Hardin County

148 Pages·2012·29.25 MB·English

2 D ISCOVER H ARDIN C OUNTY
Drive One.
1307 N. Dixie Hwy.
Elizabethtown
www.bobswopeford.com

4 DISCOVER HARDIN COUNTY
Discover Hardin County 2011-12
6 WELCOME RADCLIFF & NORTHERN HARDIN COUNTY 99 Lincoln Trail Behavioral Health System
72 Hooray for Heroes
73 VineGrove Optimist Park and Bluegrass PUBLIC SAFETY
AREA PROFILES 74 Fort Duffield 100 Public Safety, Emergency Services
7 Map of Hardin County Communities 74 Kricket’s Music Ranch in West Point Working Together for Community
75 North Hardin Memorial Gardens
8 Hardin County
75 Kentucky Museum of American
9 Elizabethtown SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND RESOURCES
Pocketknives
10 Radcliff PUBLIC SCHOOLS
HISTORIC GLENDALE AND SOUTHERN
10 Cecilia HARDIN COUNTY 103 Hardin County Schools
12 Glendale 106 Elizabethtown Independent Schools
76 Glendale and the Glendale Crossing
13 Sonora PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
Festival
14 Vine Grove AND HOME SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS
76 Amish Community
14 West Point 107 Private, Parochial and Home Schools
76 White Mills Christian Camp
16 Communities Past and Present COLLEGES
AROUND THE COUNTY
108 Elizabethtown Community and
77 Hardin County Fair
Technical College
ARTS, CULTURE AND NIGHTLIFE 78 Lincoln Lore
24 Historic State Theater 79 LIST:Festivals 109 Western Kentucky University
27 Youth Theatre of Hardin County 83 LIST: Historic Register Sites R11E1S O UMRCcKESendree University
28 Hardin County Playhouse
111 Job Training/Adult Education
28 Central Kentucky Art Guild FORT KNOX COMMUNITY: 112 Cooperative Extension Service
30 Heartland Songwriters Association MORE THAN AN ARMY POST 113 Hardin County Public Libraries
31 Music and Dancing
86 About the Post 114 North Central Education Foundation
32 Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center
89 Fort Knox Community Schools
34 Leisure
CIVILIANS WELCOME SPORTS AND RECREATION
35 Dining
37 LIST:Restaurants 90 Gen. George Patton Museum 116 Tennis
91 The Gold Vault 117 Golf
92 Dining/Nightlife 118 Youth and Recreational Sports
BUSINESS, AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY 120 Parks and Lakes
42 Chambers of Commerce HEALTH CARE 121 Radcliff Skate Park
43 Tourism 95 A Regional Healthcare Center 121 Saunders Springs
44 Shopping 95 Hardin Memorial Hospital 122 Greenbelt Walking Trails
46 Farmers Markets and Agriculture 96 Urgent Care Facilities 123 Off the Beaten Path:
47 Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation 98 Community Health Clinic Hiking in and Around the County
48 Better Business Bureau 99 Health Departments 125 Fort Knox Recreation
48 North Hardin Economic Development 99 Diagnostic Imaging Services
Authority
49 LIST: Industries
DIRECTORIES
FAITH AND WORSHIP
54 A Community of Faith 127 NUMBERS TO KNOW 129 STATE AGENCIES SERVICES
55 LIST: Places of Worship
Hardin County 129 LOCAL AGENCIES Electric
Elizabethtown AND SUPPORT Telephone
FESTIVALS, FEATURES AND ATTRACTIONS
Fort Knox GROUPS Cable
ELIZABETHTOWN AREA
63 Heartland Music Festival Radcliff 130 CLUBS AND Internet
64 Cruisin’ the Heartland Sonora ORGANIZATIONS Trash
65 Hardin County History Museum
Vine Grove 131 VETERANS GROUPS Water
65 Historic Tours
68 Brown-Pusey House West Point 132 LODGING Gas
68 Black History Gallery 129 U.S. POSTAL SERVICE 133 CONSUMER 133 MEDIA GUIDE
69 Christmas in the Park
70 Summit Schoolhouse
70 Swope Cars of Yesteryear
72 Cecilia Caboose Photography in Discover Hardin County2011 by Neal Cardin and Jill Pickett of The News-Enterprise.

DISCOVER HARDIN COUNTY 7
Profiles
WEST POINT p.14
Life on the river keeps things interesting in of Hardin County communities
Hardin County’s northernmost town. Home
to Fort Duffield, West Point plays host to
Civil War re-enactment each year.
