BlockBefore

Barren County, Kentucky

82 topographic sheets and 14 fire insurance atlases across 2 places.

Research this county

From the record

37 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kentucky within the United States
Barren County within Kentucky

What the record shows

  • 2 places in this county were surveyed for fire insurance: Glasgow, Cave City, between 1886 and 1947.
  • 14 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 495 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 37 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 25 buildings, 9 districts, 2 sites and 1 object.
  • 1 of the 37 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 40 populated places in this county; 40 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

15 photographs, 1940 to 2020

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Sign for the Cave Land Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Sign for the Cave Land Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Entrance to Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Entrance to Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
A fairly cute, rather than menacing, Triceratops at Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
A fairly cute, rather than menacing, Triceratops at Dinosaur World, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Road leading into Cave City, Kentucky
Road leading into Cave City, Kentucky
Wolcott, Marion Post, 1940. Library of Congress
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Sign at the oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, one of a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Sign at the oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, one of a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
A sign shaped like the name of the establishment it advertises, the Star Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
A sign shaped like the name of the establishment it advertises, the Star Motel in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
The Guntown Souvenir Shack atop what the proprietor calls "Froggett's Guntown Mountain" in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
The Guntown Souvenir Shack atop what the proprietor calls "Froggett's Guntown Mountain" in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
One unit at the oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was a quirky motel chain stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
One unit at the oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was a quirky motel chain stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Road leading into Cave City, Kentucky
Road leading into Cave City, Kentucky
Wolcott, Marion Post, 1940. Library of Congress
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
The oldest surviving Wigwam Village Motel, part of what was once a series of quirky motels stretching from here in Cave City, Kentucky, to heavily traveled U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
The Olde General Store, which is really an expanded sourvenir shop, is one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
The Olde General Store, which is really an expanded sourvenir shop, is one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Tom's Tee-Pee souvenir shop, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Tom's Tee-Pee souvenir shop, one of several old-style roadside attractions in tiny Cave City, Kentucky, which is also home to a number of vintage hostelries for weary traveling families near Mammoth Cave National Park, one of the earliest tourist attrations in America
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

37

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Belle's Tavernsite198787000169
Cave City Commercial Districtdistrict198383002529
Confederate Monument in Glasgowobject199797000717
Charles Penn Edmunds Housebuilding198383002530
First National Bankbuilding198383002531
First Presbyterian Churchbuilding198383002532
Fort Williamssite197575000732
Glasgow Central Business Districtdistrict199393000051
Glasgow Central Business District (Boundary Increase)district200403001228
Glasgow OMS #9building200202000922
Gullian Gerig's Millbuilding198787002050
Hicks, William Housebuilding198383002533
Landrumbuilding198383002534
Benjamin Martin Housebuilding198383002535
John Mayfield Housebuilding198383002536
Andrew McCoy Housebuilding198383002537
Morris Buildingbuilding198383002538
North Race Street Historic Districtdistrict198383002539
North Race Street Historic District (Boundary Increase)district200303001229
Octagon Cottagebuilding198383002540
Old Zion Methodist Churchbuilding198383002541
Page, William Housebuilding198383002542
Quigley, G. F., and Son Grocerybuilding198383002544
Ralph Bunche Historic Districtdistrict200404000247
Renfro Hotelbuilding198383002543
Rock Cabin Campbuilding2017100001418
Franklin Settle Housebuilding198383002545
Site Bn-54building198383002546
Southwest Glagow Residential District (Boundary Increase)district200303001230
Southwest Glasgow Residential Districtdistrict198383002547
Third National Bankbuilding198383002548
U.S. Post Office/Board of Education Buildingbuilding198383002549
Jesse and Simon White Housebuilding198383002550
Wigwam Village No. 2district198888000180
William Johnson Wood Housebuilding198383002551
Joseph Wooten Housebuilding198383002552
Asa E. Young Housebuilding198383002553

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

1

Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.

