Danville, Kentucky
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Danville, Kentucky | |
 |
|
| Nickname: "The City of Firsts," "Birthplace of the Bluegrass" | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Boyle |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Hugh Coomer |
| - City Manager | Paul Stansbury |
| - Mayor Pro Tem | Kevin Caudill |
| Area | |
| - Total | 15.8 sq mi (40.9 km²) |
| - Land | 15.65 sq mi (40.5 km²) |
| - Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.02 km²) .06% |
| Elevation | 984 ft (300 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 15,477 |
| - Density | 980.4/sq mi (378.4/km²) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 40422-40423 |
| Area code(s) | 859 |
| FIPS code | 21-19882 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0490584 |
| Website: http://ci.danville.ky.us/ | |
Danville is the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. It is called the "City of Firsts".
- It housed the first Courthouse in Kentucky
- It had the first U.S. Post Office west of the Allegheny Mountains
- It hosts the first state-supported school for the deaf.
- In it, Ephraim McDowell became the first physician in the world to successfully remove an ovarian tumor.
- It is home to the oldest college administration building and campus west of the Allegheny Mountains at Centre College
In 2001, Danville received a Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Contents |
[edit] History
Danville was part of the Great Settlement Area around Harrod's Fort (now Harrodsburg), which was first settled in 1774. Walker Daniel, Kentucky's first District Attorney, bought 76 acres from settler John Crow on the Wilderness Road and had it surveyed for a town in 1783-1784. The city was probably named for Daniel.[1] The Virginia Legislature officially established Danville on December 4, 1787.
Between 1784 and 1792, ten conventions were held in Danville to petition for better governance and ultimately to secure independence from Virginia. In 1786 the Danville Political Club was organized. It met each Saturday night at Grayson’s Tavern to discuss the political, economic, and social concerns. After a state constitution was adopted and separation was confirmed in 1792, the town ceased to be of statewide importance and its leading citizens moved to elsewhere.[2]
In November 1806, Meriwether Lewis, co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, visited Danville while traveling the Wilderness Road to Washington DC to report on the expedition. In December 1806, William Clark visited his nephews in school in Danville before following Lewis to Washington.[3]
In 1842, Boyle County was formed from southern Mercer County and northern Lincoln County. Danville became its county seat.
In 1850, Danville and Boyle County backed construction of the Lexington and Danville Railroad . Money ran out when the railroad reached Nicholasville, Kentucky and John A. Roebling had built towers for a suspension bridge over the Kentucky River (Roebling lived in Danville during the construction). Despite the lack of a railroad to Danville, the county still owed $150,000; it completed payment on time in 1884. [2][4]
After the Battle of Perryville in the American Civil War on October 8, 1862, Boyle County's courthouse in Danville was appropriated by Union forces for use as a hospital. On October 11, a Union force drove Confederate forces from the county fairgrounds through Danville.[3]
In 1775, Archibald McNeill planted Kentucky's first recorded hemp crop at Clark's Run Creek near Danville. Boyle County became one of ten Kentucky counties which together produced over 90% of the US yield in 1889. It was the state's largest cash crop until 1915 when it lost its market to imported jute.[3]
On October 5, 2000, Dick Cheney and Senator Joe Lieberman, candidates for Vice President of the United States, debated at Centre College during the 2000 presidential election.
[edit] Geography
[edit] Location
Danville is located at (37.645527, -84.774992).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.9 km²), of which, 15.8 square miles (40.9 km²) of it is land and 0.06% is water.
[edit] Transportation
Danville is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 127 and U.S. Route 150. It lies 6 miles (9.7 km) from U.S. Route 27.
It is served by three major airports: Blue Grass Airport (LEX) in Lexington, Kentucky (35 miles), Louisville International Airport (SFD) in Louisville, Kentucky (82 miles), and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) near Cincinnati, Ohio (127 miles), and Stuart Powell Field (DVK) a general aviation airport 3 miles (4.8 km) from downtown.
