a professional basketball player.
• Kelly Rutherford, a television and film actress.
• Chris Todd, a former Auburn Tigers quarterback.

Sister Cities

Elizabethtown has one sister city. This means it has a special friendship with a city in another country:

• Koori, Fukushima, Japan

Images for kids

• 

  The Brown Pusey House

• 

  The Samuel B. Thomas House

• 

  A banner remembers John Hunt Morgan's role in the history of Elizabethtown, KY. A Confederate cannonball is embedded in the blue building at left (the ball is visible just below and to the left of the nearest second-story window).

See also

In Spanish: Elizabethtown (Kentucky) para niños