Hodgenville, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hodgenville, Kentucky
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Town Square
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Location in LaRue County, Kentucky
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | LaRue |
| Incorporated | 1839 |
| Named for | Robert Hodgen, a local miller |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.19 sq mi (5.67 km2) |
| • Land | 2.18 sq mi (5.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 728 ft (222 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,235 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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3,283 |
| • Density | 1,481.91/sq mi (572.24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
42748
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| Area code(s) | 270 & 364 |
| FIPS code | 21-37396 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0494334 |
Hodgenville is a city in LaRue County, Kentucky, United States. It is the main town, also known as the county seat. Hodgenville is located near the North Fork of the Nolin River. In 2020, about 3,235 people lived there. It is part of the larger Elizabethtown metropolitan area.
Contents
Discover Hodgenville's Past
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Hodgenville is named after Robert Hodgen. He was from Pennsylvania and moved to Virginia. Robert bought a large piece of land, about 10,000 acres, in this area.
After the Revolutionary War, people started moving west into Kentucky. In 1789, Robert built a mill here. A community grew around his mill. After he passed away, his family asked for the community to be named "Hodgenville." The local post office was called "Hodgensville" from 1826 to 1904.
The city officially became a city on February 18, 1836. This was decided by the state assembly.
Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace
Abraham Lincoln, who became the 16th President of the United States, was born near Hodgenville. He was born in a small cabin on Sinking Spring Farm on February 12, 1809. About two years later, his family moved to another farm in the Hodgenville area.
The original cabin where Lincoln was born was likely gone by the time he died. The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park has a replica cabin. This replica was built about 30 years after Lincoln's death. It is called the "Traditional Lincoln Birthplace Cabin."
These two sites in Hodgenville (his birthplace and boyhood home) are important. They help visitors see what the land looked like when Abraham Lincoln was a child. You can also visit The Lincoln Museum downtown. There are two bronze statues of Abraham Lincoln in the town square. One shows him as a child, and the other shows him as an adult.
Geography and Climate
Hodgenville is in the middle of LaRue County. It sits in a valley near the North Fork of the Nolin River. This river flows west and south into the Green River.
The city is about 12 miles southeast of Elizabethtown. You can get there by taking Kentucky Route 61. U.S. Route 31E goes right through the center of Hodgenville. It leads northeast 24 miles to Bardstown and south 43 miles to Glasgow.
The total area of Hodgenville is about 2.19 square miles (5.67 square kilometers). Only a very small part of this area is water.
Local Weather Patterns
The weather in Hodgenville has hot, humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 404 | — | |
| 1880 | 382 | −5.4% | |
| 1890 | 542 | 41.9% | |
| 1900 | 825 | 52.2% | |
| 1910 | 744 | −9.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,100 | 47.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,104 | 0.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,348 | 22.1% | |
| 1950 | 1,695 | 25.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,985 | 17.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,562 | 29.1% | |
| 1980 | 2,531 | −1.2% | |
| 1990 | 2,721 | 7.5% | |
| 2000 | 2,874 | 5.6% | |
| 2010 | 3,206 | 11.6% | |
| 2020 | 3,235 | 0.9% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 3,283 | 2.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 2,874 people living in Hodgenville. There were 1,235 households, which means groups of people living together. About 781 of these were families.
The population density was about 1,668 people per square mile. Most people living in the city were White (86.64%). About 11.27% were African American. A small number of people were Native American, Asian, or from other backgrounds. About 1.18% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 29.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 42.3% were married couples. The average household had 2.17 people. The average family had 2.76 people.
The median age in Hodgenville was 41 years old. This means half the people were younger than 41, and half were older.
Education and Learning
Hodgenville has a lending library called the LaRue County Public Library. It is a great place to find books and learn new things.
Famous People from Hodgenville
- Danny Little Bear – A professional wrestler.
- Erin Boley – A former basketball player for the University of Oregon. She has also played for the US in international 3-on-3 competitions.
- Abraham Lincoln – The 16th President of the United States. He was born in Hodgenville.
Images for kids
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Hodgenville in 1904
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LaRue County Courthouse
See also
In Spanish: Hodgenville para niños
