Eddyville, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Eddyville is a city in Lyon County, Kentucky
, United States
. The population was 2,350 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Lyon County . The Kentucky State Penitentiary
is located in Eddyville.
Throughout Kentucky, Eddyville is best known as a synonym for the Kentucky State Penitentiary
, although the prison itself is actually 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the present town, on the shore of Lake Barkley in Old Eddyville on KY 730. Taking six years to build (1884–1890), the massive stone prison structure towers over Lake Barkley, and is sometimes called "The Castle on the Cumberland." Its electric chair
has had a long history of use, with its use dating to the period before 1936 when public executions were still conducted in Kentucky for punishment for some crimes (e.g., rape, see for example Rainey Bethea
), with electrocutions at Eddyville being strictly reserved for capital punishment for conviction of other crimes (e.g., murder). Executions are still held at the prison, although there have only been three since 1976 (and only one since 1999) and the primary method has been changed to lethal injection
.
Following the completion of Kentucky Dam in the 1940s, rumors began that a dam would be built on the lower Cumberland. This meant relocating Eddyville and Kuttawa. By the mid-1950s, the people's fears were confirmed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began surveying for the construction of Barkley Dam. The entire population of Eddyville was in a turmoil with decisions to be made. This ordeal caused many angry feelings among some of the residents, which lasted a lifetime.
It was about this time that Lee S. Jones entered the picture. Jones was a native of Lyon County who had attended law school and settled in Louisville, where he had gained a reputation as one of the best "tax lawyers" and also had accumulated enough money to be considered quite wealthy. Jones had purchased farms in the Fairview community (which is now the site of Eddyville). He came to the Eddyville City Council and presented his plan: each person owning land in the towns (Eddyville and Kuttawa) to be flooded would receive a free lot in the new Eddyville site. This also applied to businesses.
Eddyville residents accepted his offer and on August 13, 1959, the official plat for the new town was filed with the county court clerk. The plat included 254 residential lots, 46 business lots, 28 acres (113,312.1 m²) for construction of a school and campus, city park, courthouse, health office, water works, and location of streets.
August 28, 1959 was designated as "Dedication and Free Deed Day" at the new site. A large group of people gathered for the event which was held in a field (in front of where the post office is now located). Mr. Jones handed the first deed to Boyce and Lillian Yates, then presented approximately 60 more residential lots.
The first house to be built in the new town was the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Moore. The first business to be built was the Kentucky Utilities office.
During the time of building, Eddyville was "booming", and with the impoundment of Lake Barkley in the 1960s, tourists began making their way into the area for the abundance of fish and boating.
The influx of tourist did not happen as rapidly as most people had envisioned and hoped. Although campgrounds and marinas were springing up around the lake, the city was struggling.
December 1988 brought the ground breaking for the West Kentucky Outlet Mall. Three brothers, Bob, Darrell and Ben Jent purchased a tract of land in the city limits of Eddyville and started construction of a mall, which opened the following fall with ten stores. Within a short time the mall would boast a total of nearly 50 stores.
The opening of the mall brought a surge of progress to Eddyville, and all types of businesses began to move into the city. For the first time in the town's history, people could choose their favorite restaurant, motel, clothing store or other places to shop—all without leaving town.
It has been said the mall did more for the progress of Eddyville than any other endeavor since the establishment of the town in 1799, with the possible exception of the building of the Kentucky State Penitentiary. The town was listed as the second fastest growing area in Kentucky in 1997 based on tourism.
The mall has since suffered severe economic troubles, and few stores are currently left.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), of which 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) (13.68%) is water.
of 2000, there were 2,350 people, 733 households, and 452 families residing in the city. The population density
was 351.2 people per square mile (135.6/km²). There were 882 housing units at an average density of 131.8 per square mile (50.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.96% White, 12.72% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.30% from other races
, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 733 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 40.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 182.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 197.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,472, and the median income for a family was $44,000. Males had a median income of $37,778 versus $21,845 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,591. About 11.9% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.
Lyon County, Kentucky
Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 8,080. Its county seat is Eddyville. Created from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854, the county was named for former Congressman Chittenden Lyon....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,350 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lyon County . The Kentucky State Penitentiary
Kentucky State Penitentiary
The Kentucky State Penitentiary, also known as the "Castle on the Cumberland," is a prison of the Kentucky Department of Corrections located in Eddyville, Kentucky. The state's only maximum security male facility, the prison is located on Lake Barkley on the Cumberland River, about from downtown...
is located in Eddyville.
History
Eddyville, the seat of Lyon county, was settled around 1798 and named for the eddies in the nearby Cumberland River. It became the seat of Livingston County when it was formed in 1799, later the seat of Caldwell County in 1809, and finally the seat of Lyon County when it was formed in 1854. Thus, it holds the distinction of being the only city in Kentucky to have served as the county seat of three separate counties. The Eddyville post office opened in 1801.Throughout Kentucky, Eddyville is best known as a synonym for the Kentucky State Penitentiary
Kentucky State Penitentiary
The Kentucky State Penitentiary, also known as the "Castle on the Cumberland," is a prison of the Kentucky Department of Corrections located in Eddyville, Kentucky. The state's only maximum security male facility, the prison is located on Lake Barkley on the Cumberland River, about from downtown...
