Providence, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
 Main Street Park | |
 Location of Providence in Webster County, Kentucky. | |
| Coordinates:37°23′54″N87°45′25″W / 37.39833°N 87.75694°W /37.39833; -87.75694 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Webster |
| Established | 1840[1] |
| Incorporated | 1860[1] |
| Named after | thetheological concept[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.08 sq mi (15.74 km2) |
| • Land | 6.03 sq mi (15.61 km2) |
| • Water | 0.050 sq mi (0.13 km2) |
| Elevation | 440 ft (130 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,892 |
• Estimate (2024)[4] | 2,856 |
| • Density | 479.7/sq mi (185.23/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 42450 |
| Area codes | 270 & 364 |
| FIPS code | 21-63372 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0501368 |
| Website | www |
Providence is ahome rule-class city[5] inWebster County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 3,193 at the time of the2010 United States census, making the most populous community in the county.
In 1820, Richard B. Savage arrived from Virginia with his wife and his elder sister Mary (Savage) Settler, and opened a general store on the site of the present city. The community that grew up was known asSavageville, until the post office was established in 1828, when it was renamed "Providence". Though sometimes said to honor theRhode Islandcity of that name,[6] local history records that an old trader who had been helped by nearby farmers suggested the name to honordivine Providence.[2] On February 18, 1840,[1] the town had a population of 150; there were three physicians, five stores, two hotels, a school, a Baptist church, aMasonic lodge, and three tobacco stemmeries. Located in the heart of the state'sBlack Patch tobacco-growing region, Providence eventually became the 3rd-largest stemming market in all of America.[7]
Providence was incorporated in 1860, when Webster County was formed.[1] The onset of theCivil War slowed the economic growth, though no major battles took place. The State of Kentucky never left the Union, but inhabitants in Western Kentucky were still largely sympathetic to pro-Confederate troops.[8] AConfederate reconnaissance and foraging party led by thenLieutenant ColonelNathan Bedford Forrest passed through Webster County between November and December 1861, and Forrest reported that he had been welcomed by the inhabitants.[7] Limitedguerrilla warfare also took place near the city in 1862.
Commercial coal mining began in 1888, and by 1930 Providence residents numbered 4,742. In the 1930s, depressed conditions in the coal fields resulted in a loss of population that continued through the 1960s. Providence's economy remains tied to coal and agriculture.[7]
In 1993, theProvidence Commercial Historic District was created to recognize the historic buildings in the downtown area.[9]
Providence is located at37°23′54″N87°45′25″W / 37.39833°N 87.75694°W /37.39833; -87.75694 (37.398389, -87.757077)[10] The city is concentrated around the intersection ofKentucky Route 109 andKentucky Route 120, approximately 17 miles (27 km) northwest ofMadisonville. TheTradewater River flows just west of the city, and the Webster-Hopkins county line lies just to the southeast.U.S. Route 41A passes through the eastern part of Providence.