Land ownership map, 1879 - Map of Barren Co., Kentucky
Land ownership map (1879) - Map of Barren Co., Kentucky. Library of Congress.

Photographs from libraries nationwide

3 of 9 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 9 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.

Twin City Motor Court, Cave City, Ky., Boston Public Library - undated
Twin City Motor Court, Cave City, Ky.. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
Mammoth Motel Cottage, U.S. Highway 31-W... within city limits... Cave City, Kentucky, Boston Public Library - undated
Mammoth Motel Cottage, U.S. Highway 31-W... within city limits... Cave City, Kentucky. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
Cave City Motor Court on U.S. Highway 31W, Cave City, Kentucky, Boston Public Library - undated
Cave City Motor Court on U.S. Highway 31W, Cave City, Kentucky. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

26 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 702 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 26 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-18, scale 1:23600
1951-04-18, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-18, scale 1:23600
1951-04-18, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-18, scale 1:23600
1951-04-18, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-18, scale 1:28400
1951-04-18, scale 1:28400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-19, scale 1:23600
1953-03-19, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-19, scale 1:23600
1953-03-19, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-19, scale 1:23600
1953-03-19, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-19, scale 1:23600
1953-03-19, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1954-02-12, scale 1:18000
1954-02-12, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1954-02-12, scale 1:18000
1954-02-12, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1954-02-12, scale 1:18000
1954-02-12, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1954-02-12, scale 1:18000
1954-02-12, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1960-04-08, scale 1:24000
1960-04-08, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1960-04-08, scale 1:24000
1960-04-08, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-12, scale 1:50000
1973-03-12, scale 1:50000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-12, scale 1:50000
1973-03-12, scale 1:50000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-12, scale 1:50000
1973-03-12, scale 1:50000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-12, scale 1:50000
1973-03-12, scale 1:50000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-03-08, scale 1:80000
1977-03-08, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-03-08, scale 1:80000
1977-03-08, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-03-08, scale 1:80000
1977-03-08, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-03-08, scale 1:80000
1977-03-08, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-03-03, scale 1:2327
1990-03-03, scale 1:2327. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-03-03, scale 1:2327
1990-03-03, scale 1:2327. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-03-03, scale 1:2327
1990-03-03, scale 1:2327. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-03-03, scale 1:2327
1990-03-03, scale 1:2327. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

