Woodford County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the heart of the
Bluegrass regionThe Bluegrass Region is a region in the United States, mostly in northern Kentucky, containing a majority of the state's population. The region is centered on , and includes and , as it extends into southwestern Ohio and southeastern Indiana...
of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
VersaillesVersailles is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States and is located near Lexington. It is also part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,511 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County...
. The county is named for General
William WoodfordWilliam Woodford was an American Revolutionary War general from Virginia.He was born in Caroline County, Virginia, in a town now known as Woodford. He served in the French and Indian War as an ensign in Colonel George Washington's Virginia Regiment, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1761...
, who was with General
George WashingtonGeorge Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the first President of the United States of America...
at
Valley ForgeValley Forge, Pennsylvania, was the site of the camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War...
. It is part of the
Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 109th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States. It was originally formed by the United States Census Bureau in 1950 and consisted solely of Fayette County until 1980 when surrounding counties saw increases in their...
.
Woodford County is home to
Woodford ReserveWoodford Reserve is a brand of premium small batch bourbon whiskey made in the Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery, near Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky. The name was changed to The Woodford Reserve Distillery in 2003. The distillery is located in the heart of the horse farming...
, the
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
BourbonBourbon is an American whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from corn and named for Bourbon County, Kentucky. It has been produced since the 18th century.- Legal requirements :...
manufactured at the Labrot & Graham Distillery, which was established in 1812 and is the oldest Bourbon distillery in Kentucky.
According to the U.S.
Woodford County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the heart of the
Bluegrass regionThe Bluegrass Region is a region in the United States, mostly in northern Kentucky, containing a majority of the state's population. The region is centered on , and includes and , as it extends into southwestern Ohio and southeastern Indiana...
of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
VersaillesVersailles is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States and is located near Lexington. It is also part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,511 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County...
. The county is named for General
William WoodfordWilliam Woodford was an American Revolutionary War general from Virginia.He was born in Caroline County, Virginia, in a town now known as Woodford. He served in the French and Indian War as an ensign in Colonel George Washington's Virginia Regiment, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1761...
, who was with General
George WashingtonGeorge Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the first President of the United States of America...
at
Valley ForgeValley Forge, Pennsylvania, was the site of the camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War...
. It is part of the
Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 109th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States. It was originally formed by the United States Census Bureau in 1950 and consisted solely of Fayette County until 1980 when surrounding counties saw increases in their...
.
Woodford County is home to
Woodford ReserveWoodford Reserve is a brand of premium small batch bourbon whiskey made in the Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery, near Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky. The name was changed to The Woodford Reserve Distillery in 2003. The distillery is located in the heart of the horse farming...
, the
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
BourbonBourbon is an American whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from corn and named for Bourbon County, Kentucky. It has been produced since the 18th century.- Legal requirements :...
manufactured at the Labrot & Graham Distillery, which was established in 1812 and is the oldest Bourbon distillery in Kentucky.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Adjacent counties
- Franklin County
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1795 from parts of Woodford, Mercer and Shelby counties. As of 2007, its population was 48,183. Its county seat is Frankfort, the state capital...
(northwest)
- Scott County
Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2008, the population was estimated at 44,549. Its county seat is Georgetown.Scott County is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.- Geography :...
(northeast)
- Fayette County
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2008, the estimated population was 282,114. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
(east)
- Jessamine County
Jessamine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is within the Inner Blue Grass region, which was the center of farming and blooded stock raising, including thoroughbred horses. It was formed in 1799. As of 2000, the population was 39,041. The 2008 population estimate was...
(southeast)
- Mercer County
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 20,817. Its county seat is Harrodsburg. The county is named for General Hugh Mercer.- History :Pleasant Hill is the site of a former Shaker community....
(southwest)
- Anderson County
Anderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1827. As of 2007, the population was 20,885. Its county seat is Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The county is named for Richard Clough Anderson, Jr., a Kentucky Legislator, U.S...
(west)
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 23,208 people, 8,893 households, and 6,643 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was . There were 9,374 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 92.08%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 5.41%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.13%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.31%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.13% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.93% from two or more races. 2.99% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 8,893 households out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $49,491, and the median income for a family was $58,218. Males had a median income of $39,284 versus $27,972 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $22,839. About 5.20% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
Cities
- Midway
Midway is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 1,620 at the 2000 census. It is located midway between Frankfort and Lexington along the single-track railroad between them. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is home to a...
- Versailles
Versailles is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States and is located near Lexington. It is also part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,511 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County...
Towns
- Millville
- Nonesuch
- Mortonsville
- Troy
Notable residents
- John Buford
John Buford, Jr. was a Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War, with a prominent role at the start of the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early years:...
- Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War
- Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr.- Baseball commissioner and Kentucky governor
- Ben Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Ben" Chandler III is an American politician from Kentucky. He is the member of the House of Representatives for and was first elected in 2004.Chandler was born in Versailles, Kentucky. He received a BA and a J.D...
- U.S Representative
- John Conlee
John Conlee is an American country music singer. Between 1978 and 2004, Conlee charted a total of thirty-two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recorded eleven studio albums...
- Country Music Singer
- Charles W. Field
Charles William Field was a career military officer, serving in the United States Army and then, during the American Civil War, in the Confederate States Army. His division was considered as one of the finest in the Army of Northern Virginia...
- US Army officer and Doorkeeper of the US House of Representatives
- Mike Gentry - Football player
- Taylor Phillips - 2006 America's Junior Miss
America's Junior Miss is a national non-profit organization that provides scholarship opportunities to high school girls. Only young females in high school are eligible for the program. Depending on the schedule of the various state and local programs, young women are eligible during either their...
- William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor and novelist. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk, captain of the starship USS Enterprise, in the television series Star Trek from 1966 to 1969, Star Trek: The Animated Series and in seven of the...
- Actor
- Sam Shepard
Sam Shepard is an American playwright, actor, and television and film director. He is author of several books of short stories, essays, and memoirs, and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979 for his play, Buried Child...
- Actor
Recent Royal Visits
- Queen Elizabeth II stayed in Woodford County at Lane's End Farm in May 2007. She also attended the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.
Education
- Huntertown Elementary
- Northside Elementary
- Southside Elementary
- St. Leo's (Serves K-8/Private)
- Southside Elementary
- Woodford County High School
Woodford County High School is a public high school located in Versailles, Kentucky. It serves grades 9-12 and since the 1970s is the only public high school in Woodford County.-History:...
- Woodford County Middle School
- Midway College
Midway is an independent, liberal arts college with approximately 1,700 students, related by covenant to the Christian Church offering two and four-year degrees, located in Midway, Kentucky. Midway is the only women's college in Kentucky. The all-female Day College offers majors in four pillar...
External links