Rivals, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Rivals is a small unincorporated rural community
on the banks of Brashear's Creek (near the confluence of Buck Creek and Brashears) in Spencer County
, Kentucky
, United States
. At one time it had a general store
, post office
and a grist mill. These businesses have been gone for many years, though the building that served as the store and post office still stands as a storage building for a home. It is located approximately 5 miles north-northeast of Taylorsville
.
Rivals received its name in an unusual fashion. The story goes that when the application to open a post office there was filled out, a second name choice was required in case the first choice had already been taken. The store owner, needing this second choice, looked upon his shelves and saw a box of ammunition with the brand name Rivals. The first choice was already in use elsewhere, so Rivals became the official post office name, and consequentially the community name.
The area is still largely farmland, producing tobacco
, corn
, wheat
, soybean
s, sod, cattle
, and goats. Over the past 25 years, however, a number of farms have been subdivided into residential areas and "mini-farms" -- properties with zoning to allow a small number of animals and/or growing of crops, but not large enough to actually be considered a for-profit farm. In spite of the changes and growth of recent decades, Rivals and other nearby communities such as Normandy are still home to a number of families who have lived there for multiple generations, such as the Allgeier, Harp, Jeffiers, Jeffries, Prewitt, Travis, Yates and Wills families.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
on the banks of Brashear's Creek (near the confluence of Buck Creek and Brashears) in Spencer County
Spencer County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,766 people, 4,251 households, and 3,358 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 4,555 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.50% White, 1.13% Black or African American, 0.22% Native...
, 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...
. At one time it had a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and a grist mill. These businesses have been gone for many years, though the building that served as the store and post office still stands as a storage building for a home. It is located approximately 5 miles north-northeast of Taylorsville
Taylorsville, Kentucky
Taylorsville is a city in Spencer County, Kentucky, United States. It is the county seat of Spencer County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,009 and was estimated at 1,275 in 2009. It was incorporated in 1829.-History:...
.
Rivals received its name in an unusual fashion. The story goes that when the application to open a post office there was filled out, a second name choice was required in case the first choice had already been taken. The store owner, needing this second choice, looked upon his shelves and saw a box of ammunition with the brand name Rivals. The first choice was already in use elsewhere, so Rivals became the official post office name, and consequentially the community name.
The area is still largely farmland, producing tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s, sod, cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, and goats. Over the past 25 years, however, a number of farms have been subdivided into residential areas and "mini-farms" -- properties with zoning to allow a small number of animals and/or growing of crops, but not large enough to actually be considered a for-profit farm. In spite of the changes and growth of recent decades, Rivals and other nearby communities such as Normandy are still home to a number of families who have lived there for multiple generations, such as the Allgeier, Harp, Jeffiers, Jeffries, Prewitt, Travis, Yates and Wills families.