19 FORT KNOX p. 86
A 109,000-acre Army post, Fort Knox is home to the Patton Museum
VINE GROVE p. 14 and stands adjacent to the U.S. Bullion Depository, more commonly
Proud of its small-town, hometown appeal, known as the nation’s gold vault. But, life on post is not all busi-
the community of Vine Grove offers a ness. From golf to fishing, music and night clubs, the location is full
respite from the hustle and bustle of of things to do for soldiers and civilians alike.
stress-driven life. 17
RADCLIFF p. 10
RINEYVILLE p. 19 With close ties to Fort Knox, Radcliff boasts a
This town was named for unique, multicultural identity and an ingrained
the Riney family, who patriotism that shines through to the soldiers,
10 4
gave land for the veterans and residents that call it home.
Illinois Central 1 20
Railroad, built in 2
1874. ELIZABETHTOWN p. 9
13
The county seat of Hardin County, Elizabethtown
22
is also the county’s largest city. Since the late
21 3 1700s, when it was founded, the city has seen
tremendous growth residentially and commer-
15
9 cially, with its sights set to the future, but its
heritage deeply rooted in its history.
CECILIA p. 10
This community was known as the home of
White Dove Flour in the 1920s and 30s.
16
Learn more about these
GLENDALE p. 12 areas in the “Communities
8 of the Past” section
Home of the Whistle Stop Cafe, beginning on page 16.
Glendale’s charming historic dis-
1. Big Spring
11 5 6 7 12 tsreicnts ies ofifl lebdyg woniteh taimnteiqsu. es and a 23.. BClluaeys Bvialllel/Blue Ball Hill
4. Colesburg
18 14 5. Dever Hollow
6. Eastview
WHITE MILLS p. 22 SONORA p. 13 78.. HHaarrdcoinu rStp/rBinugcskles Mill
Once called Bucksnort, Sonora’s heyday
A mill and dam played key 9. Howe’s
was in the 1800s, when it was known as a Valley/Howevalley
roles in this town’s early suc-
center of shipping and higher education. 10. Mill Creek
cess, leading to the establish- 11. New Fruit
ment of a college and resort 12. Nolin/Nolin Station
town for many Kentuckians. 13. Perryville
14. Quaker Valley
Today, it is a quiet and quaint UPTON p. 22 15. St. John
residential area. 16. Stephensburg
Now a sleepy rural town, in the early 1900s,
17. Stithton
Upton was a buzz of commercial activity 18. Summit
boasting a mill, several stores and a number 19. Tip Top
of businesses, as well as a teachers’ college. 20. Tunnel Hill
21. Vertrees
22. Youngers Creek
8 DISCOVER HARDIN COUNTY
AREA PROFILES
Hardin County: How it started
The News-Enterprise ementary schools and an education cen-
HARDIN COUNTY FACTS
ter. Fort Knox’s school system boasts
In 1792, Kentucky legislators carved a one high school, a middle school, two
tract of land from Nelson County to es-
Population Islander: 0.2 percent* intermediate schools and four elemen-
tablish Hardin County, the common-
Population: 102,543 tary schools. Also in the county is West
wealth’s 15th county. With more than
Point Independent School.
Population younger than 16: 23 Housing
600 square miles, Hardin County re-
Elizabethtown Community and Tech-
percent* Households: 38,149*
mains the state’s fourth largest county. It
nical College is core to a higher educa-
is bounded on the north by the Ohio Population older than 85: 1.3 Persons per household: 2.57*
tion system that also includes a Western
percent*
River and Bullitt and Meade counties;
Kentucky University extension campus,
on the east by Bullitt, Nelson and LaRue Income
extending educational offerings to four-
counties; on the south by LaRue, Hart Cultural origin Median household income:
year degrees. Other colleges and univer-
and Grayson counties; and on the west White: 83.5 percent* $45,358*
sities have begun offering classes in the
by Breckinridge, Grayson and Meade Black: 11.5 percent*
Source: Data found at www.eifky.org/demographics. county, as well.
counties. Hispanic: 4 percent* *denotes 2009 data
Building from the time of the early
The county was named for Col. John Asian: 2.3 percent*
Hardin, who was born in Fauquier Other/multirace: 2.1 percent * ■See the Directories section in the settlers, many things have grown
throughout the county. Both Severns
County, Va., in October 1753 and settled American Indian and Alaska back of this book for a listing of
Valley Baptist Church and St. James
in Kentucky in 1786. That same year, he Native: 0.4 percent* county officials and other Numbers
Catholic Church now have member-
volunteered with Gen. George Rogers Native Hawaiian and other Pacific to Know.
ships of more than 3,000.