13 stations, 2 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

44 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 5-1Magisterial District 1: Glasgow city: Glasgow city - That part Bounded by City limits; Edmonton Rd., Columbia Ave.; E. Front; N. Race, N. Jackson Hwy.
  • 5-2Glasgow city - That part Bounded by N. Jackson Hwy.; N. Race, S. Race; W. Washington, Leslie Ave., Bowling Green Rd.; City limits
  • 5-3Glasgow city - That part Bounded by E. Front; South Morgan; E. College; South Green, E. Washington, S. Race
  • 5-4Glasgow city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; Burksville Rd., E. Main, N. Franklin, E. Water, N. Franklin, E. Front; Columbia Ave., Edmonton Rd.
  • 5-5Glasgow city - That part Bounded by E. Front, N. Franklin, E. Water, N. Franklin, E. Main, Burksville Rd.; City limits; City limits, Mill; S. Morgan
  • 5-6Glasgow city - That part Bounded by E. College, S. Morgan, Mill; City limits; S. Lewis, Back; S. Green
  • 5-7Glasgow city - That part Bounded by W. Washington; S. Green, S. Jackson Hwy.; City limits; Cleveland Ave., Leslie Ave.
  • 5-8Glasgow city - That part Bounded by Bowling Green Rd., W. Main; Leslie Ave., Cleveland Ave.; City limits; City limits
  • 5-9Glasgow city - That part Bounded by Back; S. Lewis; City limits; S. Jackson Hwy., S. Green
  • 5-10Magisterial District 1 - That part east of U.S. Hwy. 31E and north of State Hwy. 80, outside Glasgow city
  • 5-11Magisterial District 1 - That part west of U.S. Hwy. 31E and north of the South Fork of Beaver Creek, outside Glasgow city
  • 5-12Magisterial District 1 - That part west of U.S. Hwy. 31E and south of the South Fork of Beaver Creek
  • 5-13Magisterial District 1 - That part west of State Hwy. 63, and east of State Hwy. 31E, outside of Glasgow city
  • 5-14Magisterial District 1 - That part south of State Hwy. 80 and east of State Hwy. 63, outside Glasgow city
  • 5-15Magisterial District 2, Tracy: Magisterial District 2, Tracy - That part east of State Hwy. 249 and north of Caney Fork
  • 5-16BMagisterial District 2, Tracy - That part east of Peters Cree k- Mathews Mill Rd., west of State Hwy. 249 and north of Caney Fork and Peters Creek
  • 5-16AMagisterial District 2, Tracy - That part west of Peters Creek - Mathews Mill Rd. and north of Peters Creek
  • 5-17Magisterial District 2, Tracy - That part south of Peters Creek and Caney Fork, east of State Hwy. 249 and north of Tracy - Flippin Rd. and State Hwy. 87
  • 5-18Magisterial District 2, Tracy - That part south of State Hwy. 87 and west of Tracy - Scottsville Rd. via Bewleytown and Statenfield Schools
  • 5-19Magisterial District 2, Tracy - That part south of State Hwy. 87 and Tracy - Flippin Rd., and east of Tracy - Scottsville Rd. via Bewleytown and Statenfield Schools
  • 5-20Magisterial District 2, Tracy - That part south of Caney Fork, and east of State Hwy. 249 and Tracy - Flippin Rd.