| Climate data for Providence, Kentucky (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1979–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) | 79 (26) | 88 (31) | 92 (33) | 95 (35) | 107 (42) | 105 (41) | 106 (41) | 104 (40) | 97 (36) | 86 (30) | 75 (24) | 107 (42) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66.0 (18.9) | 70.1 (21.2) | 78.3 (25.7) | 85.1 (29.5) | 90.7 (32.6) | 95.7 (35.4) | 97.8 (36.6) | 98.9 (37.2) | 94.8 (34.9) | 87.0 (30.6) | 77.1 (25.1) | 67.9 (19.9) | 99.8 (37.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 43.4 (6.3) | 48.0 (8.9) | 57.8 (14.3) | 69.3 (20.7) | 78.3 (25.7) | 86.3 (30.2) | 89.6 (32.0) | 88.6 (31.4) | 82.7 (28.2) | 71.2 (21.8) | 57.9 (14.4) | 47.4 (8.6) | 68.4 (20.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 34.1 (1.2) | 37.7 (3.2) | 46.8 (8.2) | 57.3 (14.1) | 67.3 (19.6) | 75.7 (24.3) | 79.3 (26.3) | 77.7 (25.4) | 70.6 (21.4) | 58.8 (14.9) | 46.8 (8.2) | 38.1 (3.4) | 57.5 (14.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 27.5 (−2.5) | 35.7 (2.1) | 45.2 (7.3) | 56.3 (13.5) | 65.1 (18.4) | 69.0 (20.6) | 66.7 (19.3) | 58.4 (14.7) | 46.3 (7.9) | 35.6 (2.0) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 46.6 (8.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 6.4 (−14.2) | 9.5 (−12.5) | 19.6 (−6.9) | 30.3 (−0.9) | 40.3 (4.6) | 52.3 (11.3) | 58.9 (14.9) | 57.0 (13.9) | 43.6 (6.4) | 29.9 (−1.2) | 21.0 (−6.1) | 13.2 (−10.4) | 2.4 (−16.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −16 (−27) | −9 (−23) | −2 (−19) | 20 (−7) | 32 (0) | 43 (6) | 50 (10) | 42 (6) | 35 (2) | 21 (−6) | 9 (−13) | −13 (−25) | −16 (−27) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.72 (69) | 3.78 (96) | 4.73 (120) | 5.10 (130) | 5.00 (127) | 4.59 (117) | 4.78 (121) | 2.61 (66) | 3.34 (85) | 3.47 (88) | 3.86 (98) | 4.53 (115) | 48.51 (1,232) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.0 | 9.4 | 10.4 | 10.2 | 10.6 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 10.3 | 105.0 |
| Source:NOAA[11][12] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 267 | — | |
| 1890 | 522 | 95.5% | |
| 1900 | 1,286 | 146.4% | |
| 1910 | 2,084 | 62.1% | |
| 1920 | 4,151 | 99.2% | |
| 1930 | 4,742 | 14.2% | |
| 1940 | 4,397 | −7.3% | |
| 1950 | 3,905 | −11.2% | |
| 1960 | 3,771 | −3.4% | |
| 1970 | 4,270 | 13.2% | |
| 1980 | 4,434 | 3.8% | |
| 1990 | 4,123 | −7.0% | |
| 2000 | 3,611 | −12.4% | |
| 2010 | 3,193 | −11.6% | |
| 2020 | 2,892 | −9.4% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 2,856 | [13] | −1.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[14] | |||
As of the2000 census,[15] there were 3,611 people, 1,487 households, and 1,029 families residing in the city. The population density was 587.2 inhabitants per square mile (226.7/km2). There were 1,754 housing units at an average density of 285.2 per square mile (110.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.92%White, 16.53%African American, 0.11%Native American, 0.08%Asian, 0.08%Pacific Islander, 0.28% fromother races, and 1.00% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.86% of the population.
There were 1,487 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% weremarried couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age distribution was 24.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,400, and the median income for a family was $31,125. Males had a median income of $28,716 versus $23,438 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $14,209. About 19.4% of families and 22.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 30.7% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.
Providence is located in Webster County, Kentucky, part of the Illinois Coal Basin. Coal mining is a major source of income for Webster County and the surrounding counties.
TheWebster County School District operates the public schools that serve Providence.
In 2007 theProvidence Independent School System merged with the Webster County School System,[16] closing the high school and renaming Broadway Elementary, Providence Elementary. The elementary school serves students Pre-School-6. In 2014, a middle school was built adjacent toWebster County High School.[17]
Providence has alending library, a branch of the Webster County Public Library.[18]
Every year in June Providence hosts the annual Coal Festival in celebration of the coal mines and miners that have long been a part of the city's history. It features games, rides, beauty contests and live entertainment.[19]
Roger Campbell was a member of the 1960 US Figure Skating World Team. He was a casualty ofSabena Flight 548, which crashed in 1961 en route to the World Championships in Prague. He is buried in Providence's Big Hill Cemetery.
Melvin T Mason was a 1984 candidate for President of the United States, running on the Socialist Workers Party ticket.[20]
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Media related toProvidence, Kentucky at Wikimedia CommonsMunicipalities and communities ofWebster County, Kentucky,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Other unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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