Falmouth, Kentucky

Falmouth, Kentucky
City
Downtown Falmouth Downtown Falmouth
Location of Falmouth, Kentucky
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Pendleton
Area
• Total	1.3 sq mi (3.3 km2)
• Land	1.3 sq mi (3.3 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	551 ft (168 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	2,169
• Density	1,598.9/sq mi (617.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	41040
Area code(s)	859
FIPS code	21-26434
GNIS feature ID	0491967
Website	cityoffalmouth.com

Along U.S. Route 27 on Falmouth's edge.

Falmouth is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Pendleton County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 2,169 according to the 2010 census. It lies at the confluence of the South and Main forks of the Licking River and is home to Kincaid Regional Theatre.

Geography

Falmouth is located at (38.673860, -84.334213).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), all land.

History

Possibly settled as early as 1780, Falmouth was laid out by John Waller (1758-1823) and formally established by the state assembly in 1793. Waller named the new settlement after his native Falmouth, Virginia. It was incorporated as a city in 1856.

The town is perhaps best remembered for natural disasters that have devastated the town over the last half of the 20th Century. In 1964, the Licking River reached 47 feet (19 feet above flood stage) and left much of the town under water. On April 23, 1968 a tornado leveled many homes in the town. On March 2, 1997, a major flood on the Licking River again left the town crippled. The river reached 52 feet (24 feet above flood stage) and left 80% of the town under several feet of water. Many homes and business were damaged and five residents were killed.

Arts and culture

Kincaid Regional Theatre, also referred to as KRT, has called Falmouth home since 1983. Since the theatre's founding, KRT has achieved musical theatre excellence by employing local actors from the Cincinnati metropolitan area and beyond. With the help of many supporters, KRT continues to enhance the arts in the community with a summer children's theatre workshop and through involvement with local schools. Summer and Christmas musicals are staged in an indoor, air-conditioned auditorium at the Falmouth School Center, previously known as the Pendleton County Middle School and Falmouth High School. Some of the most recent productions put on by KRT have been: All Shook Up, Joseph and the Technicolor Coat of Many Colors, Fiddler on the Roof, A Country Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story, Willy Wonka Jr., and Honk Jr.

Falmouth also hosts one of Kentucky's largest fall events, the Kentucky Wool Festival. The Wool Festival is an annual event that takes place just outside Kincaid Lake State Park during the first full weekend of October. The festival promotes sheep, wool products, and the local community, providing activities and entertainment for all age groups. Heritage demonstrations also highlight Pendleton County and Kentucky history.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	40		—
1810	121		202.5%
1830	207		—
1860	315		—
1870	614		94.9%
1880	967		57.5%
1890	1,146		18.5%
1900	1,134		−1.0%
1910	1,180		4.1%
1920	1,330		12.7%
1930	1,876		41.1%
1940	2,099		11.9%
1950	2,186		4.1%
1960	2,568		17.5%
1970	2,593		1.0%
1980	2,482		−4.3%
1990	2,378		−4.2%
2000	2,058		−13.5%
2010	2,169		5.4%
Est. 2014	2,132		−1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

Buildings in Downtown Falmouth

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,058 people, 849 households, and 521 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,598.9 people per square mile (616.0/km²). There were 988 housing units at an average density of 767.6 per square mile (295.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.21% White, 1.90% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.

There were 849 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,114, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $31,012 versus $20,781 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,634. About 16.5% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

• Dr. Phillip Allen Sharp, who earned the Nobel Prize for work that fundamentally changed scientists' understanding of the structure of genes, is a native of Falmouth.
• Rev. Father J. M. Lelen, PhD was pastor of St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Falmouth for many years in the first half of the 20th century.
• John Ayers Merritt (January 26, 1926 – December 13, 1983) a Falmouth native, was a head football coach at Jackson State University and Tennessee State University. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994. His coaching record at Tennessee State was 174–35–7, and had an 82% winning percentage.
• James Thomas Browning (May 25, 1890 - 1977) A Falmouth native - Creator of U-NIT Puzzles - historical and collectable antique wooden jigsaw puzzles that became popular during the great depression in America produced from 1932 to the early 1970s.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Falmouth has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

External links

• Official website
• Pendleton County Views – Falmouth historical images and documents, from Northern Kentucky Views
• Flood of '97 – special coverage from the Cincinnati Enquirer