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Frankfort, Kentucky

Frankfort is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, United States, and the seat of Franklin County.[4] It is a home rule-class city;[5] the population was 28,602 at the 2020 census.[6] Located along the Kentucky River, Frankfort is the principal city of the Frankfort, Kentucky Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Franklin and Anderson counties.

Frankfort, Kentucky
The Kentucky State Capitol is one of 45 sites in Frankfort listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Location of Frankfort in Franklin County, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky
Coordinates: 38°12′N 84°52′W / 38.200°N 84.867°W / 38.200; -84.867Coordinates: 38°12′N 84°52′W / 38.200°N 84.867°W / 38.200; -84.867
CountryUnited States
StateKentucky
CountyFranklin
Established1786
IncorporatedFebruary 28, 1835
Government
 • TypeCommission/Manager
 • MayorLayne Wilkerson[1]
Area
 • Total15.07 sq mi (39.03 km2)
 • Land14.77 sq mi (38.25 km2)
 • Water0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2)
Elevation505 ft (154 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total28,602
 • Density1,900/sq mi (730/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
40601-40604, 40618-40622
Area code502
FIPS code21-28900
GNIS feature ID517517[3]
WebsiteCity website

History

Pre-1900

The town of Frankfort likely received its name from an event that took place in the 1780s. Native Americans attacked a group of early European colonists from Bryan Station, who were on their way to make salt at Mann's Lick in Jefferson County. Pioneer Stephen Frank was killed at the Kentucky River and the settlers thereafter called the crossing "Frank's Ford". This name was later elided to Frankfort.[7]

In 1786, James Wilkinson purchased a 260-acre (110 ha) tract of land on the north side of the Kentucky River, which developed as downtown Frankfort. He was an early promoter of Frankfort as the state capital. Wilkinson felt Frankfort would be a center of transportation using the Kentucky River to ship farm produce to the Ohio River and then to the Mississippi and on to New Orleans.

After Kentucky became the 15th state in 1792, five commissioners from various counties were appointed, on 20 June 1792, to choose a location for the capital. They were John Allen and John Edwards (both from Bourbon County), Henry Lee (from Mason), Thomas Kennedy (from Madison), and Robert Todd (from Fayette). A number of communities competed for this honor, but Frankfort won. According to early histories, the offer of Andrew Holmes' log house as capitol for seven years, a number of town lots, £50 worth of locks and hinges, 10 boxes of glass, 1,500 pounds of nails, and $3,000 in gold helped the decision go to Frankfort.[8]

 
Downtown Frankfort is seen in the foreground, while South Frankfort lies across the river in the background. Fort Hill is in the lower left hand corner, 1871.

Frankfort had a United States post office by 1794, with Daniel Weisiger as postmaster. On 1 October 1794, Weisiger sent the first quarterly account to Washington.[9]

John Brown, a Virginia lawyer and statesman, built a home now called Liberty Hall in Frankfort in 1796. Before Kentucky statehood, he represented Virginia in the Continental Congress (1777−78) and the U.S. Congress (1789−91). While in Congress, he introduced the bill granting statehood to Kentucky. After statehood, he was elected by the state legislature as one of the state's U.S. Senators.[10]

In 1796, the Kentucky General Assembly appropriated funds to provide a house to accommodate the governor; it was completed two years later. The Old Governor's Mansion is claimed to be the oldest official executive residence still in use in the United States. In 1829, Gideon Shryock designed the Old Capitol, Kentucky's third, in Greek Revival style. It served Kentucky as its capitol from 1830 to 1910. The separate settlement known as South Frankfort was annexed by the city on 3 January 1850.[11]

The Argus of Western America was published in Frankfort from 1808 until 1830.[12]

During the American Civil War, the Union Army built fortifications overlooking Frankfort on what is now called Fort Hill. The Confederate Army also occupied Frankfort for a short time, starting on 3 September 1862, the only such time that Confederate forces took control of a Union capitol.[7]

1900 to present

 
Hilltop view of modern-day Frankfort and the Kentucky River (on left)

On 3 February 1900, William Goebel was assassinated in Frankfort while walking to the capitol on the way to the Kentucky Legislature. Goebel, apparent loser of the election for governor was contesting the outcome. Former Secretary of State Caleb Powers and several others were later found guilty of a conspiracy to murder Goebel, however all were later pardoned. .[13]

Frankfort grew considerably with state government in the 1960s. A modern addition to the State Office Building was completed in 1967. The original building was completed in the 1930s on the location of the former Kentucky State Penitentiary. Some of the stone from the old prison was used for the walls surrounding the office building. [14]

The Capital Plaza was established in the 1960s. It comprised the Capital Plaza Office Tower, the tallest building in the city, the Capital Plaza Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn, Frankfort), and the Fountain Place Shoppes. The Capital Plaza Office Tower opened in 1972 and became a visual landmark for the center of the city. By the early 2000s, maintenance of the concrete structures had been neglected and the plaza had fallen into disrepair, with sections of the plaza closed to pedestrian activity out of concerns for safety. In August 2008, state government officials recommended demolition of the Tower and redevelopment of the area over a period of years. Ten years later, the demolition of the office tower was completed on Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 1:30 PM EST,[15] and was televised by WKYT-TV on The CW Lexington as well as streamed live on Facebook. Demolition of the nearby convention center, which opened in 1971 and has hosted sporting events, concerts, and other local events, was completed in Spring 2018.[15]

