Daviess County, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
 Daviess County courthouse in Owensboro | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKentucky | |
| Coordinates:37°44′N87°05′W / 37.73°N 87.09°W /37.73; -87.09 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | January 14, 1815 |
| Named after | Joseph Hamilton Daveiss |
| Seat | Owensboro |
| Largest city | Owensboro |
| Area | |
• Total | 477 sq mi (1,240 km2) |
| • Land | 458 sq mi (1,190 km2) |
| • Water | 18 sq mi (47 km2) 3.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 103,312 |
• Estimate (2024) | 104,457 |
| • Density | 226/sq mi (87.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | www |
Daviess County (/ˈdeɪvɪs/ "Davis"), is acounty inKentucky. As of the2020 census, the population was 103,312.[1] Itscounty seat isOwensboro.[2] The county was formed from part ofOhio County on January 14, 1815.
Daviess County is included in the Owensboro, KYMetropolitan Statistical Area. Daviess County also shares its namesake with another nearbyDaviess County ofIndiana. Both counties are in theIllinois-Indiana-Kentucky Tri-State Area.
Daviess County was established in 1815. The county is named for MajorJoseph Hamilton Daveiss (a recording error in the State Clerk's office accounts for the error in spelling, which was never corrected), theUnited States Attorney who unsuccessfully prosecutedAaron Burr.[3] The county's borders were altered in 1829 to formHancock County, in 1830 to absorb a small area surroundingWhitesville, in 1854 to cede land toMcLean County, and finally in 1860 to annex 44 square miles (110 km2) fromHenderson County.
The courthouse was burned in January 1865 during theAmerican Civil War, but the county records were spared destruction because they had been transferred to a church.[4]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 477 square miles (1,240 km2), of which 458 square miles (1,190 km2) is land and 18 square miles (47 km2) (3.8%) is water.[5] The northern half of the county along theOhio River is relatively flat, with a few rolling hills dotting the landscape. The southern portion is mostly rolling hills mixed with flat valleys. The southern portion was mined for coal in the past, especially in the rolling hills along Panther Creek and other streams.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 3,876 | — | |
| 1830 | 5,209 | 34.4% | |
| 1840 | 8,331 | 59.9% | |
| 1850 | 12,362 | 48.4% | |
| 1860 | 15,549 | 25.8% | |
| 1870 | 20,714 | 33.2% | |
| 1880 | 27,730 | 33.9% | |
| 1890 | 33,120 | 19.4% | |
| 1900 | 38,667 | 16.7% | |
| 1910 | 41,020 | 6.1% | |
| 1920 | 40,733 | −0.7% | |
| 1930 | 43,779 | 7.5% | |
| 1940 | 52,335 | 19.5% | |
| 1950 | 57,241 | 9.4% | |
| 1960 | 70,588 | 23.3% | |
| 1970 | 79,486 | 12.6% | |
| 1980 | 85,949 | 8.1% | |
| 1990 | 87,189 | 1.4% | |
| 2000 | 91,545 | 5.0% | |
| 2010 | 96,656 | 5.6% | |
| 2020 | 103,312 | 6.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 104,457 | [6] | 1.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 103,312. The median age was 39.0 years. 24.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.1 males age 18 and over.[11][12]
The racial makeup of the county was 85.6% White, 4.7%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 1.8% from some other race, and 5.2% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.0% of the population.[12]
74.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 26.0% lived in rural areas.[13]
There were 41,105 households in the county, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]
There were 43,863 housing units, of which 6.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.0% were owner-occupied and 33.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%.[11]
As of thecensus[14] of 2010, there were 96,656 people, 36,033 households, and 24,826 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 198 per square mile (76/km2). There were 38,432 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.69%White, 4.35%Black orAfrican American, 0.13%Native American, 0.43%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.44% fromother races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 36,033 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,813, and the median income for a family was $45,404. Males had a median income of $35,295 versus $21,971 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,739. About 9.40% of families and 12.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.
Daviess County has long had a reputation as the leading center of the production ofdistilled spirits, chiefly Kentuckybourbon. Walter McFarland, who moved here fromNorth Carolina, began making whiskey and peach brandy in about 1804 on a 200-acre (0.81 km2) estate just south of Panther Creek, on today'sU.S. 431.[15] Cornelius Westerfield also began distilling corn whiskey in the early 1800s on his farm three miles (4.8 km) southwest ofWhitesville, Kentucky, on Deserter Creek. It finally closed in 1872, after more than 60 years of production.[15]
By the 1880s, 18 large distilleries operated in Daviess County at the same time. Today only three remain. One dates back to 1869, the formerGlenmore Distillery Company, which was originally the R. MonarchDistillery. In 1885, J.W. McCullough began the Green River Distillery which ran until Prohibition and was subsequently purchased thereafter by Charles Medley Distillers where it ran until the 1950s, changing ownership a number of times without producing anything until its eventual purchase by Trinidad-based Angostura Limited, who bought the Medley Distillery in 2007 with plans to make its entrance into the world's bourbon market, but the severe global recession in 2008 ended those plans.[16] The distillery was sold to the Terressentia Corporation in 2014.[16] In 2020, the distillery was renamed as Green River Distilling Co, restoring the Green River name that was used at the facility under McCulloch's original ownership.[16]
The following is list of distilleries operating in 1883[17]
The southwestern portion of the county around the Panther Creek area was heavily mined through the 1960s till the early 1990s. After 1998 large tracts of mined land were left unclaimed. Then after a lengthy search for contractors by the state government's Division of Abandoned Mine Lands, work commenced on the largest tract, a 42-acre (170,000 m2) tract once part of the now defunct Green Coal Company. The 42 acres (170,000 m2) of unclaimed land were part of Green Coal Company's mine once known as the "Panther Surface Mine". Green Coal Company was a staple mining company in Daviess County and was based nearby inHenderson.
