Nelson County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers 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

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 sove ...

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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,065. 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 ...

is Bardstown. Nelson County comprises the Bardstown, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Louisville/Jefferson County- Elizabethtown-

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

, KY- IN

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

History

The fourth county created in what is now Kentucky, it was formed from Jefferson County, Kentucky in 1784, shortly after the Revolutionary War. The county was named for Thomas Nelson Jr., the

Virginia Governor The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

who signed the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...

. In 1807, after Kentucky had become a state, a newly created Virginia county was named in his honor.

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 t ...

, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (1.5%) are covered by water.

Adjacent counties

* Spencer County (north) * Anderson County (northeast) * Washington County (east) * Marion County (southeast) *

LaRue County LaRue County is a County (United States), county in the central region of the U.S. state of Kentucky, outside the Bluegrass Region and larger population centers. Its county seat is Hodgenville, Kentucky, Hodgenville, which is best known as the b ...

(south) * Hardin County (west) * Bullitt County (northwest)

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 in ...

of 2010, 43,437 people inhabited the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was . Its 18,075 housing units averaged . The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the county was 93.48%

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 o ...

(90.93% non-Hispanic), 5.03% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.50%

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 ...

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.78% from other races, and 1.62% 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 ...

. About 2.04% of the population was

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...

of any race. Of the 16,826 households, 36.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.09% were married couples living together, 13.19% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.35% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.37% were not families. Of all households, 24.41% were made up of individuals, and 8.09% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.01. The age distribution was 25.98% under 18, 7.98% from 18 to 24, 26.47% from 25 to 44, 27.84% from 45 to 64, and 11.73% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males. Income data for Kentucky locations from the 2010 Census have not yet been released. As of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $39,010, and for a family was $44,600. Males had a median income of $32,015 versus $21,838 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 $18,120. About 10.00% of families and 12.20% 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 15.70% of those under age 18 and 17.40% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions and events

Many attractions and events are available in Bardstown. The following is outside the county seat: * Rooster Run is a general store located on Kentucky Route 245 halfway between Bardstown and Clermont, well known for baseball caps featuring its logo and a

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass ( Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass clo ...

rooster statue standing in front of the store. According to ''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'', it is "one of the best-known general stores in the country and one of Kentucky's best-known unincorporated businesses".

Education

Two public school districts operate in the county:
Text list
- For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see: * The

Nelson County School District Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

serves K–12 students throughout the county, with the exception of most of the city of Bardstown and developed areas near the city limits. The district operates two K–8 schools, two elementary schools, two middle schools, an alternative school, a vocational-technical school, and two high schools. * The Bardstown City Schools serve students in most of the city of Bardstown, as well as much of the developed area immediately adjacent to the city limits. However, some areas of the city are instead served by the Nelson County district, and some of the Nelson County schools are physically within the Bardstown district. The district operates a preschool, an ungraded primary school (K–2), one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. The preschool and primary school occupy separate buildings on adjacent plots of land in the north of the city, and the other schools are adjacent to one another near downtown. Several private schools also operate in the county. The

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville The Archdiocese of Louisville is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that consists of twenty-four counties in the central American state of Kentucky, covering . As of 2018, the archdiocese contains appro ...

operates five schools in all—three K–8 schools, a fourth that educates grades 1 through 8, and one high school. Several Protestant-affiliated schools also exist.

Politics

Notable residents

William Beall William Nelson Rector Beall (March 20, 1825 – July 25, 1883) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He is most noted for his supply efforts on behalf of Confederate prisoners of war. Early lif ...

; general in the Confederate Army * J. C. W. Beckham;

Governor of Kentucky The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-e ...

Linda Bruckheimer Linda Sue Bruckheimer (née Cobb) is an American editor, novelist, and philanthropist. She is the author of two best-selling novels. She has restored many buildings in Bloomfield, Kentucky. Early life Bruckheimer was born in Texas and grew up ...