State officials replaced the outdated office tower with a smaller building in order to create a more pedestrian-oriented scale at the complex, to encourage street activity.[16]

Frankfort is home to three distilleries including the Buffalo Trace Distillery (Kentucky Bourbon), Castle & Key Distillery (spirits), and Three Boys Farm Distillery (bourbon and whisky).[17]

Although there was some rapid economic and population growth in the 1960s, both tapered off in the 1980s and have remained fairly stable since that time.[18]

In 2018, thousands of teachers protested at the city in response to Senate Bill 151 having been passed on 29 March 2018.[19]

Geography

 
Astronaut photography of Frankfort, Kentucky, taken from the International Space Station (ISS)

Frankfort is located in the (inner) Bluegrass region of Central Kentucky. The city is bisected by the Kentucky River, which makes an s-turn as it passes through the center of town. The river valley widens at this point, which creates four distinct parts of town. The valley within the city limits contains Downtown and South Frankfort districts, which lie opposite one another on the river. A small neighborhood with its own distinct identity, Bellepoint, is located on the west bank of the river to the north of Benson Creek, opposite the river from the "downtown" district. The suburban areas on either side of the valley are respectively referred to as the "West Side" and "East Side" (or "West Frankfort" and "East Frankfort").

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.6 square miles (37.8 km2), of which 14.3 square miles (37.0 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) is water.

Frankfort does not have a commercial airport and travelers fly into Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, the closest; Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport near Covington or Louisville International Airport in Louisville. Capital City Airport serves general and military aviation.

Climate

Frankfort has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Winter is generally cool with some snowfall. Spring and fall are both mild and relatively warm, with ample precipitation and thunderstorm activity. Summers are hot and humid.

Climate data for Frankfort Capital City Airport, Kentucky (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1996–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 73
(23)
80
(27)
84
(29)
87
(31)
91
(33)
100
(38)
103
(39)
103
(39)
99
(37)
97
(36)
84
(29)
73
(23)
103
(39)
Average high °F (°C) 43.1
(6.2)
47.6
(8.7)
57.2
(14.0)
68.5
(20.3)
76.7
(24.8)
84.7
(29.3)
87.6
(30.9)
87.1
(30.6)
81.1
(27.3)
69.5
(20.8)
56.7
(13.7)
46.8
(8.2)
67.2
(19.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 34.1
(1.2)
37.8
(3.2)
46.2
(7.9)
56.7
(13.7)
65.5
(18.6)
73.7
(23.2)
77.2
(25.1)
76.1
(24.5)
69.2
(20.7)
57.6
(14.2)
46.1
(7.8)
38.1
(3.4)
56.5
(13.6)
Average low °F (°C) 25.1
(−3.8)
28.0
(−2.2)
35.3
(1.8)
44.8
(7.1)
54.4
(12.4)
62.8
(17.1)
66.8
(19.3)
65.1
(18.4)
57.3
(14.1)
45.7
(7.6)
35.6
(2.0)
29.3
(−1.5)
45.8
(7.7)
Record low °F (°C) −8
(−22)
−21
(−29)
−10
(−23)
21
(−6)
28
(−2)
42
(6)
50
(10)
48
(9)
35
(2)
22
(−6)
9
(−13)
−3
(−19)
−21
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.27
(83)
3.40
(86)
4.72
(120)
4.55
(116)
5.10
(130)
4.34
(110)
4.69
(119)
3.15
(80)
3.35
(85)
3.64
(92)
3.36
(85)
3.77
(96)
47.34
(1,202)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11.2 11.4 12.3 12.9 13.6 12.6 11.9 10.9 9.4 10.1 10.1 12.0 138.4
Source: NOAA[20][21]
Climate data for Downtown Frankfort, Kentucky (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1895–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 80
(27)
80
(27)
87
(31)
95
(35)
99
(37)
106
(41)
111
(44)
105
(41)
106
(41)
98
(37)
84
(29)
78
(26)
111
(44)
Average high °F (°C) 41.5
(5.3)
46.0
(7.8)
55.8
(13.2)
66.5
(19.2)
75.2
(24.0)
83.6
(28.7)
87.3
(30.7)
86.7
(30.4)
80.4
(26.9)
69.5
(20.8)
57.3
(14.1)
45.0
(7.2)
66.2
(19.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 31.7
(−0.2)
35.3
(1.8)
43.5
(6.4)
53.5
(11.9)
62.7
(17.1)
71.5
(21.9)
75.5
(24.2)
74.6
(23.7)
67.5
(19.7)
56.2
(13.4)
45.6
(7.6)
35.4
(1.9)
54.4
(12.4)
Average low °F (°C) 21.9
(−5.6)
24.7
(−4.1)
31.2
(−0.4)
40.5
(4.7)
50.1
(10.1)
59.5
(15.3)
63.8
(17.7)
62.5
(16.9)
54.6
(12.6)
43.0
(6.1)
34.0
(1.1)
25.9
(−3.4)
42.6
(5.9)
Record low °F (°C) −27
(−33)
−16
(−27)
−3
(−19)
16
(−9)
27
(−3)
36
(2)
48
(9)
41
(5)
30
(−1)
20
(−7)
−1
(−18)
−17
(−27)
−27
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.70
(94)
3.07
(78)
4.39
(112)
3.74
(95)
4.01
(102)
4.06
(103)
4.14
(105)
3.45
(88)
2.90
(74)
2.53
(64)
3.29
(84)
3.49
(89)
42.77
(1,086)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 3.4
(8.6)
2.8
(7.1)
1.2
(3.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.4
(1.0)
1.6
(4.1)
9.4
(24)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11 10 11 11 11 10 9 8 7 7 9 10 114
Source 1: NOAA[22][23]
Source 2: Southeast Regional Climate Center (precipitation, snow 1895–2002)[24]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1800628
18101,09975.0%
18201,67952.8%
18301,6820.2%
18401,91714.0%
18503,30872.6%
18603,70211.9%
18705,39645.8%
18806,95828.9%
18907,89213.4%
19009,48720.2%
191010,46510.3%
19209,805−6.3%
193011,62618.6%
194011,492−1.2%
195011,9163.7%
196018,36554.1%
197021,90219.3%
198025,97318.6%
199025,9680.0%
200027,7416.8%
201025,527−8.0%
202028,60212.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[25][failed verification] 2020[6]

