Hopkinsville, Kentucky

Hopkinsville is a city in Christian County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 31,577 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Christian County.

History
Hopkinsville was settled in 1796 by Bartholomew and Martha Ann Wood, who came from Jonesborough, Tennessee. The Wood family settled in the vicinity of present-day West Seventh and Bethel Streets, near what would become known as the Old Rock Spring. Wood claimed 1200 acres of bounty land, based on his military service in the American Revolutionary War. He built a second cabin on what is now the northeast corner of Ninth and Virginia streets, and a few years later built a home southeast of Fourteenth and Campbell streets, where he died in 1827. Wood's settlement soon attracted others, and a pioneer village emerged.

Wood donated 5 acre of land and a half interest in his spring for the new county seat. The following year a log courthouse, jail, and "stray pen" were built on the public square facing Main Street. The plat for the town, first called Christian Court House, was surveyed by John Campbell and Samuel Means in 1799. In honor of Wood's eldest daughter, the town was renamed Elizabeth that same year. However, a town in Hardin County had the same name, and when the city incorporated in 1804, the General Assembly renamed the settlement Hopkinsville, in honor of General Samuel Hopkins of Henderson County.

Hopkinsville in the Civil War
The Civil War generated major social and economic division among the people in Hopkinsville and Christian County. Confederate support in Hopkinsville and Christian County was evident in the formation of the "Oak Grove Rangers" and the 28th Kentucky Cavalry. Union Camp Joe Anderson, located northwest of Hopkinsville, was established in 1862 after the Confederate forces had retreated to Tennessee. Men who trained there became members of the 35th Kentucky Cavalry, the 25th Kentucky Infantry, and the 35th Kentucky Infantry. Union General James S. Jackson, a Hopkinsville attorney before the war, was killed in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, in October 1862. Private citizens who supported the Union cause provided the army with mules, wagons, clothing, and food, just as the pro-Confederates had done for their side earlier.

Christian County was the birthsite of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America. Several local businessmen and plantation owners contributed money and war supplies to the "Lost Cause." Hopkinsville changed hands at least half a dozen times, being occupied in turn by Confederate and Union forces. In December 1864, Confederate troops under General Hylan B. Lyon captured the town and burned the Christian County courthouse, as it was being used by the Union army as barracks. A skirmish between Union and Confederate forces took place in the field opposite Western State Hospital near the end of the war.

The Black Patch Tobacco Wars and the Night Riders
In the early years of the twentieth century, tobacco planters formed a protectionist Dark Tobacco District Planters' Protective Association of Kentucky and Tennessee. This was in opposition to a corporate monopoly: the American Tobacco Company (ATC) trust, owned by James B. Duke.

Many farmers found that they could no longer sell their tobacco crop at a profit and that the ATC was the region's only buyer, now that the many tobacco companies had formed the trust using that agency to purchase all tobacco from any farmer at a fixed price. Upon establishing the protective association and rivaling the monopoly by practicing boycotts of tobacco sales, some farmers formed the "Silent Brigade" in an effort to apply social pressure for the purpose of terrorizing farmers into joining the Association against the Trust and holding to its boycott of raising no tobacco or selling no tobacco.

The Silent Brigade was later to become the infamous the Night Riders, assembled and regulated by suspected leader Dr. David A. Amoss. The Night Riders, as they came to be called, were regarded as heroes by farmers they helped, but they were also known for violence in their fight against the changing tobacco industry.

On December 7, 1907, 250 masked night riders captured the police station and cut Hopkinsville off from outside contact. They pursued city officials and tobacco executives who bought tobacco from farmers who were not members of the Dark Tobacco District Planters' Protective Association. Three warehouses were burned during the night. Peace Park in Hopkinsville now stands on the site of one of the warehouses.

Tornado of April 2006
On April 2, 2006, an F3 tornado caused major damage. 93 homes were destroyed and 199 others suffered severe damage. In addition, structural damage was reported to dozens of other businesses, along with countless trees, power lines, transmission towers and other structures, cutting electricity to the city of Hopkinsville. A gas line was also damaged, causing a gas leak. 32 people were injured but none seriously.

