Campbell County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the northern part of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 93,076.
Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
s are
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
and
Newport.
[Nolan v. Campbell County Fiscal Court]
Kentucky Court of Appeals. November 24, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2015. The county was formed on December 17, 1794, from sections of
Scott,
Harrison
Harrison may refer to:
People
* Harrison (name)
* Harrison family of Virginia, United States
Places
In Australia:
* Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin
In Canada:
* Inukjuak, Quebec, or " ...
, and
Mason
Mason may refer to:
Occupations
* Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces
* Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...
Counties and was named for
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
John Campbell (1735–1799), a
Revolutionary War soldier and Kentucky legislator.
Campbell County, with
Boone and
Kenton Counties, is part of the
Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky is the third-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, and its cities and towns serve as the de facto "south side" communities of Cincinnati, Ohio. The three main counties ...
metro community, and the
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Campbell County was founded December 17, 1794, two years after the creation of the Commonwealth of
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, becoming the state's 19th county. Campbell County was carved out of
Scott,
Harrison
Harrison may refer to:
People
* Harrison (name)
* Harrison family of Virginia, United States
Places
In Australia:
* Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin
In Canada:
* Inukjuak, Quebec, or " ...
and
Mason counties. The original county included all of present
Boone,
Kenton,
Pendleton, and most of
Bracken
Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs ...
and
Grant
Grant or Grants may refer to:
Places
*Grant County (disambiguation)
Australia
* Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia
United Kingdom
*Castle Grant
United States
* Grant, Alabama
*Grant, Inyo County, C ...
counties. Campbell County is named in honor of John Campbell, an Irish immigrant who was a soldier, explorer, statesman and one of the drafters of the Kentucky Constitution.
The first courthouse, built of logs, was replaced in 1815 by a brick structure. The present courthouse dates from 1884.
County seat
Wilmington, a pioneer settlement, was the original county seat of Campbell County from 1794 until 1797. The original justices in the Campbell County Court were John Roberts, Thomas Kennedy, Samuel Bryan, John Cook, James Little,
Robert Benham and John Bush.
Newport was designated as the county seat until 1823, when it was moved to
Visalia
Visalia ( ) is a city in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley of California. The population was 141,384 as per the 2020 census. Visalia is the fifth-largest city in the San Joaquin Valley, the 42nd most populous in California, and 192nd in ...
, at that time closer to the geographical center of the county. This was an unpopular action, however, as the overwhelming majority of residents lived in the north, along the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
. The county court returned to Newport in 1824 and remained there until 1840.
In 1840,
Kenton County
Kenton County is a county located in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,064, making it the third most populous county in Kentucky (behind Jefferson County and Fayette County). It ...
was created, primarily out of a significant portion of Campbell. The
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It comprises the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives.
The General Assembly meets annually in the ...
forced the county to move its seat to
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
, closer to the center of the new, smaller Campbell County. In 1883, after years of lobbying, the General Assembly established a special provision to allow Newport to designate a Court House District separate from the offices in Alexandria.
The special Courthouse Commission legislation led to the misconception that the county was dual seated, but Alexandria remained the sole ''de jure'' county seat.
['' The Kentucky Enquirer'': "Judge: Alexandria the only county seat". 12 May 2009.] It was not until November 24, 2010, that a court ruling granted Newport equal status as a county seat.
[
]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.1%) is water. It is the fourth-smallest county in Kentucky by land area and fifth-smallest by total area. It lies along the Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
and Licking
Licking is the action of passing the tongue over a surface, typically either to deposit saliva onto the surface, or to collect liquid, food or minerals onto the tongue for ingestion, or to communicate with other animals. Many animals both gro ...
Rivers.
Adjacent counties
* Hamilton County, Ohio
Hamilton County is located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 830,639, making it the third-most populous county in Ohio. The county seat and largest city is Cincinnati. The county i ...
(north)
* Clermont County, Ohio
Clermont County, popularly called Clermont ( ), is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 208,601. Ordinanced in 1800 as part of the Virginia Military District, Clermont is Ohio's eighth oldest county, the ...
(east)
* Pendleton County (south)
* Kenton County
Kenton County is a county located in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,064, making it the third most populous county in Kentucky (behind Jefferson County and Fayette County). It ...