Census detail from 2020: As of the 2020 Census,[26] there were 28,602 people, 12,434 households, and 6,053 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,783 per square mile (688/km2). There were 12,938 housing units at an average density of 885.1 per square mile (341.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.1% White or European American (74.1% non-Hispanic), 13.3% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.2% of the population.

There were 12,434 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32,6% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.7% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.83.

The age distribution was 19.8% under 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,211, and the median income for a family was $43,949. Full-time male workers had a median income of $37,445 versus $34,613 for females. The per capita income was $29,288. About 19.8% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.7% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Frankfort is the focal point of a micropolitan statistical area consisting of Frankfort and Franklin County as well as adjacent Lawrenceburg and Anderson County. The city is also classified in a combined statistical area with Lexington and Richmond to the east.

Frankfort's municipal population makes it the fourth smallest capital city in the United States.[27]

Parks and recreation

The city operates nine parks:[28]

Other recreation in the area:

  • Walk/Bike Frankfort - Volunteer group to improve the city for pedestrians and cyclists.[31]
  • Josephine Sculpture Park - Provides community arts education and creative experiences.[32]
  • The Folkbike Re-Cyclery - Volunteer organization that restores and repairs used bicycles, and then gives them to riders who cannot afford to buy one.[33][34]

Education

Kentucky State University is located with the Frankfort city limits. KSU (also known as KYSU) is a public historically black university and an 1890 land-grant institution.[35]

Two public school districts serve the city,[36] with three public high schools within the city limits.[35]

Frankfort Independent School District serves the downtown neighborhoods including Downtown, South Frankfort, Bellepoint and Tanglewood. FIS operates The Early Learning Academy (a preschool), Second Street School (primary and middle grades), Frankfort High School, and Panther Transition Academy (a non-traditional high school program).[37]

Franklin County Public Schools serves the rest of the city and county, including seven elementary schools (Bridgeport, Collins Lane, Early Learning Village, Elkhorn, Hearn, Peaks Mill, Westridge), two middle schools (Bondurant, Elkhorn), and two high schools (Franklin County High School and Western Hills High School).[38]

There are several private schools in the area, including Capital Day School, Frankfort Christian Academy, and Good Shepherd Catholic School.

Frankfort has a lending library, Paul Sawyier Public Library, named in 1965 after the watercolor artist Paul Sawyier whose many paintings document the history of the area.[39][40][41]

Points of interest

 
Old State Capitol building and museum
  • Capital City Museum, a repository of the history of Frankfort and Franklin County[42]

Transportation

U.S. Route 60 and U.S. Route 460 pass east-west through Frankfort. U.S. Route 127 and U.S. Route 421 pass north-south through Frankfort. Interstate 64 passes to the south of the city.

Capital City Airport, a public use airport, is one mile southwest of the central business district of Frankfort. The nearest airport with commercial flights is Blue Grass Airport, 22 miles southeast of Frankfort.

Frankfort Union Station was a medium scale hub passenger train station for north-central Kentucky. It served the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, the Frankfort and Cincinnati Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.[43] Until the mid-1950s, Union Station served Louisville-Ashland sections of the C&O's Sportsman. Until 1971, the C&O's George Washington stopped in Frankfort.[44][45]