Norfolk Southern Railway operates a freight rail yard in Danville. Its Louisville-Chattanooga line meets its Cincinnati-Chattanooga line in Danville.
[edit] Climate
| Danville Temperatures and Precipitation | |||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record High °F | 79 | 79 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 107 | 103 | 105 | 104 | 95 | 83 | 75 | 107 |
| Average High °F | 40 | 45 | 55 | 65 | 74 | 82 | 86 | 85 | 79 | 68 | 56 | 45 | 65 |
| Average Low °F | 23 | 26 | 34 | 43 | 53 | 62 | 66 | 64 | 57 | 45 | 36 | 28 | 45 |
| Record Low °F | -20 | -9 | -1 | 17 | 27 | 41 | 47 | 42 | 32 | 21 | -3 | -18 | -20 |
| Precipitation (in) | 3.66 | 3.86 | 4.96 | 3.98 | 4.94 | 4.77 | 4.83 | 3.40 | 3.29 | 3.15 | 3.68 | 4.34 | 48.86 |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
[edit] Demographics
| Historical Populations | |||
| 1790 [4] | 150 | 1910 | 5,420 |
| 1810 [4] | 432 | 1920 | 5,099 |
| 1820 [2] | 654 | 1930 | 6,729 |
| 1840 [4] | 1,223 | 1940 | 6,734 |
| 1850 [5] | 2,850 | 1950 | 8,686 |
| 1860 | 4,962 | 1960 | 8,855 |
| 1870 | 2,542 | 1970 | 11,542 |
| 1880 | 3,074 | 1980 | 12,942 |
| 1890 | 3,766 | 1990 | 12,420 |
| 1900 | 4,285 | 2000 | 15,477 |
As of the census of 2000[5], Danville had 15,477 people with a density of 980/sq mi (378/km²), 6,734 housing units with a density of 427/sq mi (165/km²), and 4,013 families.
Racial makeup: 84% White, 13% African American, 1% Asian, 1% other races, 1% two or more races, and 1% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Households: 6,223 of which 29% had children younger than 18, 47% were married couples living together, 14% had a female householder with no husband present, 36% were non-families, 32% were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.82.
Age distribution: 22% under 18, 13% between 18 and 24, 26% between 25 and 44, 22% between 45 and 64, and 16% 65 or older. Median age: 37. 87 males for every 100 females. 81 males for every 100 females 18 and older.
Median income: $18,906 per person, $32,938 per household, $40,528 per family, $35,327 per male, and $24,542 per female.
Below the poverty line: 12% of people, 9% of families, 18% of those younger than 18, and 11% of those 65 and older.
[edit] Education
[edit] Public Schools
Danville is served by two school districts:
Danville Schools serves the city of Danville.[6]
- Mary G. Hogsett Elementary (290 students)
- Jennie Rogers Elementary (300 students)
- Edna L. Toliver Elementary (325 students)
- Bate Middle School (400 students)
- Danville High School (450 students)
Boyle County School District serves areas of Danville and the remainder of Boyle County.[6]
- Junction City Elementary (425 students)
- Perryville Elementary (325 students)
- Woodlawn Elementary (560 students)
- Boyle County Middle School (600 students)
- Boyle County High School (800 students)
[edit] Private Schools
[edit] Colleges and Universities
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College
- Centre College
- Eastern Kentucky University Danville campus
- Midway College Danville campus
- National College Danville campus
[edit] Culture
[edit] Places of Interest
- Centre College, a top liberal arts college and host to the 2000 Vice Presidential debates.
- Central Kentucky Wildlife Refuge
- Chateau du Vieux Corbeau Winery
- Community Arts Center, an historic Beaux Arts building and a hub for local artist activity
- Constitution Square, where the first Kentucky constitution was written and signed
- Jones Visual Arts Center, a gallery and primary studio for internationally known glass artist Stephen Rolfe Powell
- Ephraim McDowell House Museum, where the groundbreaking ovariotomy took place
- Norton Center for the Arts, host of numerous performing and visual arts events throughout the year
- Perryville Battlefield, where a significant Civil War battle took place
- Pioneer Playhouse, the oldest outdoor theater in Kentucky.