Geography
Hopkinsville is located in Christian County at 36.85472°N, -87.48889°W (36.854712, -87.488872).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.0 square miles (62.3 km²), of which, 24.0 square miles (62.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,089 people, 12,174 households, and 8,120 families residing in the city of Hopkinsville. The population density was 1,252.4 people per square mile (483.5/km²). There were 13,260 housing units at an average density of 551.9 per square mile (213.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.9% White, 30% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.

There were 12,174 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,419, and the median income for a family was $37,598. Males had a median income of $30,349 versus $21,259 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,796. About 13.6% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.

Clarksville MSA
Hopkinsville is part of the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clarksville lies approximately 15 mi to the south of Hopkinsville. Prior to 2003, the area was officially known as the Clarksville-Hopkinsville Metropolitan Statistical Area and included only Montgomery and Christian counties. In 2003, Hopkinsville was removed from the official name as it was no longer considered a principal city. That year, Stewart and Trigg counties were also added to the MSA. The four-county metropolitan area had a population of 232,000 in 2000. A July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 261,816. As of 2007, the Clarksville Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 169th largest MSA in the United States.

Industry
Hopkinsville-Christian County, Kentucky is home to a wide range of businesses and industries including Fortune 500 Companies. Over 50 companies make up the local industrial community. Local industries provide a range of services and manufactured products. A full list of manufactures can be found HERE.

There are nine Japanese companies (wholly owned or Joint ventures) in Hopkinsville Kentucky as well as one German, Spanish, and Italian.

For ten-pin bowlers around the world, Hopkinsville is a manufacturing mecca. Hopkinsville is the headquarters and primary manufacturing facility for Ebonite International, one of the oldest and largest bowling ball manufacturers in existence. Ebonite has a broad market share as they own several well-known brand names including Hammer Bowling, Dyno-Thane, Columbia 300, Track International, and Robby's. Statistically Hopkinsville produces 98 percent of the world's bowling balls.

Agribusiness Hopkinsville-Christian County has strong agricultural roots dating back to the settlements in the 1790’s. It has been a strong and consistent leader in the production of corn, winter wheat, soybeans, and tobacco.

Statistics released in December, 2007, by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, show Christian County continues to be a leading crop producer. Christian County ranks: * #1 crops for cash receipts * #1 winter wheat * #2 corn * #3 dark fired tobacco * #4 soybeans

Other key production includes burley tobacco, alfalfa hay, other hay, cattle, and calves and milk production. The county is the second largest in area in Kentucky at 722 square miles and has an estimated 1,150 farms with over 300,000 acres of farmland, with 230,000 acres in cropland. Our average size farm is 267 acres.

Agriculture has become a highly technical industry and Christian County farmers realized the need for continuing education and technical training concerning implements, machinery, fertilizers, chemicals, seeds, and overall good farming practice. Because of this progressive attitude, Christian County continues to be an agricultural leader and example of good farming practices. The Hopkinsville Community College has a technical center specializing in agricultural classes. FFA classes at local high schools have over 200 members. The local 4-H group is extremely active serving over a thousand members in a variety of subjects.

The Chamber of Commerce maintains an Agri-Business Committee that promotes “Ag Week”. The Agri-Business Committee promotes local agriculture with two events annually with a media blitz via newspaper, radio, and television; one in March during National Agriculture Week and again in July during Christian County Agriculture Week. It honors local farmers in the following four fields; Agri-Business of the Year, Farmer of the Year, Distinguished Service, and Friend of Agriculture. The committee also awards scholarships each year to a student who will pursue an agricultural course in college.

Road
Hopkinsville is intersected by US 41, US 41A, US 68, US 68 Bypass, The Ned Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway (usually referred to by only the former name, the Pennyrile Parkway). A four-lane bypass almost completely circles the city. The Southern portion of the bypass is the route for US 68 Bypass. Congressional funding approved for an extension of the Pennyrile Parkway to Interstate 24 in southern Christian County near Fort Campbell. Construction was completed in three phases. Phase One took the parkway to the US 68 bypass. Phase Two extend it to Lover's Lane. Phase Three, completed in late 2010 but not opened until early 2011, extended the parkway to meet I-24.

Air
All commercial air traffic for residents and visitors to Hopkinsville use Nashville International Airport. Hopkinsville is served by the Hopkinsville-Christian County Regional Airport, a general aviation airport with one 5502 ft runway.

