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Hart County, Kentucky facts for kids

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Hart County
Hart County Courthouse in Munfordville
Hart County Courthouse in Munfordville
Map of Kentucky highlighting Hart County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Kentucky
Founded 1819
Named for Nathaniel G. S. Hart
Seat Munfordville
Largest city Horse Cave
Area
 • Total 418 sq mi (1,080 km2)
 • Land 412 sq mi (1,070 km2)
 • Water 5.8 sq mi (15 km2)  1.4%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 19,288 Increase
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 2nd

Hart County is a county located in the south central portion of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,199. Its county seat is Munfordville. Hart County is a prohibition or dry county.

History

Hart County was formed in 1819 from portions of Hardin and Barren counties. The county is named for Captain Nathaniel G. S. Hart, a Kentucky militia officer in the War of 1812 who was wounded at the Battle of Frenchtown and died in the Massacre of the River Raisin.

The Battle of Munfordville, a Confederate victory, was fought in the county in 1862, during the American Civil War.

A courthouse fire in January, 1928 resulted in the loss of some county records.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 418 square miles (1,080 km2), of which 412 square miles (1,070 km2) is land and 5.8 square miles (15 km2) (1.4%) is water.

Fauna

A female wolf shot in 2013 in Hart County by a hunter was the first gray wolf seen in Kentucky in modern times.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

A portion of Mammoth Cave National Park and the cave for which it is named is located in western Hart County.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1820 4,184
1830 5,191 24.1%
1840 7,031 35.4%
1850 9,093 29.3%
1860 10,348 13.8%
1870 13,687 32.3%
1880 17,133 25.2%
1890 16,439 −4.1%
1900 18,390 11.9%
1910 18,173 −1.2%
1920 18,544 2.0%
1930 16,169 −12.8%
1940 17,239 6.6%
1950 15,321 −11.1%
1960 14,119 −7.8%
1970 13,980 −1.0%
1980 15,402 10.2%
1990 14,890 −3.3%
2000 17,445 17.2%
2010 18,199 4.3%
2020 19,288 6.0%
2021 (est.) 19,460 6.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2021 2018

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,445 people, 6,769 households, and 4,812 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 per square mile (16/km2). There were 8,045 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.58% White, 6.20% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,769 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,378, and the median income for a family was $31,746. Males had a median income of $26,994 versus $19,418 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,495. About 18.60% of families and 22.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 22.00% of those age 65 or over.

Amish settlement

The Amish settlement in Hart County mainly between Munfordville and Horse Cave was founded in 1989. It has ties to the Geauga Amish settlement in Ohio, from where many of the Hart County Amish came. It is the fastest-growing Amish settlement in America and had 14 church districts and a total population of about 1,800 as of 2013.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Hart (Kentucky) para niños

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