; novelist and historic preservation activist * Joseph Seamon Cotter Sr.; poet *

Henry Pierson Crowe Henry Pierson Crowe (March 7, 1899 – June 27, 1991) was a Marine of World War I, the Banana Wars, World War II, and the Korean War. Biography Henry "Jim" Pierson Crowe was born March 7, 1899, in Boston, Kentucky, the fourth of the five child ...

; US Marine *

Ephraim H. Foster Ephraim Hubbard Foster (September 17, 1794September 6, 1854) was an American politician, who twice served as a United States Senator from Tennessee. During his political career, he was a member of the Whig Party. Biography Foster was born nea ...

; Senator of

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

* James B. Graham; Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts * Benjamin E. Grey; Congressman *

Joseph Hanks Joseph Hanks (1725–1793) was the great-grandfather of United States President Abraham Lincoln. It is generally accepted that Joseph was the father of Lucy Hanks, the mother of Nancy Hanks Lincoln. There is also a theory that Joseph and his wife, ...

; great-grandfather of US President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

Ben Johnson (politician) Ben Johnson (May 20, 1858 – June 4, 1950) was an American lawyer and politician; Democrat, United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1907, to March 3, 1927. Biography Born near Bardstown in Nelson County, Kentucky. His father was ...

; lawyer and congressman *

Silvester Johnson Silvester Johnson (October 15, 1813 – July 13, 1889) was a Kentucky merchant and a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives. Biography Early life and business ventures Johnson was born October 15, 1813, on his parents' farm nea ...

; merchant *

Monique Jones Monique Jones (born March 12, 1979) is an American professional female bodybuilder. Figure career Amateur At the age of 16, Monique has been involved in a fitness environment since she purchased her first gym membership. One day she was appro ...

; professional bodybuilder * Virgil Livers; football cornerback *

James Love (Kentucky politician) James Love (May 12, 1795 – June 12, 1874) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. Born in Nelson County, Kentucky, Love attended the common schools in Bardstown, Kentucky. He volunteered at the age of 18 and served during the War of 1812. He ...

; congressman * Joseph N. McCormack; surgeon * Thomas Merton; monk *

Zachariah Montgomery Zachariah "Zach" Montgomery (March 6, 1825 in Nelson County, Kentucky – September 3, 1900 in Los Angeles, California) was a publisher, lawyer, politician, and author, particularly known for his skills as an orator. Montgomery's speeches were ...

; lawyer and politician * Charles S. Morehead; congressman and governor of

* Felix Newton Pitt; monsignor *

Daniel Rudd Daniel Arthur Rudd (August 7, 1854December 3, 1933) was a Black Catholic journalist and early Civil Rights leader. He is known for starting in 1885 what has been called "the first newspaper printed by and for Black Americans", the ''Ohio Tribune ...

; catholic journalist and civil rights leader * Catherine Spalding; religious leader * Horace Speed; pioneer and district attorney * Stith Thompson; scholar of folklore * Bryan Young (politician); congressman * William Singleton Young; congressman

Communities

Cities

* Bardstown (county seat) * Bloomfield * Fairfield *

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...

Census-designated places

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Chaplin Chaplin may refer to: People * Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), English comedy film actor and director * Chaplin (name), other people named Chaplin Films * '' Unknown Chaplin'' (1983) * ''Chaplin'' (film) (1992) * ''Chaplin'' (2011 film), Ben ...

* New Hope

Other unincorporated places

* Balltown * Cedar Creek * Coxs Creek * Culvertown * Deatsville * Highgrove * Howardstown * Icetown * Lenore * Nazareth * Samuels *

Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance ( la, Ordo Cisterciensis Strictioris Observantiae, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a ...

* Woodlawn

References

External links

; Government * ; General information
Bardstown-Nelson County Chamber of Commerce
*
Nelson County Public Library
{{Coord, 37.80, -85.47, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-KY_source:UScensus1990 Kentucky counties 1784 establishments in Virginia Louisville metropolitan area Populated places established in 1784 Former counties of Virginia