Clark in the Wabash expeditions and
Today, trains still pass through
soon attained the rank of colonel. He
throughout the area were destroyed. over the next few decades and its popu- Hardin County, but highways, including
was commander of the Kentucky troops
Various locations throughout the county lation reached a then-record 2,590 by Interstate 65, the Martha Layne Collins
for the Maumee Campaign in 1790 and
were staging grounds for Confederate 1930. Blue Grass and Western Kentucky park-
in 1792, when serving as a U.S. peace
Gen. John Hunt Morgan’s Christmas Hardin Academy was established in ways, U.S. 31W and U.S. 62 are the
envoy, was killed by a tribe of Miami
raid. 1806 and education has been a priority main transportation avenues.
Indians near Defiance, Ohio.
Following the Civil War, rebuilding of the county ever since. With the influx of personnel and their
In April 1779, John Severns built a log
efforts focused on the railroad system, In 1918, 1/12 of the northern section families involved in Fort Knox’s base re-
cabin along a creek, which became
which was a primary factor in the devel- of Hardin County was transferred to the
alignment, the county continues with ex-
known as Severns Valley Creek — a
opment of commerce across the county. United States government to establish
pected growth not only in population
branch of the Nolin River. The region
The area’s growth and the interest it Camp Knox, named after Henry Knox
but also with industry and business.
was called the Severns Valley Set-
generated from people in other parts of of the Revolutionary War. The camp
With small business at its cornerstone,
tlement.
the region fueled the need for trans- was renamed Fort Knox on Jan. 1, 1932,
an increased population to shop and
The next year, Samuel Haycraft Sr.
portation. and gold was moved to the U.S. Bullion
and Thomas Helm joined Andrew trade here is a welcome addition to the
The Louisville & Nashville Railroad Depository or “gold vault” in 1937.
Hynes in building stockades and forts had been completed in 1859. The line WHERE IT IS TODAY. The deep history landscape of the county.
within a mile of one another to defend ran parallel to the Louisville and of the county has laid the groundwork Facilities including a regional hospi-
themselves against the native inhabi- Nashville Turnpike, a hard, stone-sur- for growth and prosperity in a thriving tal, Hardin Memorial, serve the health-
tants. That first permanent settlement, faced road that had been built several community. care needs of Hardin and surrounding
Elizabethtown, was named for Elizabeth years earlier. Since the early 1940s, continued counties.
Hynes, Andrew’s wife. Samuel Thomas became the area’s growth in industry and agriculture has Hardin County has a dichotomy that
More than 15 families established first millionaire in the county by running helped Hardin County prosper. builds from agricultural excellence with
themselves in the region by 1781, and a stagecoach along the route. The The county continues to grow com- a continued focus on the future, taking
Severns Valley Baptist Church was Elizabethtown & Paducah Railroad was mercially, boasting shopping centers, in- advantage of technological advances in-
formed. In 1795, the settlement’s first operating by the early 1870s, and the dustries and Addington Field airport. tertwined with a rural lifestyle.
courthouse was constructed, followed Hodgenville & Elizabethtown rail start- Since the time of the early one-room Many families move to the area for a
by a jail in 1797. ed in 1888. Elizabethtown served as traf- school systems, the county school dis- safe environment to work and raise their
By 1800, Hardin County had a popu- fic hub for several rail routes. trict now has three high schools, five family while staying connected to the
lation of 3,653. The county’s largest city, Elizabeth- middle schools, 13 elementary schools world at large.
Elizabethtown was a target during the town, also was home to various shops and nine alternative schools. The Eli- The pioneer spirit remains as the
Civil War. During an 11-day period in that repaired the rails and trains, creat- zabethtown Independent Schools has county forges on through the modern
late December 1862, train trestles ing almost 100 jobs. The city thrived one high school, a middle school, two el- age.
DISCOVER HARDIN COUNTY 9
PROFILE: ELIZABETHTOWN
Take me to a growing city with a small-town feel
The News-Enterprise
ELIZABETHTOWN
With a population of 28,531 in 2010,
Elizabethtown boasts strong retail and FACTS
economic growth. Its position at the
heart of the state and at the crossroads of
three major highway corridors, along
Zip code:42701, P.O. Box:
with its close proximity to Louisville, has
42702
it poised for growth.
