Monticello, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Monticello, Kentucky
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Wayne County courthouse in Monticello
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| Nickname(s):
"Houseboat Manufacturing Capital of the World"
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Location of Monticello in Wayne County, Kentucky
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Wayne |
| Incorporated | 1801 |
| Named for | Pres. Thomas Jefferson's Virginia home |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.13 sq mi (15.88 km2) |
| • Land | 6.09 sq mi (15.77 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 974 ft (297 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,753 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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5,755 |
| • Density | 944.66/sq mi (364.76/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
42633
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| Area code(s) | 606 |
| FIPS code | 21-53130 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404291 |
| Website | www.monticelloky.gov |
Monticello is a city in Wayne County, Kentucky, in the United States. It's the main town, also called the county seat, for Wayne County. In 2020, about 5,753 people lived there.
Monticello is known as "The Houseboat Capital of the World." This is because many companies that build houseboats are located here. The city is right next to Lake Cumberland. Its economy mostly relies on people visiting the lake for fun and tourism.
Contents
Geography
Monticello is located in the middle of Wayne County. It sits along Elk Creek, which flows into Lake Cumberland. Major roads like Route 92, Route 90, and Route 167 all meet in the city.
The city covers about 6.1 square miles (15.8 square kilometers) of land.
History of Monticello
Monticello became the main town for Wayne County when the county was created in 1800. The first county clerk, Micah Taul, named the town. He chose the name after Thomas Jefferson's home in Virginia. Jefferson had just been elected President of the United States that year.
A surveyor named Joshua Jones planned out the town. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. By 1810, only 27 people lived in Monticello.
In the late 1800s, oil was found in Wayne County. This discovery helped the local economy grow. People started drilling for oil in the 1880s. More drilling happened in 1921 and 1922.
Electricity came to Monticello in 1905. The city got running water in 1929. From the late 1950s to the late 1900s, manufacturing was a big part of the economy. Many factories operated in the city.
For example, in 1973, several companies had large numbers of employees:
- Belden Corporation (wire and cable) had 300 workers.
- Gamble Brothers (wood products) had 161 workers.
- Waterbury Garment (clothing) had 271 workers.
- Monticello Manufacturing (clothing) had 240 workers.
However, all these companies have since left Monticello.
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 37 | — | |
| 1830 | 205 | — | |
| 1840 | 142 | −30.7% | |
| 1880 | 354 | — | |
| 1890 | 413 | 16.7% | |
| 1900 | 546 | 32.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,338 | 145.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,514 | 13.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,503 | −0.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,733 | 15.3% | |
| 1950 | 2,934 | 69.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,940 | 0.2% | |
| 1970 | 3,618 | 23.1% | |
| 1980 | 5,677 | 56.9% | |
| 1990 | 5,357 | −5.6% | |
| 2000 | 5,981 | 11.6% | |
| 2010 | 6,188 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 5,753 | −7.0% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 5,755 | −7.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, Monticello had 5,981 people living there. About 25% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 36 years.
Education
Monticello is part of the Wayne County Schools system.
Early Schools
The first school in Wayne County opened around 1800. It was run by Robert Ferrill. Monticello's first school started in 1807. Rodes Garth taught subjects like Roman history and how to spell.
In 1819, John S. Frisbie, a graduate of Yale, started a school. The Monticello Academy was set up in 1830.
By 1842, Wayne County had 16 school houses. Three of these were close to Monticello. Teachers during this time included Amanda McGee and Joseph Ballou. Textbooks were rare, but some popular ones were McGuffey's Readers.
Robert McBeath was the first school superintendent for Wayne County. His son, Tom McBeath, later became president of Florida State University.
Later Schools
After the Civil War, the Kendrick Academy opened in Monticello in 1866. It closed in 1872 due to a fire.
In 1879, a girls' school was opened by Roxie Buchanan. Later, in 1885, W.T. Chaffin opened Classical High School. This school also added kindergarten and primary classes around 1890.
From 1905 until 2013, Monticello had its own school district. It was called Monticello Independent Schools. This district was separate from the surrounding Wayne County Schools.
Vocational Education
The Wayne County Area Technology Center (ATC) has served students since 1971. It used to be called Wayne County Vocational School. This school helps high school students learn job skills.
Programs at Wayne County ATC include:
- Health Science
- Welding
- Carpentry
- Machine Tool
- Automotive
- 3D Printing Technology
- Industrial Maintenance
- Business
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Monticello:
- Dick Burnett (1883–1977) was a folk musician.
- Mark Cole is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
- Shelby Moore Cullom (1829–1914) was a U.S. Senator and Congressman. He also served as the 17th Governor of Illinois.
- Kevin Denney is a country music artist.
- Sara Beth Gregory has been a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives and Kentucky Senate. She is also a Circuit Judge.
- Walter Dee Huddleston (1926–2018) was a U.S. Senator from Kentucky.
- Martin Massengale (born 1933) was the President of the University of Nebraska system.
- Louise Slaughter (1929–2018) was a U.S. Congresswoman from New York.
- Ken Upchurch (born 1969) is a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives.
- Thomas Hansford Williams (1828–1886) was a former Attorney General of California.
See also
In Spanish: Monticello (Kentucky) para niños