, although the prison itself is actually 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the present town, on the shore of Lake Barkley in Old Eddyville on KY 730. Taking six years to build (1884–1890), the massive stone prison structure towers over Lake Barkley, and is sometimes called "The Castle on the Cumberland." Its electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
has had a long history of use, with its use dating to the period before 1936 when public executions were still conducted in Kentucky for punishment for some crimes (e.g., rape, see for example Rainey Bethea
Rainey Bethea
Rainey Bethea was the last person to be publicly executed in the United States. Bethea, who was a black man, confessed to the rape and murder of a 70-year-old white woman named Lischia Edwards, and after being convicted of her rape, he was publicly hanged in Owensboro, Kentucky...
), with electrocutions at Eddyville being strictly reserved for capital punishment for conviction of other crimes (e.g., murder). Executions are still held at the prison, although there have only been three since 1976 (and only one since 1999) and the primary method has been changed to lethal injection
Lethal injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting a person with a fatal dose of drugs for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but the term may also be applied in a broad sense to euthanasia and suicide...
.
Following the completion of Kentucky Dam in the 1940s, rumors began that a dam would be built on the lower Cumberland. This meant relocating Eddyville and Kuttawa. By the mid-1950s, the people's fears were confirmed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began surveying for the construction of Barkley Dam. The entire population of Eddyville was in a turmoil with decisions to be made. This ordeal caused many angry feelings among some of the residents, which lasted a lifetime.
It was about this time that Lee S. Jones entered the picture. Jones was a native of Lyon County who had attended law school and settled in Louisville, where he had gained a reputation as one of the best "tax lawyers" and also had accumulated enough money to be considered quite wealthy. Jones had purchased farms in the Fairview community (which is now the site of Eddyville). He came to the Eddyville City Council and presented his plan: each person owning land in the towns (Eddyville and Kuttawa) to be flooded would receive a free lot in the new Eddyville site. This also applied to businesses.
Eddyville residents accepted his offer and on August 13, 1959, the official plat for the new town was filed with the county court clerk. The plat included 254 residential lots, 46 business lots, 28 acres (113,312.1 m²) for construction of a school and campus, city park, courthouse, health office, water works, and location of streets.
August 28, 1959 was designated as "Dedication and Free Deed Day" at the new site. A large group of people gathered for the event which was held in a field (in front of where the post office is now located). Mr. Jones handed the first deed to Boyce and Lillian Yates, then presented approximately 60 more residential lots.
The first house to be built in the new town was the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Moore. The first business to be built was the Kentucky Utilities office.
During the time of building, Eddyville was "booming", and with the impoundment of Lake Barkley in the 1960s, tourists began making their way into the area for the abundance of fish and boating.
The influx of tourist did not happen as rapidly as most people had envisioned and hoped. Although campgrounds and marinas were springing up around the lake, the city was struggling.
December 1988 brought the ground breaking for the West Kentucky Outlet Mall. Three brothers, Bob, Darrell and Ben Jent purchased a tract of land in the city limits of Eddyville and started construction of a mall, which opened the following fall with ten stores. Within a short time the mall would boast a total of nearly 50 stores.
The opening of the mall brought a surge of progress to Eddyville, and all types of businesses began to move into the city. For the first time in the town's history, people could choose their favorite restaurant, motel, clothing store or other places to shop—all without leaving town.
It has been said the mall did more for the progress of Eddyville than any other endeavor since the establishment of the town in 1799, with the possible exception of the building of the Kentucky State Penitentiary. The town was listed as the second fastest growing area in Kentucky in 1997 based on tourism.
The mall has since suffered severe economic troubles, and few stores are currently left.
Notable natives and residents
- Matthew LyonMatthew LyonMatthew Lyon , father of Chittenden Lyon and great-grandfather of William Peters Hepburn, was a printer, farmer, soldier and politician, serving as a United States Representative from both Vermont and Kentucky....
- U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - John Long RouttJohn Long RouttJohn Long Routt was a U.S. Republican political figure. Born in Eddyville, Kentucky, he served as the first and seventh Governor of Colorado from 1876 to 1879 and 1891 to 1893. He also served as Mayor of Denver, Colorado from 1883 to 1885...
— Governor of ColoradoGovernor of ColoradoThe Governor of Colorado is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the... - Chittenden LyonChittenden LyonChittenden Lyon was a United States Representative from Kentucky and the son of Matthew Lyon. He was born in Fair Haven, Vermont and attended the common schools. In 1801, he moved to Kentucky with his parents, who settled in Caldwell County, Kentucky...
— U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Willis Benson MachenWillis Benson MachenWillis Benson Machen was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Kentucky.-Early life:Willis B. Machen was born the son of Henry and Nancy Machen on April 10, 1810 in Caldwell County, Kentucky . He attended the common schools of the area and became a farmer...
- Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Congressman | United States Senator - Hylan B. LyonHylan B. LyonHylan Benton Lyon was a career officer in the United States Army until the start of the American Civil War, when he resigned rather than fight against the South...
- Confederate Brigadier General
Geography
Eddyville is located at 37°4′50"N 88°4′10"W (37.080671, -88.069479).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), of which 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) (13.68%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A 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. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,350 people, 733 households, and 452 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 351.2 people per square mile (135.6/km²). There were 882 housing units at an average density of 131.8 per square mile (50.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.96% White, 12.72% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.30% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, 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 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 733 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 40.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 182.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 197.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,472, and the median income for a family was $44,000. Males had a median income of $37,778 versus $21,845 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,591. About 11.9% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.