Winchester, Kentucky
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Winchester is a city in Clark County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,724 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clark County[Geographic references#6GR6].
Sculptor Joel Tanner Hart (1810-1877) was born near Winchester.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.9 km² (7.7 mi²). 19.8 km² (7.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.52%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 16,724 people, 6,907 households, and 4,620 families residing in the city. The population density was 845.2/km² (2,187.6/mi²). There were 7,400 housing units at an average density of 374.0/km² (968.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.94% White, 8.83% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.60% of the population.There were 6,907 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,254, and the median income for a family was $36,797. Males had a median income of $31,295 versus $21,747 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,611. About 13.1% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
George Rogers Clark High School
The city's only high school, George Rogers Clark H.S., has a strong record in athletics, celebrating state championships in numerous sports. The boy's basketball team won the 1951 Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) state title under head coach Letcher Norton. In 1991, the football team traveled to Louisville and won the KHSAA Class AAAA state championship, while the girls track and field team won the KHSAA Class AAA state title. In the mid-late 1990s, the boys golf team finished as runner-up in the state tournament, and continue to make noise in the golf community. The most recent addition to GRC Athletics is the boys and girls swim team, which competed in its first season during the 2005-2006 school year. The inaugural season was successful, with the boys record finishing at 6-2 while the girls were 3-5.
While it is not a sport recognized by the KHSAA, cheerleading is popular and very competitive at George Rogers Clark. In 2006, the cheerleading team captured its fourth straight Kentucky Association of Prep Organization Sponsors (KAPOS) state championship. The squad has won 11 of the last 12 state championships in the traditional at-large category.
The school is not without its problems, though. It suffers from very low funding, with several classes at the school being unable to provide a book to every student. Its students tend to have low grade point averages and standardized testing scores, and in the 2004-2005 semester, almost 1 out of every 4 students dropped out of the school, failing to graduate.
Regional Activities
In addition to High School athletics, many other athletic opportunities exist in the city. Little League Baseball and Softball are very popular in the spring, with hundreds of young people participating each year. Baseball and Softball games are held in Clark County's largest park, Lykins Park, which also hosts outdoor concerts and features tennis courts, recreational fields, and a skate park.
During the summer, swimming is very popular for hundreds of children in Winchester, with two teams in the city that compete in regional conferences. Winchester Country Club Dolphins, a team of over 130 kids age 3-18, participate in the Central Kentucky Swim Conference. The Parks and Recreation swim team competes in the Bluegrass Swim Conference and hosts practices and meets at the Eugene Gay Swim Complex at Community Park.
In the fall and winter months, football and basketball is common throughout the county, with the largest programs run by Civitan and YMCA.
Winchester History
Winchester has produced notable historical figures, including Daniel Boone. Boone is a respected figure in the town, with an annual "Pioneer Festival" held in his honor. Yeremiah Bell, a Winchester native and former football player for George Rogers Clark, currently plays Safety for the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. The beverage Ale-8-One is manufactured in Winchester.Products manufactured in Winchester
External links
See also
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