Carroll County, Kentucky

34 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases across 1 place.

Research this county

From the record

11 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kentucky within the United States

Carroll County within Kentucky

What the record shows

1 place in this county was surveyed for fire insurance: Carrollton, between 1886 and 1948.
8 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
226 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
11 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 8 buildings and 3 districts.
5 of the 11 listings were added during the 1970s.
The Geographic Names Information System records 22 populated places in this county; 22 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

13 photographs, 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.

Four members of the Giles family catch the late-afternoon light near the remnants of a fallen barn amid the trees at their farm outside Carrollton, Kentucky
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

The confluence of the smaller Kentucky River, left, and the large Ohio River in Carrollton, Kentucky
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

The Carroll County Courthouse in Carrollton, Kentucky, designed by an Louisville architectural firm run by three McDonald brothers
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

Interior view of the Masterson House in Carrollton, Kentucky, one of the oldest (some say the oldest) surviving two-story brick buildings along the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio meets the mighty Mississippi River
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

Hay rolls in a shed on the outskirts of Carrollton, Kentucky
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

The family cemetery at the Masterson House in Carrollton, Kentucky, one of the oldest (some say the oldest) surviving two-story brick buildings along the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio meets the mighty Mississippi River
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

Abandoned tobacco barns on the outskirts of Carrollton, Kentucky, once the second (some say third) leading grower and broker of burleigh tobacco in the world in the early to mid-1900s
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

The Masterson House in Carrollton, Kentucky, is one of the oldest (some say the oldest) surviving two-story brick buildings along the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio meets the mighty Mississippi River
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

The old stone jail in Carrollton, Kentucky, whose 16-inch llimestone walls were the only insulation for the unfortunate inhabitans (mostly Saturday night drunks, according to one local shirtsleeve historian)
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

An abandoned dairy barn and silos on the outskirts of Carrollton, Kentucky
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

A classic Kentucky dinner setting and meal, prepared at the home of Bob and Connie Giles in Carrollton, Kentucky
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

Richlawn Farm's barn in Carrollton, Kentucky, once home of a tobacco grower and broker Ralph M. Barker, known as "Mr. Tobacco," who also had a downtown building in his name during the height of Carrollton's run as the world's second (some say third) largest supplier of burleigh tobacco in the early and mid-1900s
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

The Barker House in Carrollton, Kentucky, once home of a tobacco grower and broker Ralph M. Barker, known as "Mr. Tobacco," who also had a downtown building in his name during the height of Carrollton's run as the world's second (some say third) largest supplier of burleigh tobacco
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

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

Property	Type	Listed	Reference
Paschal Todd Baker House	building	1980	80001496
Gen. William O. Butler House	building	1976	76000861
Carrollton Historic District	district	1982	82001553
Ghent Historic District	district	1983	83002623
Grass Hills	building	1975	75000743
Hunter's Bottom Historic District	district	1976	76000862
Richard Masterson House	building	1975	75000742
Henry Ogburn House	building	1987	87000149
Richlawn Farm	building	2000	00000274
Stone House on Kentucky River	building	1987	87000151
Turpin House	building	1977	77000606

Photographs from libraries nationwide

2 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 2 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.

Carrollton Auto Court on U. S. 42, Boston Public Library - undated — Carrollton Auto Court on U. S. 42. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

Gypsy Grill Cafeteria, Carrollton, Ky., Boston Public Library - undated — Gypsy Grill Cafeteria, Carrollton, Ky.. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

28 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 709 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 28 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, 1949-05-03, scale 1:14000 — 1949-05-03, scale 1:14000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1950-06-01, scale 1:14200 — 1950-06-01, scale 1:14200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-10-18, scale 1:60000 — 1952-10-18, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-10-21, scale 1:60000 — 1952-10-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1955-03-01, scale 1:19000 — 1955-03-01, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1955-03-30, scale 1:19000 — 1955-03-30, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-01-19, scale 1:24000 — 1967-01-19, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-04-06, scale 1:24000 — 1969-04-06, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-04-01, scale 1:80000 — 1978-04-01, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

3 stations

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

CARROLLTON LOCK 1 1893 to 2002, hottest 40.6 C, coldest -41.7 C
CARROLLTON 1950, hottest 33.3 C, coldest -17.2 C
CARROLLTON 0.9 W 2022 to 2026

The 1950 census, district by district

14 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.

