Harrodsburg, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
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City
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Downtown Harrodsburg, 2007
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Location of Harrodsburg in Mercer County, Kentucky.
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 Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Location in Kentucky
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Mercer |
| Founded | June 16, 1774 |
| Incorporated | March 1, 1836 |
| Named for | James Harrod |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.94 sq mi (17.98 km2) |
| • Land | 6.92 sq mi (17.93 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 837 ft (255 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,064 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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9,149 |
| • Density | 1,309.64/sq mi (505.63/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
40330
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| Area code(s) | 859 |
| FIPS code | 21-34966 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403806 |
| Website | harrodsburgcity.org |
Harrodsburg is a city in Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Mercer County. In 2020, about 9,064 people lived there.
Even though other towns were officially recognized earlier, Harrodsburg is special. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it the oldest permanent American settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. This means it was one of the first places where people built homes and stayed for good in the western part of the country.
Contents
History of Harrodsburg
Early Settlement and Challenges
The town was first called Harrodstown and was started by James Harrod on June 16, 1774. But soon after, people had to leave because of attacks from Native American groups during a conflict known as Lord Dunmore's War.
However, settlers came back in 1775. During the American Revolutionary War, fear of attacks made it one of only three safe settlements in Kentucky. The other two were Logan's Fort and Boonesborough. Harrodstown was also known as Oldtown. It was an important center for the government of the Kentucky area when it was still part of Virginia. It is still the main town for Mercer County today.
In 1785, the government of Virginia officially named the settlement Harrodsburg. Later, in 1836, the Kentucky government officially made Harrodsburg a city.
Harrodsburg During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, many people in Harrodsburg supported the Confederate side. However, the Union army controlled the town. In 1862, a Union army group was formed near Harrodsburg.
After a big battle nearby called the Battle of Perryville, Harrodsburg became a giant hospital. Many injured and sick Confederate soldiers were captured there. The city was under martial law for the rest of the war. This means the military took control of the town's rules and laws.
Growth and Development
In 1888, the Louisville Southern Railroad came to Harrodsburg. This helped the city grow by making it easier to transport goods and people. Today, this railroad is part of the Norfolk Southern Railway system.
A special park called Pioneer Memorial Park opened in 1927. It is now known as Old Fort Harrod State Park. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited and honored Harrodsburg with a monument. This monument celebrates Harrodsburg as the "first permanent settlement west of the Appalachians."
During World War II, a group of soldiers from Harrodsburg, Company D of the 192nd Tank Battalion, fought bravely in the Battle of Bataan.
Harrodsburg is also home to Shaker Village, a historic site where you can learn about the Shaker community.
Geography and Location
Harrodsburg is located at 37°45′50″N 84°50′46″W / 37.76389°N 84.84611°W. The city covers an area of about 5.3 square miles (13.7 square kilometers), and almost all of it is land.
Transportation
Several important roads pass through or near Harrodsburg:
- U.S. Route 127 runs north and south.
- There's also a U.S. 127 Bypass that goes around the city.
- U.S. 68 runs east and west, sometimes joining U.S. 127 within Harrodsburg.
- KY 152 also goes east and west through the area.
Climate
Harrodsburg has a climate that is mostly humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot and humid summers. Winters are cool, but there are often mild periods.
The warmest months are July and August, with average high temperatures around 87°F (31°C). January is the coolest month, with average low temperatures around 26°F (-3°C). The highest temperature ever recorded was 105°F (41°C) in September 1954. The lowest was -18°F (-28°C) in January 1985. The city gets about 45.73 inches (116.2 cm) of rain each year, with May being the wettest month.