- West T. Hill Theatre Community Theatre
- Wilderness Trace Art League Gallery, that features paintings and crafts by local artists
[edit] Annual Events
- Danville Heritage Festival - March
- Great American Balloon Race - June
- Great American Brass Band Festival - June
- Boyle County Fair - July
- Constitution Square Festival - September
- Forkland Heritage Festival - October
- Perryville Battle Reenactment - October
[edit] Media
- The Advocate-Messenger, a daily (except Saturday) newspaper serving Danville and surrounding counties.
- WDFB (1170 AM and 88.1 FM)
- WHBN (1420 AM)
- WHIR (1230 AM and 107.1 FM)
- WRNZ (105.1 FM)
[edit] Films Shot in Danville
- Raintree County (1957)
- Operation Raintree (1957) - Promotional short film for Raintree County
- Treasure Of Matecumbe (1976)
- Child of Glass (1978) (TV)
[edit] Notable Residents
- William Clayton Anderson (Politician)
- Joshua Fry Bell (Politician)
- James G. Birney (Presidential Candidate, Abolitionist), who drew enough votes in New York to cost Henry Clay the Presidency in 1844
- John C. Breckinridge (U.S. Vice President, Presidential Candidate, Confederate general and Secretary of War) attended college in Danville.
- Rev. Samuel D. Burchard (Clergyman), whose "Rum, Romanism and rebellion" speech may have cost James G. Blaine the 1884 presidential election attended college in Danville.
- Todd Duncan (Opera Singer and Actor)
- John Marshall Harlan (U.S. Supreme Court Justice) "The Great Dissenter"
- Larnelle Harris (Gospel Singer)
- Harvey Helm (Politician)
- John Kincaid (Politician)
- Ephraim McDowell (Surgeon) - Practiced in Danville and performed the world's first ovariotomy.
- Eddie Montgomery (Musician; one half of the country music duo Montgomery Gentry)
- John Michael Montgomery (Musician)
- John Norvell (Newspaper editor and U.S. Senator)
- Theodore O'Hara (Poet)
- William Owsley (Politician, Jurist)
- Albert G. Talbott (Politician)
[edit] Major Employers
Major employers in Danville include[7]
- Ephraim McDowell Health (Health care)
- R.R. Donnelley (Offset printing)
- American Greetings (Greeting cards)
- Dana Corporation (Diesel and gas engine gaskets)
- FKI Logistex (Conveyor equipment)
- Pliant Corporation (Polyethylene film)
- Philips Lighting Co. (Glass bulbs)
- Red Wing Shoe Co. (Leather boots)
- Panasonic Home Appliances Co. (Vacuum cleaners)
- Timberland Co. (Distribution center)
- National Office Furniture (Furniture)
- Denyo Manufacturing Corp. (Diesel drive Generators)
- AdMart International (Display foam lettering)
- Hobart Corporation (Commercial dishwasher assembly)
- Sellers Engineering Co. (Commercial water heaters)
- The Advocate-Messenger (Newspaper publishing)
- Caterpillar Inc. (Tractor parts)
- The Allen Co. (Blacktop)
- Burkmann Feeds (Corporate headquarters, feed manufacturing
- Pioneer Vocational Industrial Services (Sheltered workshop)
[edit] References
- ^ Kentucky Land Office for Danville.
- ^ a b c Griffin, Richard W., Newspaper Story of a Town: A History of Danville Kentucky, Danville Advocate Messenger, Danville KY, 1965.
- ^ a b c Kentucky Historical Society.
- ^ a b c d Fackler, Calvin M., Early Days in Danville, Standard Printing Co., Louisville, 1941.
- ^ a b Danville populations after 1840 from U.S. Census Bureau Census of Population and Housing.
- ^ a b Boyle County, Danville Community Profile.
- ^ Boyle County, Danville Economic Profile.
[edit] External links
- City of Danville, KY
- Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Danville, Boyle County Chamber of Commerce
|
||||||||||||||