Notable people

 
Paul Sawyier, Frankfort artist

Sister cities

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "Mayor Layne Wilkerson". City of Frankfort, Kentucky. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Frankfort, Kentucky
  4. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform" (PDF). Kentucky League of Cities. (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "QuickFacts: Frankfort city, Kentucky". census.gov. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  7. ^ a b . Official website. City of Frankfort, Kentucky. Archived from the original on July 18, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  8. ^ "Kentucky Historical Marker 1774" August 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Kentucky Historical Society Website
  9. ^ Rennick, Robert M. (1993) Kentucky's Bluegrass: A Survey of the Post Offices, pp. 91 & 99. Lake Grove, Oregon: The Depot, ISBN 0-943645-31-X. Note that Post Office Department records were destroyed by a fire in 1836.
  10. ^ "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Retro Search". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  11. ^ Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "Frankfort, Kentucky". Accessed July 25, 2013.
  12. ^ "How Politicians Bought the 19th Century Media". Steve Inskeep: NPR Host and Author. May 4, 2015.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ Egerton, John (April 10, 1983). Generations: An American Family. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813127831 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ "Knight's Penny Magazine". Charles Knight & Company. April 10, 1834 – via Google Books.
  15. ^ a b Miller, Alfred (January 14, 2018). "Dates set for Frankfort Convention Center, Capital Plaza Tower demolition". Lexington Herald-Leader. from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  16. ^ Redevelopment Plan",[dead link] Kentucky
  17. ^ "Home of the Distilleries of Bourbon Country". Bourbon Country.
  18. ^ Jochim, Mark Joseph (May 31, 2018). "Kentucky & Tennessee Statehood". A Stamp A Day. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  19. ^ Blackford, Linda. "See the best video, photos as Kentucky teachers pack Frankfort, protest in the Capitol". kentucky. from the original on December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  20. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  21. ^ "Station: Frankfort Capital City AP, KY". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  22. ^ "Station: Frankfort Lock 4, KY". U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1981-2010). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  23. ^ "Monthly Highest Max Temperature and Monthly Lowest Min Temperature for Frankfort Downtown, KY". Applied Climate Information System. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  24. ^ "General Climate Summary tables". Southeast Regional Climate Center. from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  25. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  26. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  27. ^ "The 10 Least Populated State Capitals". WorldAtlas. November 21, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  28. ^ "Parks". www.frankfortparksandrec.com.
  29. ^ "Lawrenceburg Disc Golf Association - Lawrenceburg (KY) Disc Golf Association". Lawrenceburg Disc Golf Association. from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  30. ^ "Parks & Recreation | Franklin County".
  31. ^ "Walk/Bike Frankfort". from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  32. ^ "Josephine Sculpture Park". from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  33. ^ "The Folkbike Re-Cyclery - Join The Revolution - Frankfort, KY". folkbikerecyclery.org. from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  34. ^ Staff (May 1, 2013). "How to Celebrate Kentucky Derby 2013 in Central Kentucky". Ace. from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  35. ^ a b "Education | Frankfort, KY". www.frankfort.ky.gov.
  36. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Franklin County, KY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 11, 2022. - Text list - For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see: "Appendix B: Maps Of Independent School Districts In Operation In FY 2014-FY 2015 Using 2005 Tax District Boundaries – Frankfort ISD" (PDF). Research Report No. 415 – Kentucky's Independent School Districts: A Primer. Frankfort, KY: Office of Education Accountability, Legislative Research Commission. September 15, 2015. p. 110 (PDF p. 124/174).
  37. ^ "Frankfort Independent Schools". www.frankfort.k12.ky.us. from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  38. ^ "Franklin County Schools". www.franklin.kyschools.us.
  39. ^ . Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  40. ^ Roe, Amy. "Paul Sawyier Library". ExploreKYHistory. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  41. ^ . pspl.org. September 8, 2018. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  42. ^ "Capital City Museum | Frankfort KY". www.capitalcitymuseum.com. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  43. ^ Official Guide of the Railways, June 1921, p. 1294
  44. ^ Chesapeake & Ohio timetable, June 1948 ,Tables 5, 6, 13, 14
  45. ^ Louisville & Nashville timetable, December 1948, Tables 10, 20
  46. ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607−1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  47. ^ "Illinois Governor Thomas Carlin". National Governors Association. from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  48. ^ "George Graham Vest: Tribute to the Dog". The History Place. from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  49. ^ Robert Brammer (April 21, 2020). . Library of Congress. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021. Frankfort, the capital of Kentucky, where Wilkinson laid out the grid for many of the early streets. Wilkinson brazenly named one of those streets for a Spanish governor who was paying him, Mero Street (the correct spelling of the governor’s name is Miro)
  50. ^ . www.state-journal.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.

