Robards, Kentucky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robards, Kentucky
City
Location of Robards in Henderson County, Kentucky.
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Henderson
Area
• Total	3.04 sq mi (7.88 km2)
• Land	3.03 sq mi (7.84 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation	430 ft (131 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	449
• Density	148.38/sq mi (57.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	42452
Area code(s)	270 & 364
FIPS code	21-65874
GNIS feature ID	0502050

Robards (pronounced "Robberds") is a small city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States. It's known as a "home rule-class city," which means it has the power to manage its own local government. In 2020, about 449 people lived there.

What is the History of Robards?

The area now known as Robards has changed its name a few times. In 1868, it was called "Robard's Station." By 1880, it became "Robard," and in 1924, it finally settled on "Robards."

Early Settlers and Activities

Long before Robards became a town, daring horsemen gathered there. They raced their horses on a straight, half-mile section of road. People would come to watch and bet on the races. Some of the first families to settle in the area included the Moss, Robards, and Eakins families.

Schools and Churches

One of the first buildings was George Rudy's school house, built before 1840. Between 1840 and 1848, four different teachers taught there. Later, Methodists built a church nearby, which was named "McMullin's Chapel" in 1853.

Robards During the Civil War

During the American Civil War, two important battles in Henderson County took place in the area that would become Robards. These events shaped the early history of the community.

Growth and Business in the 1800s

J.D. Robards, who the town is named after, built the first house in 1867. It was a store that sold many different items, from groceries to general goods. He also ran a tobacco processing business that employed 50 men. This business shipped tobacco directly to Europe. After the Civil War, Robards grew quickly, with its population doubling in 20 years. Land was quite affordable, costing about $20–$25 per acre. Farmers mostly grew tobacco, corn, and wheat, but some also raised cattle.

Businesses in 1880s Robards

By 1880, Robards had several businesses. There were doctors, a store manager, and a druggist. Blacksmiths like Jasper Robards helped the community with metalwork. John W. Royster Jr. bought and sold tobacco. J.D. Robards continued to run his dry goods store. The town also had a carpenter, a merchant, and a teacher. Robards had a population of 100 people and received mail every day.

The town had a building used for both school and church services. The Christian church was the only established church at that time. Three coal mines opened in the 1880s and operated until the 1920s. By 1887, Robards had nine stores, a steam mill, a school, a large church, a livery stable (for horses), and a good hotel.

The "Sanctified Town"

A writer named Lucy Furman wrote a book called Stories of a Sanctified Town (1896). This book described events in Robards Station related to a religious group that was popular in the late 1800s. Her stories were so realistic that people in Robards recognized the characters, even though their names were changed. Today, if you drive south on U.S. Route 41 in Kentucky, you'll see a sign calling Robards "the Sanctified Town."

Where is Robards Located?

Robards is in the southern part of Henderson County. Its original center is about 1.8 miles west of U.S. Route 41 on Kentucky Route 416. The city limits now stretch east past US-41 to Interstate 69, which is also called the Pennyrile Parkway. You can get to Robards from Exit 68 on I-69.

Nearby Cities

Henderson, Kentucky, the county seat, is about 14 miles north of Robards if you take I-69. Madisonville, Kentucky is about 28 miles to the south.

Land and Water

Robards covers an area of about 7.9 square kilometers (3.04 square miles). Only a small part of this, about 0.04 square kilometers (0.02 square miles), is water. The city is located on a slightly raised area of land. This land separates the water that flows north into Canoe Creek (which goes to the Ohio River) from the water that flows south into Grane Creek (which goes to the Green River, also a part of the Ohio River system).

What is the Population of Robards?

According to the 2000 United States Census, there were 564 people living in Robards. The population density was about 183.5 people per square mile. Most of the people living in Robards were White (97.87%).

Households and Families

There were 214 households in Robards in 2000. About 34.6% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (70.6%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.64 people, and the average family had 2.97 people.

Age Distribution

The population of Robards was spread out across different age groups. About 25.4% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 40 years. This means half the population was younger than 40, and half was older.

Income Levels

In 2000, the average income for a household in Robards was $42,019 per year. For families, the average income was $45,000. About 5.2% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 7.8% of those under 18 and 4.8% of those aged 65 or older.

See also

In Spanish: Robards (Kentucky) para niños