(west)
Major highways
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Demographics
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 88,616 people, 34,742 households, and 23,103 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 36,898 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.64% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.57% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.54% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.31% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.76% from two or more races
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
. 0.86% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. This number has decreased to about 0.2% based on a 2006 Census Estimate by the United States Census Bureau.
There were 34,742 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.30% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.09.
The age distribution was 25.60% under 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,903, and the median income for a family was $51,481. Males had a median income of $37,931 versus $27,646 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $20,637. About 7.30% of families and 9.30% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
Education
There are six school districts in Campbell County.
* Bellevue Independent Schools, Bellevue
* Campbell County Schools
Campbell County Schools is a school district operating schools in Campbell County, Kentucky in Greater Cincinnati. Its headquarters are in Alexandria.
It serves portions of the county, including Alexandria, California, Claryville, Cold Spring, ...
, Alexandria
* Dayton Independent Schools, Dayton
* Fort Thomas Independent Schools
Fort Thomas Independent School District or Fort Thomas Independent Schools is a school district headquartered in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, in the Greater Cincinnati
The Cincinnati metropolitan area and also known as the Cincinnati Tri-State area, or ...
, Fort Thomas
* Newport Independent Schools
The Newport Independent School District is a public school district in Campbell County, based in Newport, Kentucky. It was established in 1847.
Schools
The Newport Independent School District has one primary school, one intermediate school, on ...
, Newport
* Southgate Independent School District has but one PreK-8th school in it.
; former
* Silver Grove Independent Schools Silver Grove Independent Schools was a school district located in Silver Grove, a small community in Campbell County, Kentucky. The area served by the school district included the town of Silver Grove and environs. The school, which had grades f ...
, Silver Grove - merged with the Campbell County district on July 1, 2019.
Northern Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University is a public university in Highland Heights, Kentucky. It is primarily an undergraduate institution with over 14,000 students; over 12,000 are undergraduate students and nearly 2,000 are graduate students. Northern K ...
located in Highland Heights provides the area with access to higher education.
Public high schools
Students in the county attend one of 6 public and 2 parochial high schools.
Private high schools
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington ( la, Dioecesis Covingtonensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Kentucky, covering 3,359 square miles (8,700 km2) that includes the city of Covington and the Kentucky counties of Boone, Kento ...
** Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria
** Newport Central Catholic High School
Newport Central Catholic High School (abbreviated NewCath or NCC) is a coeducational private secondary school in Newport, Kentucky and part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington. It is located in the center of Newport overlooking the Cinci ...
, Newport
Communities
Cities
* Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
(county seat)
* Bellevue Bellevue means "beautiful view" in French. It may refer to:
Placenames
Australia
* Bellevue, Western Australia
* Bellevue Hill, New South Wales
* Bellevue, Queensland
* Bellevue, Glebe, an historic house in Sydney, New South Wales
Canada ...
* California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
* Camp Springs
* Cold Spring
* Crestview
* Dayton
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...
* Fort Thomas
* Highland Heights
* Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
* Mentor
Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...
* Newport (county seat)
* Silver Grove
* Southgate
Southgate or South Gate may refer to:
Places Australia
*Southgate, Sylvania
*Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct, an area within Southbank, Victoria
Canada
*Southgate, Ontario, a township in Grey County
* Southgate, Middlesex County, Ontario
Ed ...
* Wilder
* Woodlawn
Census-designated place
* Claryville
Other unincorporated places
* Brayville
* Oneonta - probably named after Oneonta, New York
Oneonta ( ) is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, United States. It is one of the northernmost cities of the Appalachian Region. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Oneonta had a population of 13,079. Its nickname is "City of the Hil ...
. Located midway between Ross and California,Google Map: Oneonta, Kentucky
Accessed 22 December 2022. the settlement was conveniently located beside the Ohio River as a docking place for ferrying people and supplies especially from
New Richmond, Ohio
New Richmond, also known as New Richmond on the Ohio, is a village in Ohio and Pierce townships in Clermont County, Ohio, United States, founded in 1814, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,582 at the 2010 census.
Geography
New Richmon ...
(once the largest and most flourishing village in
Clermont County) toward Alexandria, Kentucky.
Politics
Politically, Campbell County is very Republican. In presidential elections it has only voted Democratic once since 1948.
See also
*
References
External links
Campbell County government's website Campbell County Public LibraryCampbell County Search & Rescue
{{authority control
1794 establishments in Kentucky
Kentucky counties
Kentucky counties on the Ohio River
Populated places established in 1794