External links

frankfort, kentucky, frankfort, capital, city, commonwealth, kentucky, united, states, seat, franklin, county, home, rule, class, city, population, 2020, census, located, along, kentucky, river, frankfort, principal, city, micropolitan, statistical, area, whic. Frankfort is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Kentucky United States and the seat of Franklin County 4 It is a home rule class city 5 the population was 28 602 at the 2020 census 6 Located along the Kentucky River Frankfort is the principal city of the Frankfort Kentucky Micropolitan Statistical Area which includes all of Franklin and Anderson counties Frankfort KentuckyState capital cityThe Kentucky State Capitol is one of 45 sites in Frankfort listed on the National Register of Historic Places Location of Frankfort in Franklin County KentuckyFrankfort KentuckyShow map of KentuckyFrankfort KentuckyShow map of the United StatesCoordinates 38 12 N 84 52 W 38 200 N 84 867 W 38 200 84 867 Coordinates 38 12 N 84 52 W 38 200 N 84 867 W 38 200 84 867CountryUnited StatesStateKentuckyCountyFranklinEstablished1786IncorporatedFebruary 28 1835Government TypeCommission Manager MayorLayne Wilkerson 1 Area 2 Total15 07 sq mi 39 03 km2 Land14 77 sq mi 38 25 km2 Water0 30 sq mi 0 78 km2 Elevation 3 505 ft 154 m Population 2020 Total28 602 Density1 900 sq mi 730 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern EST Summer DST UTC 4 EDT ZIP Code40601 40604 40618 40622Area code502FIPS code21 28900GNIS feature ID517517 3 WebsiteCity website Contents 1 History 1 1 Pre 1900 1 2 1900 to present 2 Geography 2 1 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Parks and recreation 5 Education 6 Points of interest 7 Transportation 8 Notable people 9 Sister cities 10 Gallery 11 References 12 External linksHistory EditPre 1900 Edit The town of Frankfort likely received its name from an event that took place in the 1780s Native Americans attacked a group of early European colonists from Bryan Station who were on their way to make salt at Mann s Lick in Jefferson County Pioneer Stephen Frank was killed at the Kentucky River and the settlers thereafter called the crossing Frank s Ford This name was later elided to Frankfort 7 In 1786 James Wilkinson purchased a 260 acre 110 ha tract of land on the north side of the Kentucky River which developed as downtown Frankfort He was an early promoter of Frankfort as the state capital Wilkinson felt Frankfort would be a center of transportation using the Kentucky River to ship farm produce to the Ohio River and then to the Mississippi and on to New Orleans After Kentucky became the 15th state in 1792 five commissioners from various counties were appointed on 20 June 1792 to choose a location for the capital They were John Allen and John Edwards both from Bourbon County Henry Lee from Mason Thomas Kennedy from Madison and Robert Todd from Fayette A number of communities competed for this honor but Frankfort won According to early histories the offer of Andrew Holmes log house as capitol for seven years a number of town lots 50 worth of locks and hinges 10 boxes of glass 1 500 pounds of nails and 3 000 in gold helped the decision go to Frankfort 8 Downtown Frankfort is seen in the foreground while South Frankfort lies across the river in the background Fort Hill is in the lower left hand corner 1871 Frankfort had a United States post office by 1794 with Daniel Weisiger as postmaster On 1 October 1794 Weisiger sent the first quarterly account to Washington 9 John Brown a Virginia lawyer and statesman built a home now called Liberty Hall in Frankfort in 1796 Before Kentucky statehood he represented Virginia in the Continental Congress 1777 78 and the U S Congress 1789 91 While in Congress he introduced the bill granting statehood to Kentucky After statehood he was elected by the state legislature as one of the state s U S Senators 10 In 1796 the Kentucky General Assembly appropriated funds to provide a house to accommodate the governor it was completed two years later The Old Governor s Mansion is claimed to be the oldest official executive residence still in use in the United States In 1829 Gideon Shryock designed the Old Capitol Kentucky s third in Greek Revival style It served Kentucky as its capitol from 1830 to 1910 The separate settlement known as South Frankfort was annexed by the city on 3 January 1850 11 The Argus of Western America was published in Frankfort from 1808 until 1830 12 During the American Civil War the Union Army built fortifications overlooking Frankfort on what is now called Fort Hill The Confederate Army also occupied Frankfort for a short time starting on 3 September 1862 the only such time that Confederate forces took control of a Union capitol 7 1900 to present Edit Hilltop view of modern day Frankfort and the Kentucky River on left On 3 February 1900 William Goebel was assassinated in Frankfort while walking to the capitol on the way to the Kentucky Legislature Goebel apparent loser of the election for governor was contesting the outcome Former Secretary of State Caleb Powers and several others were later found guilty of a conspiracy to murder Goebel however all were later pardoned 13 Frankfort grew considerably with state government in the 1960s A modern addition to the State Office Building was completed in 1967 The original building was completed in the 1930s on the location of the former Kentucky State Penitentiary Some of the stone from the old prison was used for the walls surrounding the office building 14 The Capital Plaza was established in the 1960s It comprised the Capital Plaza Office Tower the tallest building in the city the Capital Plaza Hotel formerly the Holiday Inn Frankfort and the Fountain Place Shoppes The Capital Plaza Office Tower opened in 1972 and became a visual landmark for the center of the city By the early 2000s maintenance of the concrete structures had been neglected and the plaza had fallen into disrepair with sections of the plaza closed to pedestrian activity out of concerns for safety In August 2008 state government officials recommended demolition of the Tower and redevelopment of the area over a period of years Ten years later the demolition of the office tower was completed on Sunday March 11 2018 at 1 30 PM EST 15 and was televised by WKYT TV on The CW Lexington as well as streamed live on Facebook Demolition of the nearby convention center