Rail
Railroad construction and operation in the late 1860s opened markets for agricultural and industrial products. Railroad service was inaugurated in Hopkinsville on April 8, 1868, by the Evansville, Henderson, & Nashville Railroad. This line was later extended north to Henderson and was acquired by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (now CSX Transportation) in 1879. The Ohio Valley Railroad, purchased by the Illinois Central Railroad (now Illinois Central Gulf) in 1897, was built from Gracey to Hopkinsville in 1892 and abandoned in the 1980s. In 1903, the western division of the Tennessee Central Railway entered Christian County at Edgoten (Edge-of-Tennessee), connecting Clarksville and Hopkinsville. In 1990 the Hopkinsville-Fort Campbell portion was operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Media
The Kentucky New Era, founded in 1869, is the daily newspaper for the city and surrounding area. WKAG-CA is a local low power television station.

Attractions and points of interest

 * Hopkinsville was a stop along the Trail of Tears and a park along 9th Street on the Little River commemorates this history. Every September, the Trail of Tears Indian Pow-Wow comes to town to Trail of Tears Park. There is a museum, and a burial ground, including two important Cherokee Chiefs who died during the removal - Fly Smith and Whitepath, along with several large osage orange trees in it and dream catchers hanging from the wrought iron fence.  There is also a sunken amphitheater.  A group of plaques commemorate the great uprooting and journey, and its devastating effect upon the Cherokee people.  It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
 * The Pennyroyal Area Museum, located in the old post office building downtown, has exhibits on the history of Hopkinsville and the Pennyrile region. The Pennyroyal Area Museum is owned and funded by the City of Hopkinsville and was established to perpetuate the heritage of Southwestern Kentucky's rich history. In 1974, the City of Hopkinsville acquired the old Post Office Building from the U. S. Government for use as an educational museum. The Pennyroyal Area Museum was established in October 1975, and opened on July 8, 1976. Its board and staff maintain a wide range of activities in its endeavor to preserve and interpret the past. Area citizens have contributed important roles in the Kentucky tradition from the post revolution era to the present. Historical in scope, the museum attempts to portray the development of the nine county Pennyrile region.
 * Exhibits include the night riders of the Black Patch Tobacco Wars; Edgar Cayce, famed local clairvoyant; Jefferson Davis; period room settings; a pioneer bedroom; a miniature circus; antique quilts; black history; historic modes of transportation; as well as historical license plates from Kentucky.
 * Every May, Hopkinsville hosts Little River Days which is a 2 day family fun festival featuring road running, canoe racing, a bicycle tour, arts and crafts, food vendors and live entertainment. All activities take place at Merchant Park in downtown Hopkinsville.
 * During the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 Hopkinsville will be the closest metropolitan area to the expected point of greatest eclipse, which will occur about 12 mi northwest of the city center.
 * In the opening of the horror-comedy film Attack of the Killer Tomatoes it incorrectly states that the town was besieged by thousands of birds in 1975 corresponding with the classic horror film The Birds.

Notable people
Elder Watson Diggs, founder of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
 * Edward T. Breathitt, former governor of Kentucky
 * Greg Buckner, NBA shooting guard
 * Edgar Cayce, notable psychic
 * Jerry Claiborne, former college football coach for the Kentucky Wildcats
 * John Miller Cooper, pioneer of kinesiology
 * Steve Gorman, drummer for The Black Crowes
 * bell hooks, social activist
 * Willie "Sonny" Killebrew, former saxophonist for The S.O.S. Band
 * Mac King, comedic magician
 * Brice Long, country music artist
 * Riccardo Martin, operatic tenor
 * Doug Moseley, former member of the Kentucky State Senate; youth pastor at First United Methodist Church in Hopkinsville from 1948–1949
 * Artose Pinner, NFL running back
 * Christine Johnson Smith, opera singer and Tony Award nominated Broadway actress
 * Thomas R. Underwood, former U.S. Representative and Senator
 * Ed Whitfield, member, United States House of Representatives
 * Chris Whitney, former NBA point guard
 * Moe Williams, former NFL running back, now successful Thoroughbred owner and trainer.
 * Bird Averitt,former NBA and ABA guard