Rumsey is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in McLean County,

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 ...

, United States.

History

Rumsey had its start in the 1830s when a lock and dam was built at that point on the Green River. Rumsey was incorporated in 1839. It is named either for Kentucky Congressman

Edward Rumsey Edward Rumsey (November 5, 1796 – April 6, 1868) was a United States representative from Kentucky. Background Rumsey was born to Dr. Edward Rumsey in Botetourt County, Virginia. When the younger Rumsey was still a child, Dr. Rumsey moved ...

or his uncle,

James Rumsey James Rumsey (1743 – December 21, 1792) was an American mechanical engineer chiefly known for exhibiting a boat propelled by machinery in 1787 on the Potomac River at Shepherdstown in present-day West Virginia before a crowd of local notables ...

, who invented the steamboat. Historian Otto Rothert records that the most commonly accepted explanation is that the community's citizens wanted to name it in honor of Edward Rumsey, but Rumsey declined their offer out of modesty, whereupon they compromised by retaining the name "Rumsey" and declaring it to be in honor of his uncle, James.

Geography

The community is located in the central part of McLean County at coordinates . It is located along the southern banks of the

Green River Green River may refer to: Rivers Canada * Green River (British Columbia), a tributary of the Lillooet River *Green River, a tributary of the Saint John River, also known by its French name of Rivière Verte *Green River (Ontario), a tributary of ...

opposite county seat

Calhoun John C. Calhoun (1782–1850) was the 7th vice president of the United States. Calhoun can also refer to: Surname * Calhoun (surname) Inhabited places in the United States *Calhoun, Georgia *Calhoun, Illinois * Calhoun, Kansas * Calhoun, Kentuc ...

. Kentucky Routes 81 and 138 traverses the community.

References

Unincorporated communities in McLean County, Kentucky Unincorporated communities in Kentucky {{McLeanCountyKY-geo-stub