which opened in 1971 and has hosted sporting events concerts and other local events was completed in Spring 2018 15 State officials replaced the outdated office tower with a smaller building in order to create a more pedestrian oriented scale at the complex to encourage street activity 16 Frankfort is home to three distilleries including the Buffalo Trace Distillery Kentucky Bourbon Castle amp Key Distillery spirits and Three Boys Farm Distillery bourbon and whisky 17 Although there was some rapid economic and population growth in the 1960s both tapered off in the 1980s and have remained fairly stable since that time 18 In 2018 thousands of teachers protested at the city in response to Senate Bill 151 having been passed on 29 March 2018 19 Geography Edit Astronaut photography of Frankfort Kentucky taken from the International Space Station ISS Frankfort is located in the inner Bluegrass region of Central Kentucky The city is bisected by the Kentucky River which makes an s turn as it passes through the center of town The river valley widens at this point which creates four distinct parts of town The valley within the city limits contains Downtown and South Frankfort districts which lie opposite one another on the river A small neighborhood with its own distinct identity Bellepoint is located on the west bank of the river to the north of Benson Creek opposite the river from the downtown district The suburban areas on either side of the valley are respectively referred to as the West Side and East Side or West Frankfort and East Frankfort According to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 14 6 square miles 37 8 km2 of which 14 3 square miles 37 0 km2 is land and 0 3 square miles 0 78 km2 is water Frankfort does not have a commercial airport and travelers fly into Blue Grass Airport in Lexington the closest Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport near Covington or Louisville International Airport in Louisville Capital City Airport serves general and military aviation Climate Edit Frankfort has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons Winter is generally cool with some snowfall Spring and fall are both mild and relatively warm with ample precipitation and thunderstorm activity Summers are hot and humid Climate data for Frankfort Capital City Airport Kentucky 1991 2020 normals extremes 1996 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high F C 73 23 80 27 84 29 87 31 91 33 100 38 103 39 103 39 99 37 97 36 84 29 73 23 103 39 Average high F C 43 1 6 2 47 6 8 7 57 2 14 0 68 5 20 3 76 7 24 8 84 7 29 3 87 6 30 9 87 1 30 6 81 1 27 3 69 5 20 8 56 7 13 7 46 8 8 2 67 2 19 6 Daily mean F C 34 1 1 2 37 8 3 2 46 2 7 9 56 7 13 7 65 5 18 6 73 7 23 2 77 2 25 1 76 1 24 5 69 2 20 7 57 6 14 2 46 1 7 8 38 1 3 4 56 5 13 6 Average low F C 25 1 3 8 28 0 2 2 35 3 1 8 44 8 7 1 54 4 12 4 62 8 17 1 66 8 19 3 65 1 18 4 57 3 14 1 45 7 7 6 35 6 2 0 29 3 1 5 45 8 7 7 Record low F C 8 22 21 29 10 23 21 6 28 2 42 6 50 10 48 9 35 2 22 6 9 13 3 19 21 29 Average precipitation inches mm 3 27 83 3 40 86 4 72 120 4 55 116 5 10 130 4 34 110 4 69 119 3 15 80 3 35 85 3 64 92 3 36 85 3 77 96 47 34 1 202 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 11 2 11 4 12 3 12 9 13 6 12 6 11 9 10 9 9 4 10 1 10 1 12 0 138 4Source NOAA 20 21 Climate data for Downtown Frankfort Kentucky 1981 2010 normals extremes 1895 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high F C 80 27 80 27 87 31 95 35 99 37 106 41 111 44 105 41 106 41 98 37 84 29 78 26 111 44 Average high F C 41 5 5 3 46 0 7 8 55 8 13 2 66 5 19 2 75 2 24 0 83 6 28 7 87 3 30 7 86 7 30 4 80 4 26 9 69 5 20 8 57 3 14 1 45 0 7 2 66 2 19 0 Daily mean F C 31 7 0 2 35 3 1 8 43 5 6 4 53 5 11 9 62 7 17 1 71 5 21 9 75 5 24 2 74 6 23 7 67 5 19 7 56 2 13 4 45 6 7 6 35 4 1 9 54 4 12 4 Average low F C 21 9 5 6 24 7 4 1 31 2 0 4 40 5 4 7 50 1 10 1 59 5 15 3 63 8 17 7 62 5 16 9 54 6 12 6 43 0 6 1 34 0 1 1 25 9 3 4 42 6 5 9 Record low F C 27 33 16 27 3 19 16 9 27 3 36 2 48 9 41 5 30 1 20 7 1 18 17 27 27 33 Average precipitation inches mm 3 70 94 3 07 78 4 39 112 3 74 95 4 01 102 4 06 103 4 14 105 3 45 88 2 90 74 2 53 64 3 29 84 3 49 89 42 77 1 086 Average snowfall inches cm 3 4 8 6 2 8 7 1 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 1 6 4 1 9 4 24 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 11 10 11 11 11 10 9 8 7 7 9 10 114Source 1 NOAA 22 23 Source 2 Southeast Regional Climate Center precipitation snow 1895 2002 24 Demographics EditHistorical populationCensus Pop 1800628 18101 09975 0 18201 67952 8 18301 6820 2 18401 91714 0 18503 30872 6 18603 70211 9 18705 39645 8 18806 95828 9 18907 89213 4 19009 48720 2 191010 46510 3 19209 805 6 3 193011 62618 6 194011 492 1 2 195011 9163 7 196018 36554 1 197021 90219 3 198025 97318 6 199025 9680 0 200027 7416 8 201025 527 8 0 202028 60212 0 U S Decennial Census 25 failed verification 2020 6 This section needs to be updated The reason given is Newer information is available from the 2020 census report Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information January 2022 Census detail from 2020 As of the 2020 Census 26 there were 28 602 people 12 434 households and 6 053 families residing in the city The population density was 1 783 per square mile 688 km2 There were 12 938 housing units at an average density of 885 1 per square mile 341 7 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 75 1 White or European American 74 1 non Hispanic 13 3 Black or African American 0 2 Native American 2 6 Asian 0 0 Pacific Islander 1 8 from other races and 4 8 from two or more races Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5 2 of the population There were 12 434 households out of which 27 9 had children under the age of 18 living with them 32 6 were married couples living together 16 7 had a female householder with no husband present 5 1 had a male householder with no wife present and 45 7 were non families 38 3 of all households were made up of individuals and 12 2 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 12 and the average family size was 2 83 The age distribution was 19 8 under 18 13 1 from 18 to 24 26 6 from 25 to 44 25 5 from 45 to 64 and 16 1 who were 65 or older The median age was 36 7 years For every 100 females there were 92 9 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89 4 males The median income for a household in the city was 50 211 and the median income for a family was 