Wilmore, Kentucky Explained

Official Name:Wilmore, Kentucky
Settlement Type:City
Motto:"...Small town charm"
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Kentucky
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Jessamine
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:10.60
Area Land Km2:10.51
Area Water Km2:0.09
Area Total Sq Mi:4.09
Area Land Sq Mi:4.06
Area Water Sq Mi:0.03
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:5999
Population Density Km2:570.81
Population Density Sq Mi:1478.31
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:929
Coordinates:37.8639°N -84.665°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:40390
Area Code:859
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:21-83550
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2405755
Website:http://www.wilmore.org/
Pop Est As Of:2022
Pop Est Footnotes:[2]
Population Est:6017

Wilmore is a home rule-class city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,999 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Lexington - Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6sqmi, all of it land.

History

A post office called "Wilmore" was established in 1877. It was named for John R. Wilmore, a local landowner and former slave owner.[3] [4]

In 1882, the Southern Railway established a line through the county and located a flag stop at Wilmore which was briefly called "Scott's Station". It was named for John D. Scott, the owner of the site. The station's name was soon changed to Wilmore.[3]

By the 1890s, Wilmore was a prosperous settlement with a population of about 600. Wilmore was an important shipping point for cattle, hogs, grain and other produce, and the settlement had a blacksmith, carriage repair shops, two drug stores, three doctors, three large stores, a hardware store, two butcher shops, a livery stable, a school, several churches, a glass mill, and a grist mill. Asbury University (formerly Asbury College) was founded in 1890.[4]

Wilmore was incorporated in 1918.[3]

From 1970 to 2012, Wilmore was the original location of the Ichthus Music Festival, a gathering of Christian musical artists and speakers; upon its revival in 2021 it returned to Wilmore. The city is home to the Highbridge Film Festival, a showcase for locally produced films.[5]

Several locations in Wilmore are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Asbury University Administration Building (renamed the Hager Administration Building),[6] the East Main Street Historic District, the Kenyon Avenue Historic District,[7] the Lexington and Main Historic District,[8] the Morrison-Kenyon Library,[9] and the North Lexington Avenue Historic District.[10]

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 5,905 people, 1,638 households, and 1,215 families living in the city. The population density was 2239.1/sqmi. There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of 659.8/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.53% White, 1.93% African American, 0.14% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30%.[11]

Of the 1,638 households 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.2% of households were one person and 7.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.14.

The age distribution was 22.2% under the age of 18, 26.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 12.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median household income was $31,500 and the median family income was $40,000. Males had a median income of $26,192 versus $25,362 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,602. About 9.1% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Asbury University (formerly Asbury College) and Asbury Theological Seminary are located in Wilmore.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. March 18, 2022.
  2. Web site: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022. United States Census Bureau. May 26, 2023.
  3. Book: Rennick, Robert M. . Kentucky Place Names . University Press of Kentucky . 2013 . 978-0813144016 .
  4. Book: Wilhite, Wm. G. . 1898 . Young . Bennett H. . Wilmore . A History of Jessamine County, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1898 . Courier-Journal Job Printing . 181, 182, 183, 184.
  5. Web site: Asbury University - Highbridge Film Festival. 9 February 2011. www.asbury.edu. 16 April 2018.
  6. Web site: Asbury College Administration Building . National Park Service . November 2, 2013 .
  7. Web site: Kenyon Avenue Historic District . National Park Service . November 2, 2013 .
  8. Web site: Lexington and Main Historic District . National Park Service . November 2, 2013 .
  9. Web site: Morrison-Kenyon Library . National Park Service . November 2, 2013 .
  10. Web site: North Lexington Avenue Historic District . National Park Service . November 2, 2013 .
  11. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.