Franklin County, Kentucky: Difference between revisions

| county = Franklin County

| state = Kentucky

| founded year = 1795<ref>{{cite web|url=http://franklincounty.ky.gov |title=Kentucky: County – Franklin – Welcome |publisher=Franklincounty.ky.gov |access-date=2011-12-December 11, 2011}}</ref>

| founded date = May 10

| largest cityseat wl = Frankfort

| area_total_sq_mi = 212

| area_land_sq_mi = 208

| area_water_sq_mi = 4.3

| area percentage = 2.0%

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 51541

| pop_est_as_of = 20222023

| population_est = 5160751644 {{increase}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Eastern

| footnotes =

| web = franklincounty.ky.gov

| named for = [[Benjamin Franklin]]

| ex image cap = Franklin Countycounty courthouseky in Frankfortcourthouse.jpg

| district = 1st

'''Franklin County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Kentucky]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 51,541, making it the 2nd least populous capital county in the [[United States]] after [[Hughes County, South Dakota|Hughes County]], [[South Dakota]].<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/franklincountykentucky/PST045221|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 6, 2022}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Frankfort, Kentucky|Frankfort]],<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> the [[List of capitals in the United States#State capitals|state capital]]. The county was formed in 1795 from parts of [[Woodford County, Kentucky|Woodford]], [[Mercer County, Kentucky|Mercer]] and [[Shelby County, Kentucky|Shelby]] counties, and was named after the American inventor and statesman [[Benjamin Franklin]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_luoxAQAAMAAJ |title=The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1 |publisher=Kentucky State Historical Society |year=1903 |pages=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_luoxAQAAMAAJ/page/n35 35]}}</ref>

Franklin County is part of the [[Frankfort, Kentucky micropolitan area|Frankfort, Kentucky Micropolitan Statistical Area]]. It shares a name with [[Franklin County, Ohio|Franklin County]] in [[Ohio]], where [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] is located. This makes it one of two pairs of capital cities in counties of the same name, along with Marion Counties in [[Oregon]] and [[Indiana]].

The three original counties of Kentucky ([[Jefferson County, Kentucky|Jefferson]], [[Fayette County, Kentucky|Fayette]] and [[Lincoln County, Kentucky|Lincoln]] counties) intersected in what is today Franklin County. Franklin County was established in 1795 from land given by [[Mercer County, Kentucky|Mercer]], [[Shelby County, Kentucky|Shelby]], and [[Woodford County, Kentucky|Woodford]] counties.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hAVlVS29NKIC&q=%22bell+county%22+1914+1918+1976&pg=PA232 | title=Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research | publisher=Ancestry Publishing | year=1992 | access-date=July 26, 2013 | author=Hogan, Roseann Reinemuth | pages=232| isbn=9780916489496 }}</ref> Franklin was the 18th [[list of Kentucky counties|Kentucky county]] in order of formation.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gZFQAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA26 | title=Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2 | publisher=Collins & Company | author=Collins, Lewis | year=1882 | pages=26}}</ref>

In recent presidential elections the county has supported both Democrats and Republicans. In 2000 Democrat [[Al Gore]] won 50% of the vote to Republican [[George W. Bush]]'s 47%. In 2004, Bush won 50% of the vote to Democrat [[John Kerry]]'s 48%. In 2008 Republican [[John McCain]] defeated Democrat [[Barack Obama]] 49.47% to 48.87%, a difference of only 144 votes, only for Obama to narrowly edge out [[Mitt Romney]] in 2012. However, [[Donald Trump]] won the county in 2016. He won it again in 2020, but only by a slim margin of 248 votes. In 2023, incumbent-Democratic governor [[Andy Beshear]] won it by a large margin over Republican attorney general [[Daniel Cameron (American politician)|Daniel Cameron]], getting 68% of the vote.

| estyear = 20222023

| estimate = 5160751644

| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{cite web|url=https://www2www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popestdata/tables/2020time-2022series/countiesdemo/totalspopest/co2020s-est2022-popcounties-21total.xlsxhtml#v2023|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 20222023|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date=AprilMarch 214, 20232024}}</ref>

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 14, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 14, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ky190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 14, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=2010-03-March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 14, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF"/>

The county is served by two public school districts: [[Franklin County Public Schools (Kentucky)|Franklin County Public Schools]] [http://franklin.kyschools.us] and [[Frankfort Independent Schools]] [http://www.frankfort.k12.ky.us/].<ref name=Censusschoolmap>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21073_franklin/DC20SD_C21073.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812030639/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21073_franklin/DC20SD_C21073.pdf |archive-date=2022-08-August 12, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Franklin County, KY|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-08-August 11, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21073_franklin/DC20SD_C21073_SD2MS.txt Text list] - For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see: {{cite web|url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/lrc/publications/ResearchReports/RR415.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210175230/https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/lrc/publications/ResearchReports/RR415.pdf |archive-date=2020-12-December 10, 2020 |url-status=live |title=Appendix B: Maps Of Independent School Districts In Operation In FY 2014-FY 2015 Using 2005 Tax District Boundaries – Frankfort ISD |work=Research Report No. 415 – Kentucky's Independent School Districts: A Primer |publisher=Office of Education Accountability, Legislative Research Commission |location=Frankfort, KY |page=110 (PDF p. 124/174)|date=September 15, 2015 }}</ref>

* Elkhorn Elementary School (grades 2-52–5)

* Hearn Elementary School (grades 2-52–5)

* Peaks Mill Elementary School (grades 2-52–5)

* Bondurant Middle School (grades 6-86–8)

* Elkhorn Middle School (grades 6-86–8)

* [[Franklin County High School (Kentucky)|Franklin County High School]] (grades 9-129–12)

* [[Western Hills High School (Frankfort, Kentucky)|Western Hills High School]] (grades 9-129–12)

* [[The Academy (Frankfort, Kentucky)|The Academy]] (grades 9-129–12) (For kids with problems/juveniles)

* [[Franklin County Career and Technical Center(Frankfort, Kentucky)|Franklin County Career and Technical Center]] (grades 9-129–12) (Career center for all public high schools in the county.)

* [[Frankfort High School (Kentucky)|Frankfort High School]] (grades 7-127–12)

* [http://www.capitaldayschool.net/ Capital Day School] (grades PreK-8)

* [http://www.frankfortchristian.org/ Frankfort Christian Academy] (grades K-12)

* [http://goodshepherdschool.cdlex.org/ Good Shepherd Catholic School] (grades PreK-8)

* Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill: {{convert|120|acre|km2}} of woodland overlooking downtown Frankfort. It contains trails that guide visitors through the remains of earthwork forts that were the main defensive position for Union troops protecting the city during an 1864 [[American Civil War|Civil War]] skirmish.