43 949 Full time male workers had a median income of 37 445 versus 34 613 for females The per capita income was 29 288 About 19 8 of families and 16 3 of the population were below the poverty line including 38 7 of those under age 18 and 7 5 of those age 65 or over Frankfort is the focal point of a micropolitan statistical area consisting of Frankfort and Franklin County as well as adjacent Lawrenceburg and Anderson County The city is also classified in a combined statistical area with Lexington and Richmond to the east Frankfort s municipal population makes it the fourth smallest capital city in the United States 27 Parks and recreation EditThe city operates nine parks 28 Capitol View playing fields nature trails picnic areas Cove Spring 240 acres nature trails picnic areas archery range Dolly Graham basketball courts picnic community garden playground East Frankfort nature trails dog park picnic areas playgrounds volleyball court 18 hole disc golf course 29 Juniper Hill Park 124 acres pool golf course play areas picnic areas war memorials Lakeview operated jointly with Franklin County 30 ball fields golf course horse show arena skatepark Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill American Civil War battlefield wilderness forest forts trails River View picnic area along the Kentucky River walking trail with historic cultural sites amphitheatre boat ramp farmers market Todd Park trail picnic areas community gardenOther recreation in the area Walk Bike Frankfort Volunteer group to improve the city for pedestrians and cyclists 31 Josephine Sculpture Park Provides community arts education and creative experiences 32 The Folkbike Re Cyclery Volunteer organization that restores and repairs used bicycles and then gives them to riders who cannot afford to buy one 33 34 Education EditKentucky State University is located with the Frankfort city limits KSU also known as KYSU is a public historically black university and an 1890 land grant institution 35 Two public school districts serve the city 36 with three public high schools within the city limits 35 Frankfort Independent School District serves the downtown neighborhoods including Downtown South Frankfort Bellepoint and Tanglewood FIS operates The Early Learning Academy a preschool Second Street School primary and middle grades Frankfort High School and Panther Transition Academy a non traditional high school program 37 Franklin County Public Schools serves the rest of the city and county including seven elementary schools Bridgeport Collins Lane Early Learning Village Elkhorn Hearn Peaks Mill Westridge two middle schools Bondurant Elkhorn and two high schools Franklin County High School and Western Hills High School 38 There are several private schools in the area including Capital Day School Frankfort Christian Academy and Good Shepherd Catholic School Frankfort has a lending library Paul Sawyier Public Library named in 1965 after the watercolor artist Paul Sawyier whose many paintings document the history of the area 39 40 41 Points of interest Edit Old State Capitol building and museum Kentucky State Capitol building built 1909 Kentucky Governor s Mansion residence of the Governor of Kentucky built 1914 Old State Capitol building now a museum built 1837 Courthouse built 1887 Singing Bridge a 125 year old bridge that crosses the Kentucky River built 1893 Liberty Hall historic house museum built 1796 Fort Hill a hill overlooking downtown American Civil War site now a park Frankfort Cemetery historic military monuments and final resting place of numerous statesmen and famous figures established 1844 Corner in Celebrities Historic District Buffalo Trace Distillery built 1792 Jesse R Zeigler House private Kentucky s only Frank Lloyd Wright built 1909Capital City Museum a repository of the history of Frankfort and Franklin County 42 Transportation EditU S Route 60 and U S Route 460 pass east west through Frankfort U S Route 127 and U S Route 421 pass north south through Frankfort Interstate 64 passes to the south of the city Capital City Airport a public use airport is one mile southwest of the central business district of Frankfort The nearest airport with commercial flights is Blue Grass Airport 22 miles southeast of Frankfort Frankfort Union Station was a medium scale hub passenger train station for north central Kentucky It served the Chesapeake amp Ohio Railway the Frankfort and Cincinnati Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad 43 Until the mid 1950s Union Station served Louisville Ashland sections of the C amp O s Sportsman Until 1971 the C amp O s George Washington stopped in Frankfort 44 45 Notable people Edit Paul Sawyier Frankfort artist William Wirt Adams 1819 88 brigadier general in the Confederate Army 46 Thomas Carlin seventh Governor of Illinois 47 Will Chase actor and singer best known for Broadway musicals and ABC series Nashville Elijah Craig Baptist preacher and early bourbon distiller moved to Frankfort from Virginia in the 1780s Tim Farmer outdoorsman and television presenter host of Kentucky Afield William Goebel 34th Governor of Kentucky John Marshall Harlan U S Supreme Court justice Elizabeth Ann Hulette professional wrestling manager Grover Land 1884 1958 professional baseball player Archer Prewitt musician and cartoonist J T Riddle professional baseball player for the Minnesota Twins Paul Sawyier 1865 1917 Kentucky Impressionist artist Arthur St Clair 1700s soldier and politician after which St Clair Street is named Landon Addison Thomas 1799 1889 state legislator George Graham Vest 1830 1904 U S Senator from Missouri best known for popularizing the notion that a dog is a man s best friend 48 James Wilkinson who named Mero St after his paymaster Louisiana Governor Esteban Rodriguez Miro 49 Anne Elizabeth Wilson 1901 1946 writer poet editor George C Wolfe 1954 Broadway producer playwright and film directorSister cities Edit Shimamoto Osaka Prefecture Japan 50 Gallery Edit Kentucky Governor s Mansion The floral clock near the Capitol building Downtown Frankfort Downtown Frankfort at night Grave site of pioneer Daniel Boone and his wife at Frankfort Cemetery Singing Bridge Jackson Hall of Kentucky State University Whitaker Bank building Gooch House Buffalo Trace DistilleryReferences Edit Mayor Layne Wilkerson City of Frankfort Kentucky Retrieved January 12 2022 2020 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved March 