Mount Vernon, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Mount Vernon is a city in Rockcastle County
, Kentucky
, United States
. The population was 2,592 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Rockcastle County. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 25
and 150
, two miles west of Interstate 75
.
Mount Vernon is part of the Richmond
–Berea
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
's home, Mt. Vernon. The Wilderness Road
was routed through in 1792, and was the principal settlement when Rockcastle County was created in 1810.
In 1883, a Louisville & Nashville railroad branch was built through the town, connecting it to Louisville
and to Knoxville. The county's first newspaper, the Mount Vernon Signal, began publication in 1887. Although still a largely rural town and county, the construction of I-75 in the 1970s has drawn some industry to the area, and the population has increased about 50% from 1,639 in 1970.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²), of which, 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (14.56%) is water.
of 2000, there were 2,592 people, 1,126 households, and 681 families residing in the city. The population density
was 816.2 people per square mile (314.7/km²). There were 1,241 housing units at an average density of 390.8 per square mile (150.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 100% White.
There were 1,126 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples
living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $16,747, and the median income for a family was $23,105. The per capita income
for the city was $11,849. About 26.5% of families and 33.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.4% of those under age 18 and 26.8% of those age 65 or over.
Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Rockcastle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,582. Its county seat is Mt. Vernon. The county is named for the Rockcastle River which runs through it...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,592 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 Rockcastle County. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 25
U.S. Route 25
U.S. Route 25 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Brunswick, Georgia to the Ohio state line in Covington, Kentucky.-Georgia:...
and 150
U.S. Route 150
U.S. Route 150 is a 571 mile long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky .-Illinois:In the state of Illinois, U.S. 150 runs from the Quad City International Airport at U.S...
, two miles west of Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
.
Mount Vernon is part of the Richmond
Richmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
–Berea
Berea, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,851 people, 3,693 households, and 2,426 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,055.4 people per square mile . There were 4,115 housing units at an average density of 440.9 per square mile...
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Richmond-Berea micropolitan area
The Richmond–Berea Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Kentucky, anchored by the cities of Richmond and Berea...
.
History
The area was first settled in 1790 around a feature called Spout Springs. Much of the area was originally swampland. The settlement was named for George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's home, Mt. Vernon. The Wilderness Road
Wilderness Road
The Wilderness Road was the principal route used by settlers for more than fifty years to reach Kentucky from the East. In 1775, Daniel Boone blazed a trail for the Transylvania Company from Fort Chiswell in Virginia through the Cumberland Gap into central Kentucky. It was later lengthened,...
was routed through in 1792, and was the principal settlement when Rockcastle County was created in 1810.
In 1883, a Louisville & Nashville railroad branch was built through the town, connecting it to Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
and to Knoxville. The county's first newspaper, the Mount Vernon Signal, began publication in 1887. Although still a largely rural town and county, the construction of I-75 in the 1970s has drawn some industry to the area, and the population has increased about 50% from 1,639 in 1970.
Geography
Mount Vernon is located at 37°22′1"N 84°20′15"W (37.367018, -84.337409).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 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²), of which, 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (14.56%) 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 2,592 people, 1,126 households, and 681 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 816.2 people per square mile (314.7/km²). There were 1,241 housing units at an average density of 390.8 per square mile (150.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 100% White.
There were 1,126 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% 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, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $16,747, and the median income for a family was $23,105. 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 $11,849. About 26.5% of families and 33.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.4% of those under age 18 and 26.8% of those age 65 or over.