  • 5-21Magisterial District 3, Temple Hill: Magisterial District 3, Temple Hill - That part northeast of Beaver Creek
  • 5-22Magisterial District 3, Temple Hill - That part north of Glasgow - Hickory College Rd. via Kino and south of Beaver Creek
  • 5-23Magisterial District 3, Temple Hill - That part southeast of Glasgow - Hickory College Rd. via Kino and northeast of State Hwy. 90
  • 5-24Magisterial District 3, Temple Hill - That part southeast of State Hwy. 90 and northeast of Glover Creek
  • 5-25Magisterial District 3, Temple Hill - That part south of Glover Creek and north of Skeggs Creek and Nobob Creek
  • 5-26Magisterial District 3, Temple Hill - That part south of Skeggs Creek and Nobob Creek
  • 5-27Magisterial District 4, Hiseville: Magisterial District 4, Hiseville - That part southeast of Park - Glasgow Rd. via Hiseville and Coral Hill
  • 5-28Magisterial District 4, Hiseville - That part northwest of Park - Glasgow Rd. via Hiseville and Coral Hill, north of State Hwy. 70 and east of U.S. Hwy. 31E
  • 5-29Magisterial District 4, Hiseville - That part south of State Hwy. 70, west of Park - Glasgow Rd. via Hiseville and Coral Hill and east of U.S. Hwy. 31E
  • 5-30Magisterial District 4, Hiseville - That part west of U.S. Hwy. 31E
  • 5-31Magisterial District 5, Rocky Hill: Magisterial District 5, Rocky Hill - That part north of State Hwy. 80
  • 5-32Magisterial District 5, Rocky Hill - That part south of State Hwy. 80 and north of Glasgow - Hydro Rd. via Becton and Railton
  • 5-33Magisterial District 5, Rocky Hill - That part south of Glasgow - Hydro Rd. via Becton and Railton, east of Bonayr - Game Rd. and north of State Hwy. 252
  • 5-34Magisterial District 5, Rocky Hill - That part south of Glasgow - Hydro Rd. via Becton and Railton, west of Bonayr - Game Rd. and northwest of State Hwy. 252
  • 5-35Magisterial District 5, Rocky Hill - That part south of State Hwy. 252 and northwest of U.S. Hwy. 31E
  • 5-36Magisterial District 5, Rocky Hill - That part southeast of U.S. Hwy. 31E
  • 5-37Magisterial District 6, Cave City: Cave City town
  • 5-38Magisterial District 6, Cave City: Park City town
  • 5-39BMagisterial District 6, Cave City - That part south of State Hwy. 70, northwest and north of U.S. Hwy. 68/31W, outside Cave City and Park City towns and Mammoth Cave National Park (part)
  • 5-39AMagisterial District 6, Cave City - That part north of State Hwy. 70, outside Cave City town and Mammoth Cave National Park (part)
  • 5-40Mammoth Cave National Park - That part in Magisterial District 6, Cave City (Remainder of Mammoth Cave National Park is in Magisterial Districts 1, 3, 4, 5, Edmonson County; and 2, Horse Cave and 5, Priceville, Hart County)
  • 5-41Magisterial District 6, Cave City - That part south of State Hwy. 70, east of U.S. Hwy. 68 and northeast of State Hwy. 351, outside Cave City town
  • 5-42Magisterial District 6, Cave City - That part west of State Hwy. 351 and south of U.S. Hwy. 68, outside Park City town