21-1Magisterial District 1: Prestonville town
21-2Magisterial District 1 - That part west of State Hwy. 55, outside Prestonville town
21-3Magisterial District 1 - That part east of State Hwy. 55, outside Prestonville town
21-4Magisterial District 2: Ghent town
21-5Magisterial District 2: Sanders town
21-6Magisterial District 2: Worthville town
21-7Magisterial District 2 - That part east of State Hwy. 47 and road from State Hwy. 47 at Shoofly, extending southeast to State Hwy. 36, near Indian Creek, north of State Hwy. 36 and east of Indian Creek, outside Ghent and Sanders towns
21-8Magisterial District 2 - That part west of State Hwy. 47 and road from State Hwy. 47 at Shoofly, extending southeast to State Hwy. 36 near Indian Creek, north and east of State Hwy. 36, outside Ghent town
21-9Magisterial District 2 - That part south and west of State Hwy. 36 and west of Indian Creek, outside Worthville town
21-10Magisterial District 3: Carrollton city: Carrollton city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; Clay; 6th
21-11Carrollton city - That part Bounded by City limits; 6th; Clay; City limits
21-12Carrollton city - That part Bounded by Clay; 6th; City limits; City limits
21-13Carrollton city - That part Bounded by Clay; City limits; City limits; 6th
21-14Magisterial District 3 - That part outside Carrollton city

Wildfire, 1999 to 2009

5 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 5 of them, burning about 26 acres. None started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	2
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	2
Recreation and ceremony	1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
17 March 2009	Recreation and ceremony	15 acres	Kentucky Division of Forestry	not named
11 April 1999	Debris and open burning	4.0 acres	Kentucky Division of Forestry	not named
1 April 2000	Debris and open burning	3.0 acres	Kentucky Division of Forestry	not named
11 October 2004	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	2.0 acres	Kentucky Division of Forestry	not named
28 February 2004	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	2.0 acres	Kentucky Division of Forestry	not named

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

Storms, 1957 to 2026

60 of 176 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 176 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 18 injuries and about $7,864,750 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event	Reports
Thunderstorm Wind	90
Hail	28
Flash Flood	27
Flood	18
Tornado	10
Heavy Rain	3