Form of government:City council
In recent years, the community has
welcomed many significant retail out- School systems:Elizabethtown
lets. But walk into any store, or along the Independent Schools, Hardin
new streetscape downtown, and you’ll County Schools
find it hasn’t changed much. With a tip Total population (2010):28,531
of the hat, it maintains that small town,
Population, male:13,665/47.9
middle America feel that keeps it among
percent
the best places in Kentucky.
Population, female:
With restoration complete on the
Historic State Theater downtown coin- 14,866/52.1 percent
ciding with the addition of historical
panels depicting important area mile-
growth and interest from people in oth-
stones, downtown Elizabethtown hon- er parts of the region fueled the need for A car drives by a field of sunflowers in Elizabethtown.
ors the past.
transportation. Before long, the Louis-
And it is rich in history. www.kyhomesales.com www.clinkenbeardextremeteam.com
ville & Nashville Turnpike, a hard,
BEGINNINGS. Established on July 4,
stone-surfaced road, had been built
1797, when Revolutionary War veteran m w
through the city. Stagecoach routes o w
Andrew Hynes gave a 30-acre tract of made regular stops in the area. c w
land to Hardin County leaders, Eliza- The transportation push continued es. .c
bethtown was named in honor of with construction of the Louisville & al en
Hynes’ wife, Elizabeth. s t
Hynes and others who settled the Nashville Railroad that paralleled the me 100 Chase Way, Ste. 2, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 ra
avryeian ga lmwoitsht 2a0n oytehaerrs esaerttlileerm heandt bneeeanr tHpurerenlsmpidi,ke wne.th ,E odl ieszmearbavenetddhe toadsw thtnhe er er arsaiidlirleornoatad dJ’os’ shc hnfia rLsrt-. kyho D Boroukegr, lGaRIs, C CRSl,i Un.Sk. eArnmyb Reetairerdd lkentu
Hanodd lgaenndv itlhlee ptoo tbeenctoiaml dee tvheel ocpomunetnyt stheaatt ter require every train to stop in Eliza- ww. 268-5420 cky
bethtown, which they did until the rail w [email protected] p
mreaigdhyt hfaodll obwu.i ltT ah somugalhl ctohuer thcoouusnet yn eaalr- system ceased passenger service in the m Hui Sun Clinkenbeard rop
1960s. e
what later would become downtown, o Realtor ® r
Elizabethtown became a hotbed for c t
Htioynn.es’s gift solidified the area’s posi- development during the Civil War rty. 268-5421 y.co
Within months, Elizabeth Town, as it thanks to the railroad. The track was pe We specialize in military relocations, as well as buying, selling & renting. m
was listed then, was parceled into quar- upslieeds tboy Uthneio gno fvoerrcnems benattt ltion gm thoevier swuapy- pro “T HE T EAM T HAT W ORKS F OR Y OU ” w
ter- and half-acre lots. Spots sold for as y w
into the South. k
much as $10. c (270) 735-1659 (800) 293-6913 w
By 1808, the lots had been sold and CoSnefendseinragt e thGee nr.a ilJroohand ’sH uimntp oMrtoarngcaen, ntu .ky
merchants and other business people e h
looked to cripple the Union Army’s ef- k o
thuurbn.e dA Enluizmabbeerth otof wsnal oionntos, ha otbeulss talinndg fort. From atop a hill in what now is the ral me
dry goods stores were positioned around Elizabethtown City Cemetery, Morgan’s nt sa
tPhueb lbiclo cSkq-suhaarpee. dT ihnete rcseitcyt’iso np konpouwlanti oans stcwoalmod iede arasyb sof iuareftt d6e r0 10C0 t7hr orsioshtpmesl lagss u ia1nr8tdo6i 2nd.g oH twheen otrovaweilrsn-, ww.ce R E O / Mu OAtsXut tEsatxnaendcduiitnnigvge R GAegroesunuptsl, tIsn .c. les.co
nearly doubled to about 180 residents w m
burning bridges and taking out the net-
just two years later. Each office is independently owned and operated.
BECOMING THE HUB CITY. The city’s Turn toELIZABETHTOWN, 11 www.kyhomesales.com www.clinkenbeardextremeteam.com
10 DISCOVER HARDIN COUNTY
PROFILE: RADCLIFF PROFILE: CECILIA
A small town
with heart
By BECCA OWSLEY
[email protected] CECILIA FACTS
About six miles west of
Zip Code:42724
Elizabethtown, the town of
School System:Hardin
Cecilia, originally called
County Schools
Cecilian, was first settled in
1807. The Kuritz or Kurtz
Cecilia is not incorpo-
family is believed to have
rated
been among the first settlers.