Wildfire, 1998 to 2016

25 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 25 of them, burning about 269 acres. None started naturally and 1 was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Recreation and ceremony7
Missing data/not specified/undetermined6
Debris and open burning5
Equipment and vehicle use2
Smoking2
Railroad operations and maintenance2
Arson/incendiarism1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
5 March 2000Debris and open burning38 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
1 December 2003Missing data/not specified/undetermined35 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
25 September 2008Railroad operations and maintenance29 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
9 September 1999Arson/incendiarism22 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
30 October 2016Debris and open burning20 acresKentucky Division of ForestryBUTTON RD. FIRE
6 March 2002Recreation and ceremony20 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
8 March 2002Recreation and ceremony16 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
12 September 1999Smoking16 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1960 to 2026

60 of 345 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 345 reports for this county, causing 5 deaths, 57 injuries and about $26,091,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind218
Hail57
Flash Flood35
Tornado21
Flood7
Lightning6
Heavy Rain1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 1998Tornado (F3)Glasgow2 killed, 9 hurt, $10,000,000no account filed
March 1979Tornado (F3)not stated1 killed, 19 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
May 2010Flash FloodDry Fork1 killed, $15,000Flash flooding caused flooding on portions of Dover Church Road. One fatality occurred when a person reportedly got out of her vehicle, was overcome by flood waters and was swept away. F27VE.
June 2000LightningGlasgow1 killedA 30 year old male was struck by lightning and killed. The body was found at 0007 EST on June 27. The exact time of death was unknown, but the time of occurrence was earlier during the storms on the evening of June 26.
March 1976Tornado (F1)not stated10 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 2006Tornado (F2)Temple Hill4 hurt, $1,400,000Fifteen to 20 homes were destroyed, mainly in the Temple Hill area. Another dozen or so homes, along with barns and outbuildings, sustained heavy damage. Four people in the area were treated for minor injuries. The tornado formed about a mile northeast of Temple Hill just south of Barbour Road. Numerous trees were topped, and several homes were damaged. Most of the structural damage occurred along Moore Road, where several mobile homes were moved considerable distances and destroyed. A large RV was flipped over, a large tractor was moved about five feet, and a horse trailer was thrown over 75 yards. The tornado reached its peak intensity near the intersection of Moore Road and Highway 839. The storm then crossed into Metcalfe County about 2.9 miles northeast of Nobob.
April 1996Tornado (F1)Goodnight4 hurt, $15,000no account filed
April 1991Tornado (F2)not stated3 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
January 1997Tornado (F2)Glasgow2 hurt, $1,800,000no account filed
May 1989Thunderstorm Windnot stated2 hurtno account filed
January 1999Thunderstorm WindCountywide1 hurt, $10,000Barn destroyed, power lines down, utility poles snapped
November 2000Thunderstorm WindGlasgow1 hurt, $1,000A male in a vehicle was struck and injured by wind blown debris.
April 2025Tornado (EF2)Griderville1 hurtA tornado tracked across northern Barren County during the early morning hours on Thursday, April 3rd. The tornado was on the ground for just under five miles and about five minutes, tracking from the southwest to the northeast. The tornado peaked at|EF2 intensity with maximum winds of 120 mph and had a maximum width of approximately 400 yards.||The tornado first touched down along Jack Turner Road, approximately three and a half miles east-southeast of Cave City. An older wooden barn was completely destroyed; given the construction of the barn, a more conservative wind estimate of 105 mph was given for this damage. The tornado then tracked over open farmland for about one mile before causing damage to several structures along Spillman Road. Parts of the roof were taken off of several barns, and additional damage to a mobile home was noted. Winds in this area were estimated at EF1 strength, between 90 and 95 mph.||As the tornado moved across US Route 31E, more significant damage was observed with a roof being blown off a single story home. Damage from this house was thrown a quarter of a mile downstream, with winds in this area being estimated at 120 mph, or EF2 strength. About 400 yards downstream, several barns and other outbuildings were impacted by the tornado, with damage ranging from minor peeling of roofing material to complete destruction of a shed.||The intensity of the tornado was difficult to assess over the next one and a quarter miles as it once again passed over mainly open farmland. Another area of significant structural damage occurred along Hiseville Bear Wallow Road, where substantial losses of roofing material was observed at one residence, and the entire roof was taken off another residence. The damage in this area was consistent with wind speeds of 115 to |120 mph, or EF2 strength. Scattered snapped and uprooted trees were also observed in this area.||Damage intensity lessened considerably beyond this point, with minor tree damage noted just west of Rock Springs Church Road, indicative of EF0 strength with 80 mph winds. The tornado lifted near Rock Springs Church Road, about 0.6 miles south of the Hart County line.
July 1991Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 1974Tornado (F3)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