Reclamation work commenced at the site on November 8, 1999, and was completed April 14, 2000. The licensed blaster employed by the contractor blasted the highwall into the pit, resulting in a reduced effort to grade and dress the final slope. Enough topsoil was gained from the area above the highwall to allow a growing medium for re-vegetation purposes. Through innovative field techniques and extraordinary cooperation from the contractor, this site has been returned to a very safe, stable and productive property. All 42 acres (170,000 m2) of this project was reclaimed expending $127,538.82 of the available bond. The land is now safe for the public and is considered prime farm property once again.[19]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 1,271 | 27.85% | 3,054 | 66.91% | 239 | 5.24% |
| 1884 | 1,571 | 32.91% | 3,139 | 65.77% | 63 | 1.32% |
| 1888 | 2,238 | 36.60% | 3,818 | 62.44% | 59 | 0.96% |
| 1892 | 1,638 | 24.29% | 3,431 | 50.87% | 1,675 | 24.84% |
| 1896 | 3,105 | 37.28% | 4,952 | 59.46% | 271 | 3.25% |
| 1900 | 3,738 | 42.14% | 4,910 | 55.36% | 222 | 2.50% |
| 1904 | 3,381 | 40.33% | 4,754 | 56.71% | 248 | 2.96% |
| 1908 | 3,922 | 42.06% | 5,218 | 55.96% | 184 | 1.97% |
| 1912 | 1,506 | 19.45% | 4,314 | 55.72% | 1,922 | 24.83% |
| 1916 | 4,078 | 42.60% | 5,396 | 56.37% | 99 | 1.03% |
| 1920 | 7,584 | 43.69% | 9,669 | 55.70% | 106 | 0.61% |
| 1924 | 7,270 | 46.67% | 8,116 | 52.10% | 192 | 1.23% |
| 1928 | 8,896 | 54.77% | 7,332 | 45.14% | 15 | 0.09% |
| 1932 | 5,059 | 32.25% | 10,527 | 67.12% | 99 | 0.63% |
| 1936 | 4,636 | 30.21% | 9,957 | 64.88% | 754 | 4.91% |
| 1940 | 5,633 | 37.49% | 9,344 | 62.19% | 49 | 0.33% |
| 1944 | 6,135 | 42.74% | 8,143 | 56.73% | 77 | 0.54% |
| 1948 | 4,873 | 35.06% | 8,682 | 62.46% | 344 | 2.47% |
| 1952 | 10,462 | 58.09% | 7,522 | 41.77% | 26 | 0.14% |
| 1956 | 11,491 | 62.54% | 6,674 | 36.33% | 208 | 1.13% |
| 1960 | 13,385 | 57.62% | 9,846 | 42.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 8,350 | 35.15% | 15,253 | 64.21% | 152 | 0.64% |
| 1968 | 10,111 | 40.22% | 9,947 | 39.56% | 5,084 | 20.22% |
| 1972 | 17,234 | 65.64% | 8,168 | 31.11% | 854 | 3.25% |
| 1976 | 12,826 | 46.72% | 14,114 | 51.41% | 514 | 1.87% |
| 1980 | 14,643 | 47.67% | 14,902 | 48.51% | 1,172 | 3.82% |
| 1984 | 19,495 | 58.92% | 13,347 | 40.34% | 244 | 0.74% |
| 1988 | 17,356 | 53.49% | 14,815 | 45.66% | 274 | 0.84% |
| 1992 | 14,936 | 40.45% | 16,592 | 44.93% | 5,401 | 14.63% |
| 1996 | 15,844 | 45.36% | 15,366 | 43.99% | 3,720 | 10.65% |
| 2000 | 21,361 | 58.94% | 14,126 | 38.98% | 753 | 2.08% |
| 2004 | 25,372 | 61.16% | 15,788 | 38.06% | 323 | 0.78% |
| 2008 | 23,692 | 54.31% | 19,282 | 44.20% | 648 | 1.49% |
| 2012 | 25,092 | 59.62% | 16,208 | 38.51% | 787 | 1.87% |
| 2016 | 28,907 | 63.11% | 14,163 | 30.92% | 2,737 | 5.98% |
| 2020 | 31,025 | 62.95% | 17,286 | 35.07% | 976 | 1.98% |
| 2024 | 30,705 | 65.20% | 15,673 | 33.28% | 719 | 1.53% |
| Elected officials as of January 3, 2025[21][22] | ||
| U.S. House | Brett Guthrie (R) | KY 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Ky. Senate | Gary Boswell (R) | 8 |
| Ky. House | Suzanne Miles (R) | 7 |
| DJ Johnson (R) | 13 | |
| Scott Lewis (R) | 14 | |
Municipalities and communities ofDaviess County, Kentucky,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