The Cecil family, for whom
www.ceciliaky.org
the town eventually was
Radcliff, near Fort Knox, is home to Kentucky Veterans Cemetery-Central. named, arrived about 1829.
A city with military ties The Elizabethtown & Pa- M.A. Cooper family at the
ducah Railroad came to town Cecilia Mill. The mill burned
in 1870 and the Cecilian post in 1936; at the time it was the
office was established in Jan- third-largest mill in the state.
uary 1871. Cecilian’s train de- Today, Cecilia no longer
pot was a key distribution relies on the railroad for its
The News-Enterprise ment of Fort Knox, mandated in point for vegetables, fruits and livelihood. There are many
RADCLIFF FACTS
the U.S. military’s 2005 round other foods headed north to businesses alive and well in
Located 12 miles north of of Base Realignment and Clo- Louisville. Many referred to the town.
Elizabethtown and on the south- Zip Code:40160, P.O. Box sure, in full swing, Radcliff the village stop on the train The main branch of
western boundary of Fort Knox, 40159 reaped the benefits of even route as Cecilia Station. Cecilian Bank remains on
Radcliff once was known as the Form of government:City more full-time soldiers and resi- The town officially was Main Street, locally owned
Mill Creek area. The city was counScchilo ol systems:Hardin dents. founded and named in 1870. and under the same name
founded in 1919 when Col. County Schools The northern Hardin County Col. Charles Cecil and his since 1903. It has grown to
Horace McCullum, a well- Total population:21,688 city of about 22,000 residents, sons, Henry, Thomas and include 11 additional branch-
known auctioneer, purchased Population, male:48.8 percent known for its multiculturalism Ambrose, ran the all-male es throughout Hardin and
land on Dixie Highway and Ppoeprcuelanttion, female:51.2 and close ties to Fort Knox, pri- Cecilian College, which was surrounding counties.
sold building lots to military Median age:32.7 marily has a retail-based busi- formed in 1860. By 1870, en- Farming is a big emphasis
personnel from Fort Knox. Population 18 years and older: ness landscape. rollment was 115 students to the community and busi-
McCullum named the com- 73.5 percent Radcliff City Council is ranging in age from 10 to 28. ness in Cecilia.
munity after his friend, Major Information from 2010 U.S. Census data ready to do whatever it takes to The school closed about 1910. In 1966, Phillip Taul
William Radcliffe, head of the ■See the Directories section in make sure the city makes a good Cecilia became the town’s opened Badger Equipment at
Quartermaster Corps at the the back of this book for a listing first impression on those trans- new official name on May his farm. In 1976, he moved to
newly established Camp Knox. of city officials and other impor- plants. 27, 1912. his current location on Leitch-
tant Numbers to Know.
According to Radcliff’s web- Council members said they The Cecilian Bank field Loop. In 1997, the busi-
site, www.radcliff.org, the city were willing to do their part in opened for business on May ness was sold to his youngest
saw an influx of residents in the formed, and both the Radcliff cleaning up the city, electing to 23, 1903, and has remained son, David, who continues to
1930s when Fort Knox expand- Fire Department and Radcliff enforce stricter codes to ensure in existence since that date, operate Taul Equipment.
ed and displaced the towns of Civic Club were established in property owners make their city growing rather than closing Cecilia Farm Service Inc.,
Stithton and New Stithton. 1955. the best it can be. during the Depression. a locally owned and operat-
During World War II, soldiers The town was incorporated Additional business growth in The community’s name ed full-service farm supplier,
stationed at Fort Knox visited as a sixth-class city in 1956 and the city is expected with new road was well known throughout is based in Cecilia and has
the USO in Radcliff during in 1962 it became a fifth-class projects such as the widening of Kentucky during the 1920s been in operation there for
North Wilson Road from the U.S. more than 20 years. There
their leisure hours. city. and ’30s, as it was the home
In 1953, Hardin County TODAY: MOVING FORWARD WITH 31W overpass to West Lincoln of White Dove flour, which also is Wilson Manufacturing
Water District No. 1 was FORT KNOX. With the realign- Turn toRADCLIFF, 11 was manufactured by the Turn toCECILIA, 11