August 2003Thunderstorm WindAustin$1,500,000The dock at the Barren River State Resort Park marina suffered severe structural damage. Several large sections of the dock, along with the boats moored within them, were blown out of position. Anchor cables holding the docks in place were snapped or large anchors were blown out of position. Two boats were sunk and several boat motors were lost in the storm. Most of the other boats at the marina sustained some type of minor damage. Elsewhere in the park, buildings were damaged and more than 500 trees were downed.
January 2008Tornado (EF1)Bon Ayr$500,000The tornado first touched down along Millstown Road southwest of Park City. It uprooted and snapped the trunks of several large trees, and did some minor roof damage to a nearby home. The tornado was on the ground intermittently along its path to the south and east of Park City, destroying eight barns and uprooting or snapping numerous trees. Right before it lifted, it tore the front porch off a home and destroyed a barn. A path of straight line wind damage continued for around a mile and a half after the tornado lifted.
November 2002Thunderstorm WindBon Ayr$467,000Forty-seven homes had some damage, 6 had major damage, 2 homes were destroyed. Sixteen barns were destroyed. Two businesses and 2 garages had major damage. The damage area was estimated to be 2 miles long and one half mile wide.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindPark City$300,000A path of straight line wind damage occurred along and after the path of an associated tornado southeast of Park city. The most significant damage was to a mobile home that was destroyed when thunderstorm winds blew in the back wall and ripped the roof off of it on Gateway Court. Three occupants were covered by a collapsing wall, but were unhurt. Four barns were destroyed or severely damaged in the area.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindCave City$250,000Thunderstorm winds blew down two walls at an apartment complex in the Cave City area. Winds blew the roof off a home in the Capitol Hill communitiy near Glasgow.
May 1995HailGlascow$250,000Numerous roofs and automobiles were damaged from baseball-size hail in the Glascow area.
April 2017Thunderstorm WindGriderville$200,000Over 160 structures were damaged in a 2-3 mile wide swath extending 15 miles from near Hiseville in Barren County northeast across Metcalfe into Green County. Three EF-1 tornadoes, with maximum winds of 100-110 mph were embedded within this area. Outside of the tornadoes, maximum winds were estimated at 70-90 mph. In Barren County, the most significant damage was in and near Hiseville, where a commercial radio tower collapsed in the high winds, and multiple barns and other outbuildings were flattened.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindGlasgow$200,000A survey by a National Weather Service employee found a path of straight line damage associated with a series of microbursts that began just east of Cave City, and ended 5 miles southeast of Glasgow. Numerous trees were downed along a path roughly 14 miles long. A lumber warehouse shed was destroyed by estimated 70 mph winds along State Highway 31E in Glasgow. ||In addition, local media reported several 25 to 30 foot trees downed in the Green Valley subdivision of Glasgow along Burkesville Road. A tree was downed on Rosewood Road. Local emergency management reported at least 75 trees were downed from central Barren County eastwards. A house's siding was damaged nearby on Davis Street just east of Glasgow.||The county emergency manager eventually recorded several dozen damaged barns and homes overall.
November 2002Thunderstorm WindGlasgow$100,000Mobile homes were blown off their foundations.
April 2018Thunderstorm WindHaywood$75,000The Barren County emergency manager reported that a large tree fell on a house resulting in significant structural damage.
July 2008LightningGoodnight$75,000Lightning struck a house and set it on fire near Glasgow.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindCountywide$75,000Trees and power lines were blown down countywide. There was some unspecified structural damage in Cave City.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindCave City$60,000Straight line winds blew over a mobile home downed some large trees.
August 2016Tornado (EF0)Bristletown$50,000Low-topped showers with weak rotation were observed late in the afternoon on August 20 over south-central Kentucky. One shower spawned a brief tornado south of Glasgow in Barren County. The tornado touched down at approximately 5:30 pm CDT in a cornfield near Morrison Park Road, just east of Tompkinsville Road. The tornado moved east-northeast, roughly paralleling Morrison Park Road, flattening corn on several farms. Structural damage was observed on one farm, where the metal roof was torn off a barn, and minor damage occurred to several other buildings as a result of this debris. Several trees were snapped or uprooted before the tornado lifted at 5:33 PM CDT, just east of Highway 90.
December 2013Thunderstorm WindCave City$50,000A storm survey confirmed widespread wind damage associated with a squall line around Cave City. Several businesses had signs blown down or damaged. A 60 foot tall Super 8 sign next to Interstate 65 was toppled. Trees and power lines were downed. A grocery store had structural damage, while several other businesses received roof damage. Wind damage was noted north of Cave City along US 31, where Alvey's Towing Recovery was damaged. Surveyors estimated straight line winds of between 65 and 70 mph.
January 2010Thunderstorm WindGlasgow$50,000Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and blew the shingles off barns and houses. A carport was also blown off the side of a house.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindPark City$50,000Thunderstorm winds heavily damaged a mobile home on Gateway Court. Four occupants of the mobile home were uninjured. Trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindHiseville$50,000Several house lost roofs and 5 barns were destroyed by downburst winds.
