Adair County, Kentucky Explained

County:Adair County
State:Kentucky
Founded Year:1801
Seat Wl:Columbia
Largest City Wl:Columbia
Area Total Sq Mi:412
Area Land Sq Mi:405
Area Water Sq Mi:7.1
Area Percentage:1.7
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:18903
Pop Est As Of:2023
Population Est:19264
Density Sq Mi:auto
Time Zone:Central
Web:www.columbia-adaircounty.com
Ex Image:Adair_County_Kentucky_courthouse.jpg
Ex Image Cap:Adair County Courthouse in Columbia
District:1st

Adair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,903.[1] Its county seat and only municipality is Columbia.[2] The county was founded in 1801 and named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky (1820 – 1824).[3] Adair County has some of the few surviving American Chestnut trees in the United States.[4] [5]

History

Adair County was formed on December 11, 1801, from sections of Green County. Columbia was chosen as the county seat the following year and the first courthouse was built in 1806.

The county was named in honor of John Adair, a veteran of the Revolutionary War and Northwest Indian War. Later he commanded Kentucky troops in the Battle of New Orleans. He served as the eighth Governor of Kentucky. This was the 44th of Kentucky's 120 counties to be organized.

After the American Civil War, a gang of five men, believed to include Frank and Jesse James from Missouri, robbed the Bank of Columbia of $600 on April 29, 1872. They killed the cashier, R.A.C. Martin, in the course of the robbery.[6]

The courthouse on the Columbia town square, completed in 1884, replaced the original 1806 courthouse.[7]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (1.7%) is water.[8] It is part of the Pennyroyal Plateau region of Kentucky and is part of western Appalachia.[9] Over 40% of the county's land is covered with timber.

The Green River is the county's major waterway but is not commercially navigable. The river was impounded to form Green River Lake, the major feature of Green River Lake State Park, which lies in Adair and Taylor counties.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,244 people, 6,747 households, and 4,803 families residing in the county. The population density was 42/sqmi. There were 7,792 housing units at an average density of 19/sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 96.00% White, 2.55% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,747 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.50% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,055, and the median income for a family was $29,779. Males had a median income of $23,183 versus $17,009 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,931. About 18.20% of families and 24.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.60% of those under age 18 and 21.70% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Adair County's agrarian economy produces livestock, dairy products, corn, and tobacco. The county experienced a minor oil boom in the 1960s.

Lack of adequate transportation infrastructure hindered the county's prosperity well into the 20th century. The completion of the east–west Cumberland Parkway in 1973 significantly ameliorated this problem, but since then the county has sought improved road access to the north.

Education

The county is served by Adair County Schools.[10]

Its schools are:[11]

Politics

Voter registration

Adair County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment [16]
Political PartyTotal VotersPercentage
Republicanalign = center 9,431align = center 68.91%
Democraticalign = center 3,414align = center 24.95%
Othersalign = center 433align = center 3.16%
Independentalign = center 368align = center 2.69%
Libertarianalign = center 31align = center 0.23%
Greenalign = center 7align = center 0.05%
Constitutionalign = center 1align = center 0.01%
Totalalign = center 13,685align = center 100%

Statewide elections

Previous gubernatorial elections results
YearRepublicanDemocraticThird parties
201969.53%% 3,94628.65% 1,6261.81% 103
201566.33% 2,72730.84% 1,2682.82% 116
201151.06% 1,87743.69% 1,6065.25% 193
200767.75% 3,13832.25% 1,4940.00% 0
200366.22% 3,08533.78% 1,5740.00% 0
199928.84% 66362.68% 1,4418.48% 195
199565.84% 2,95134.09% 1,5280.07% 3

Communities

City

Unincorporated communities

Below is partial listing of known unincorporated communities within Adair County. A more complete listing is available here.

Notable residents

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State & County QuickFacts . February 24, 2023 . United States Census Bureau.
  2. Web site: Find a County . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx . May 31, 2011 . June 7, 2011 . National Association of Counties.
  3. Web site: Adair County Government . June 6, 2007 . Kentucky: Adair County – Overview . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040459/http://www.adaircounty.ky.gov/cogov/ . March 4, 2016 . November 10, 2011 . Commonwealth of Kentucky.
  4. http://www.columbiamagazine.com/index.php?sid=12051 "State's largest historic Chestnut tree stands on an Adair County farm."
  5. Flavell, John. "American tale: Bringing back the perfect tree.", Daily Independent, July 24, 2009.
  6. William A. Settle, Jr., Jesse James Was His Name 44 (1977).
  7. Book: Hogan, Roseann Reinemuth . Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research . Ancestry Publishing . 1992 . 9780916489496 . 185 . July 26, 2013.
  8. Web site: August 22, 2012 . 2010 Census Gazetteer Files . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210847/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_21.txt . August 12, 2014 . August 11, 2014 . United States Census Bureau.
  9. Kleber, p. 2
  10. Web site: Education . Kentucky Department of . December 12, 2008 . County & Independent School Districts . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100110211639/http://www.education.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/1398DA66-6381-48AC-9DA1-6DEE4AB0D7F5/0/KYDistrictMAP0708.pdf . January 10, 2010 . December 20, 2009 . Kentucky Department of Education.
  11. Web site: Adair County Schools . December 5, 2009 . ADAIR COUNTY SCHOOLS . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100107052825/http://www.adair.k12.ky.us/ . January 7, 2010 . December 20, 2009 . Adair County Schools.
  12. Web site: Adair County Primary Center . December 15, 2009 . CWC Home Page . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100123102724/http://www.adair.k12.ky.us/cwce/ . January 23, 2010 . December 20, 2009 . Colonel William Casey Elementary School.
  13. Web site: Adair County Elementary School . Adair County Elementary School . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100107040916/http://www.adair.k12.ky.us/aces/index.html . January 7, 2010 . December 20, 2009 . Adair County Elementary School.
  14. Web site: Adair County Middle School . Untitled Document . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100123102957/http://www.adair.k12.ky.us/acms/index.html . January 23, 2010 . December 20, 2009 . Adair County Middle School.
  15. Web site: Adair County High School . Adair County High School – Columbia, Kentucky . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091218070113/http://www.adair.k12.ky.us/achs/index.htm . December 18, 2009 . December 20, 2009 . Adair County High School.
  16. Web site: Archived copy . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141126165602/https://vr.sos.ky.gov/stats/voterstatscounty.pdf . November 26, 2014 . March 15, 2020.
  17. Web site: Cane Valley .
  18. Book: Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 . Marquis Who's Who . 1967 . Chicago.
  19. Web site: Western Kentucky University . 2011 . Coach E.A. Diddle . November 10, 2011 . Western Kentucky University.
  20. http://www.appalachianbooks.com/Authors/Janice%20Holt%20Giles.htm Janice Holt Giles
  21. Web site: Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation . 2011 . Life – Dakota Meyer – Honoring Marines by Educating Their Children . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111101143451/http://www.dakotameyer.com/life.html . November 1, 2011 . November 10, 2011 . Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
  22. 'Prominent Men Dead-Judge Pinkney H. Walker,' Chicago Tribune, February 9, 1885, pg. 1
  23. Web site: IMDb.com, Inc. . 2011 . Evelyn West – IMDb . November 10, 2011 . IMDb.com, Inc..

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