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Kentucky Counties

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Kentucky Counties

Despite ranking 37th in size by area, Kentucky has 120 counties, third in the U.S. behind Texas's 254 and Georgia's 159.

Meade County, Kentucky

Meade County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Brandenburg
Year Organized: 1824
Square Miles: 308

Court House:

516 Hillcrest Drive
County Courthouse
Brandenburg, KY 40108

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Capt. James Meade (?-1813), hero in the War of 1812. One of those honored after the Battle of River Raisin.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Meade county was formed in 1824. It is located in the Pennyrile region of the state. The elevation in the county ranges from 383 to 1000 feet above sea level. In 2000 the county population was 26,349 in a land area of 308.51 square miles, an average of 85.4 people per square mile. The county seat is Brandenburg.

Meade County, the 76th county in Kentucky, was established by Legislative action December 17, 1823 from both Hardin and Breckinridge counties and was named in honor of Captain James M. Meade. It is bounded north and northeast for a great length by the Ohio River, east by Hardin, south by Hardin and Breckinridge County.

Early settlers arrived in the Wolf Creek Area around 1785, but the first permanent settlements were Hill Grove, Stith's Valley, Doe Run Creek and Otter Creek in 1792. There was an abundance of game for food but the Indians were a problem making it necessary to build solid stockades. Land was cleared and planted. Grinding mills were built on Doe Run and Otter Creeks using the fast flowing creeks as power for the mills. The first mill (Lincoln's father was the stonemason) on Doe Run Creek is now an Inn featuring Kentucky foods. Small distilleries dotted the county as apple and peach orchards thrived in the area. Meade County's apple brandy was reputed to be the best in the world.
Meade County is well-watered with streams such as Otter, Doe, Wolf, and Spring Creeks. Topographically, Meade County is made up of "barrens" as well as gently rolling river bottoms. The soil is clay with an abundance of limestone and fertile nature. Tobacco and corn have been leading crops throughout the years, as well as the raising of livestock, grains, etc. in the farmers livelihood.

Brandenburg, is the county seat, situated along the Ohio River, 40 miles below Louisville. It was named for Colonel Solomon Brandenburg and became incorporated in 1825. Circa 1870, the population stood at 427.

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: Harrison County, Ind.
Southeast: Hardin County
Southwest: Breckinridge County
Northwest: Perry County, Ind.; Crawford County, Ind.

Cities and Towns:

- Brandenburg (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Ekron	city	Incorporated Area
- Muldraugh	city	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."