February 1993Thunderstorm Windnot stated$50,000Power lines were blown down near Cave City.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindGlasgow$45,000A trained spotter reported part of a roof blown off a building in Glasgow.
February 2011Thunderstorm WindRailton$40,000A trained spotter reported two barns were destroyed near Railton.
May 2009Tornado (EF1)Hiseville$40,000The EF-1 tornado tracked along a roughly 6 mile long intermittent path from northeastern Barren County into far northern Metcalfe County. It first touched down as an EF-0 tornado 1 mile northeast of Hiseville. The tornado then produced EF-1 damage along its path before lifting about one mile south of the town of Center in Metcalfe County. A home was damaged along with several out-buildings - including a well constructed barn which was destroyed - and numerous trees were uprooted. The tornado was 30 yards wide and ended seven minutes later at 311 pm CDT. Maximum winds ranged from 75 to 90 mph. No injuries or fatalities were associated with this tornado.
May 1995HailGlascow$40,000Baseball-size hail fell again in the vicinity of Glascow. Straight-line winds produced residential and business damage across the county.
April 1996Tornado (F1)Hiseville$40,000no account filed
February 2018Tornado (EF1)Merry Oaks$30,000This is the final 0.3 miles of the tornado that touched down in Warren County near the intersection of Hays Pondsville Rd and FH Roundtree Rd. In Barren County, the roof of a sunroom was torn off a home and an outbuilding destroyed. The tornado then moved over open countryside where drone footage showed it deposited the remainder of its debris. The total path length of the tornado in both counties was 1.9 miles.
April 2017Thunderstorm WindGoodnight$30,000A large barn was flattened by straight-line winds on Old Munfordville Rd north of Glasgow.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindCave City$30,000The roof was ripped off the metal shop of an auto dealership on the south side of Cave City, and a barn was destroyed on the east side of town.
March 2012Thunderstorm WindHiseville$30,000Local Law enforcement reported that homes and garages were damaged. A local newspaper reported that shingles were removed from the roof of the Hiseville Parts Center on Hiseville's Main Street. Several local dairies around Hiseville had extensive damage.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindRoseville$30,000Two farm buildings and one garage were totally destroyed by straight line winds.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindGlasgow$25,000There was a report of a tree down on a car on East Front Street.
April 2017Thunderstorm WindGlasgow$25,000The public reported a tree on a house.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindCave City$25,000A barn was destroyed along Old Munfordville Road. Several trees were downed nearby.
April 2006Thunderstorm WindEighty Eight$25,000A barn was destroyed by straight line winds. This was just north of the track of a tornado that moved from southeast Barren County into southwest Metcalfe County.
March 1975Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 2019Thunderstorm WindGlasgow$20,000Several trees and power lines were down in northern Barren County.
April 2017Thunderstorm WindBerrys Store$20,000Trees were down on Colesbend Road.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindAustin$20,000The Barren County emergency manager reported several downed trees and a barn blown down.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindFinney$20,000One hundred feet of metal roofing was ripped off a large boat shelter at a marina on Barren River Lake. Roof and dock damage to the marina office was also sustained, along with uprooted trees in the vicinity.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindHaywood$20,000The Barren County emergency manager reported that a barn was blown over. Another nearby barn had roof damage. Nearby, several trees were downed along State Highway 25 southwest of Glasgow.
March 2019Thunderstorm WindHighland Spgs$15,000A barn roof was blown off with tree damage in the area.
March 2016LightningGlasgow$15,000The Barren County emergency manager reported a transformer blew after a lightning strike at north Race and West Front streets.
September 2016LightningGlasgow$15,000A trained spotter reported that a lightning strike caused a tree to split, and part of it fell onto a house on Cleveland Avenue.
July 2022LightningGlasgow$10,000Lightning knocked down a power pole on West Cherry Street, knocking out power. The cost of damage is unknown.
September 2017Flash FloodGlasgow$10,000The Barren County Emergency Manager reported a car was submerged in flood waters on Shamrock Court.
September 2017Flash FloodGlasgow$10,000State officials reported that one water rescue was performed along Burkesville Road near Siloam Road.

Mines and quarries

4 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 4 workings inside this county. 2 still produce and 2 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Stone, Crushed/Broken4

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Barren County QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Mc Murtrey QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Pace QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Park City Quarry & MillStone, Crushed/BrokenPlant

Every populated place in the county

40

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 2 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

Recorded here

Glasgow, Kentucky

10 topographic sheets and 9 fire insurance atlases, 1886 to 1947

Cave City, Kentucky

12 topographic sheets and 5 fire insurance atlases, 1901 to 1927

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.