18 2022 a b U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Frankfort Kentucky Find a County National Association of Counties Archived from the original on May 31 2011 Retrieved June 7 2011 Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform PDF Kentucky League of Cities Archived PDF from the original on November 11 2014 Retrieved December 30 2014 a b QuickFacts Frankfort city Kentucky census gov Retrieved January 2 2022 a b City History Official website City of Frankfort Kentucky Archived from the original on July 18 2016 Retrieved July 1 2016 Kentucky Historical Marker 1774 Archived August 18 2006 at the Wayback Machine Kentucky Historical Society Website Rennick Robert M 1993 Kentucky s Bluegrass A Survey of the Post Offices pp 91 amp 99 Lake Grove Oregon The Depot ISBN 0 943645 31 X Note that Post Office Department records were destroyed by a fire in 1836 Biographical Directory of the U S Congress Retro Search Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of the Secretary of State Land Office Frankfort Kentucky Accessed July 25 2013 How Politicians Bought the 19th Century Media Steve Inskeep NPR Host and Author May 4 2015 permanent dead link Egerton John April 10 1983 Generations An American Family University Press of Kentucky ISBN 0813127831 via Google Books Knight s Penny Magazine Charles Knight amp Company April 10 1834 via Google Books a b Miller Alfred January 14 2018 Dates set for Frankfort Convention Center Capital Plaza Tower demolition Lexington Herald Leader Archived from the original on January 16 2018 Retrieved January 15 2018 Redevelopment Plan dead link Kentucky Home of the Distilleries of Bourbon Country Bourbon Country Jochim Mark Joseph May 31 2018 Kentucky amp Tennessee Statehood A Stamp A Day Retrieved January 10 2021 Blackford Linda See the best video photos as Kentucky teachers pack Frankfort protest in the Capitol kentucky Archived from the original on December 23 2018 Retrieved December 22 2018 NowData NOAA Online Weather Data National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 4 2021 Station Frankfort Capital City AP KY U S Climate Normals 2020 U S Monthly Climate Normals 1991 2020 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 4 2021 Station Frankfort Lock 4 KY U S Monthly Climate Normals 1981 2010 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 4 2021 Monthly Highest Max Temperature and Monthly Lowest Min Temperature for Frankfort Downtown KY Applied Climate Information System Retrieved June 4 2021 General Climate Summary tables Southeast Regional Climate Center Archived from the original on March 31 2014 Retrieved May 18 2013 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved June 4 2015 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved May 14 2011 The 10 Least Populated State Capitals WorldAtlas November 21 2018 Retrieved June 21 2022 Parks www frankfortparksandrec com Lawrenceburg Disc Golf Association Lawrenceburg KY Disc Golf Association Lawrenceburg Disc Golf Association Archived from the original on January 19 2019 Retrieved November 26 2019 Parks amp Recreation Franklin County Walk Bike Frankfort Archived from the original on February 19 2010 Retrieved December 11 2011 Josephine Sculpture Park Archived from the original on September 20 2019 Retrieved November 26 2019 The Folkbike Re Cyclery Join The Revolution Frankfort KY folkbikerecyclery org Archived from the original on October 28 2012 Retrieved November 26 2019 Staff May 1 2013 How to Celebrate Kentucky Derby 2013 in Central Kentucky Ace Archived from the original on October 13 2016 Retrieved June 8 2017 a b Education Frankfort KY www frankfort ky gov 2020 CENSUS SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP Franklin County KY PDF U S Census Bureau Retrieved August 11 2022 Text list For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see Appendix B Maps Of Independent School Districts In Operation In FY 2014 FY 2015 Using 2005 Tax District Boundaries Frankfort ISD PDF Research Report No 415 Kentucky s Independent School Districts A Primer Frankfort KY Office of Education Accountability Legislative Research Commission September 15 2015 p 110 PDF p 124 174 Frankfort Independent Schools www frankfort k12 ky us Archived from the original on February 9 2019 Retrieved February 7 2019 Franklin County Schools www franklin kyschools us Kentucky Public Library Directory Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Archived from the original on January 11 2019 Retrieved May 18 2020 Roe Amy Paul Sawyier Library ExploreKYHistory Retrieved May 18 2020 Paul Sawyier Art Exhibit pspl org September 8 2018 Archived from the original on September 21 2021 Retrieved May 18 2020 Capital City Museum Frankfort KY www capitalcitymuseum com Retrieved July 12 2022 Official Guide of the Railways June 1921 p 1294 Chesapeake amp Ohio timetable June 1948 Tables 5 6 13 14 Louisville amp Nashville timetable December 1948 Tables 10 20 Who Was Who in America Historical Volume 1607 1896 Chicago Marquis Who s Who 1963 Illinois Governor Thomas Carlin National Governors Association Archived from the original on September 28 2013 Retrieved February 12 2017 George Graham Vest Tribute to the Dog The History Place Archived from the original on November 29 2016 Retrieved February 12 2017 Robert Brammer April 21 2020 General James Wilkinson the Spanish Spy Who was a Senior Officer in the U S Army During Four Presidential Administrations Library of Congress Archived from the original on March 18 2021 Retrieved August 28 2021 Frankfort the capital of Kentucky where Wilkinson laid out the grid for many of the early streets Wilkinson brazenly named one of those streets for a Spanish governor who was paying him Mero Street the correct spelling of the governor s name is Miro New sister city official The State Journal www state journal com Archived from the original on February 27 2018 Retrieved February 26 2018 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frankfort Kentucky Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Frankfort Kentucky Official site Frankfort Information page from Kentucky Secretary of State Archived March 11 2007 at the Wayback Machine Frankfort The American Cyclopaedia 1879 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frankfort Kentucky amp oldid 1130146492, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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