| Climate data for Harrodsburg, Kentucky | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F | 43 | 49 | 58 | 68 | 76 | 84 | 87 | 87 | 81 | 70 | 58 | 47 | 67 |
| Mean daily minimum °F | 26 | 29 | 36 | 45 | 54 | 63 | 67 | 65 | 59 | 47 | 39 | 30 | 47 |
| Average precipitation inches | 3.36 | 3.52 | 4.28 | 3.81 | 4.68 | 4.29 | 4.56 | 3.85 | 3.09 | 2.95 | 3.45 | 3.89 | 45.73 |
| Mean daily maximum °C | 6 | 9 | 14 | 20 | 24 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 27 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 19 |
| Mean daily minimum °C | −3 | −2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 8 | 4 | −1 | 8 |
| Average precipitation mm | 85 | 89 | 109 | 97 | 119 | 109 | 116 | 98 | 78 | 75 | 88 | 99 | 1,162 |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
People of Harrodsburg (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 122 | — | |
| 1810 | 313 | 156.6% | |
| 1830 | 1,051 | — | |
| 1840 | 1,254 | 19.3% | |
| 1850 | 1,481 | 18.1% | |
| 1860 | 1,668 | 12.6% | |
| 1870 | 2,205 | 32.2% | |
| 1880 | 2,202 | −0.1% | |
| 1890 | 3,230 | 46.7% | |
| 1900 | 2,876 | −11.0% | |
| 1910 | 3,147 | 9.4% | |
| 1920 | 3,765 | 19.6% | |
| 1930 | 4,029 | 7.0% | |
| 1940 | 4,673 | 16.0% | |
| 1950 | 5,262 | 12.6% | |
| 1960 | 6,061 | 15.2% | |
| 1970 | 6,741 | 11.2% | |
| 1980 | 7,265 | 7.8% | |
| 1990 | 7,335 | 1.0% | |
| 2000 | 8,014 | 9.3% | |
| 2010 | 8,340 | 4.1% | |
| 2020 | 9,064 | 8.7% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 9,149 | 9.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 | |||
In 2020, Harrodsburg had 9,064 people living in 4,088 homes. Most of the people (87.0%) were White. About 6.5% were African American, 0.6% Native American, and 1.6% Asian. About 4.2% of the people were of two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.7% of the population.
About 27.1% of homes had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 2.16 people.
In 2021, about 20.6% of the city's population was under 18 years old. About 25.9% were 60 or older. The average age in the city was 39.5 years. About 48.7% of the residents were female.
Education and Libraries
Schools in Harrodsburg
Public schools in Harrodsburg are part of the Mercer County School District. The Harrodsburg Independent Schools used to be separate but joined the Mercer County Schools in 2006.
Here are the schools in the Mercer County district:
- Harrodsburg Area Technology Center
- Mercer County Senior High School
- Kenneth D. King Middle School
- Mercer County Intermediate School
- Mercer County Elementary School
- Harlow Early Learning Center
Colleges and Higher Learning
The historic Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg used to be a college for young women for many years before it became an inn.
Campbellsville University opened a branch campus in Harrodsburg in 2016 at the Conover Education Center.
Public Library
Harrodsburg has a public library called the Mercer County Public Library. It's a great place to borrow books and learn new things!
Economy
Harrodsburg is home to some important companies:
- Hitachi Astemo has a base in Harrodsburg.
- Corning Incorporated has a factory in Harrodsburg that makes Gorilla Glass, which is used in many electronic devices.
Notable People
Many interesting people have come from Harrodsburg, including:
- Ralph G. Anderson, a business founder and generous giver to charity
- Jane T. H. Cross, an author
- Maria T. Daviess, an author
- Maria Thompson Daviess, an author
- Jason Dunn, a player in the National Football League
- David Winfield Huddleston, a Christian author and minister
- Rachel Jackson, who was the wife of President Andrew Jackson
- Frances Wisebart Jacobs, a person known for her charity work
- Dennis Johnson, a player in the National Football League
- William Logan, a politician
- Beriah Magoffin, a former Governor of Kentucky
- William Sullivan, a politician and lawyer
- John Burton Thompson, a politician
- Al Wilson, an actor and stunt pilot
- Craig Yeast, a player in the National Football League
See also
In Spanish: Harrodsburg (Kentucky) para niños