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

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
November 1992	Tornado (F4)	not stated	1 killed, 9 hurt, $2,500,000	no account filed
February 1959	Tornado (F3)	not stated	6 hurt, $2,500,000	no account filed
June 1990	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	2 hurt	no account filed
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Locust	1 hurt, $10,000	Multiple trees were reported down in the area. One tree fell on a car, injuring one person.
March 2012	Tornado (EF1)	Locust	$1,277,000	The tornado initially touched down in Trimble County at 1541 EST, causing extensive EF2 and some EF3 damage south of Milton, before weakening. While in Trimble County, the tornado traveled 3.26 miles and had a maximum width of 75 yards. Based on the damage survey conducted in Trimble County, the maximum estimated wind speed of the tornado at that time was 140 miles per hour. The tornado then entered Carroll County at 1544 EST. The EF1 damage in Carroll County began near the county line near the junction of East Prong Locust Road and Wrights Ridge Road. At this point the path width of the tornado had decreased to 150 yards. The path continued east northeast along Kings Ridge Road. The path then continued east northeast to Route 42 in the vicinity of Kemper Lane near the Harbor Pointe Estates community. The path briefly continued after that before diminishing. Damage in Carroll County was consistent with a high end EF0 to low end EF1 tornado. Several structures had minor to more significant roof damage, with some structures losing over 25 percent of the roof structure. Several barns were destroyed, as well as widespread hardwood tree damage. These trees were either snapped or uprooted. At least two mobile homes were destroyed. Based on this survey, the maximum estimated wind speed of this tornado while in Carroll County, was 95 miles per hour. Damage estimates in Carroll County are 1,277,000 dollars.
March 1997	Flash Flood	Countywide	$500,000	no account filed
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$200,000	Numerous houses, buildings and churches sustained significant roof damage. There was also substantial damage to a concrete building. In addition, dozens of trees were downed.
April 2014	Flash Flood	Locust	$100,000	A mudslide caused by heavy rain destroyed a single family home near State Route 36 and Notch Lick Road. The foundation was undermined. The home was unoccupied.
May 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	English	$70,000	Damage occurred to a house and 2 barns were destroyed along Highway 389 due to thunderstorm winds. Numerous trees were also downed in the area.
March 2024	Tornado (EF2)	Locust	$50,000	The tornado first developed in Jefferson County, Indiana, at 1258EST, on the north side of Hanover. The tornado moved east across the Ohio River into Trimble County, Kentucky, and then into Carroll County at 1308EST. \|\|There was extensive tree damage just inside of western Carroll County where winds were estimated to be 115 mph, EF-2 strength, before weakening across the rugged Fairview ridge. There was one large barn along Hampton Road that had extensive roof paneling damage and a door blown out. Wind speeds here were estimated to be 90 mph, EF-1. There was a lot of topped tree damage along Locust Creek and Kentucky State Route 36, where wind speeds were estimated to be 85 mph, EF-0.\|\|At 1315EST, the tornado moved across the Ohio River again and back into Jefferson County, Indiana. The tornado continued east across southwest Switzerland County, Indiana, before crossing the Ohio River one more time and moving back into Carroll County, Kentucky, and ending at 1324EST, 2 miles east of Carrollton.
January 2000	Flash Flood	Countywide	$50,000	Persistent heavy rainfall caused 9 roads to be closed across the county. Also, a few evacuations became necessary as the water rose.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$25,000	Two trees were downed, one on a house and another on a car.
July 2015	Flash Flood	English	$25,000	Tom Town Road was washed out near Pryor Branch Road.
May 1996	Flash Flood	Countywide	$25,000	no account filed
July 1988	Tornado (F0)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
September 1976	Tornado (F1)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
May 1957	Tornado (F2)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Prestonville	$20,000	A large tree fell onto a car and a house.
March 2024	Tornado (EF0)	Prestonville	$20,000	The tornado first developed in Jefferson County, Indiana, at 1258EST, on the north side of Hanover. The tornado moved east across the Ohio River into Trimble County, Kentucky, and then into Carroll County, Kentucky, at 1308EST. The tornado moved across the Ohio River again and back into Jefferson County, Indiana, and then Switzerland County, Indiana, before crossing the Ohio River one more time and moving back into Carroll County, Kentucky, at 1322EST, just east of Carrollton on US 42. The tornado was very narrow at this point and produced some sporadic tree damage before ending at 1324EST. Wind speeds were estimated to be around 75 mph, EF-0. The Kentucky Mesonet site 2E of Carrollton measured 68 mph as the weakening tornado lifted.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Prestonville	$20,000	A few power poles were downed in the 1200 block of Highland Avenue.
September 2022	Flash Flood	Prestonville	$20,000	High water was flowing across 10th Street.
May 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$20,000	A warehouse at Polk and 11th Street in Carollton was damaged and 3 large limbs were downed due to thunderstorm winds.
July 2003	Flash Flood	Carrollton	$20,000	High water flooded a few roads. Several homes sustained basement flooding in town.
November 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$20,000	no account filed
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$15,000	A large tree fell onto a house. Numerous trees were also downed across the county.
March 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Locust	$10,000	Several homes sustained roof damage.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$10,000	Tree limbs were reported down in the city and trees were downed around the county due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
August 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Sanders	$10,000	One power pole and numerous power lines were down due to the damaging thunderstorm winds.
August 2009	Flash Flood	Prestonville	$10,000	Water was reported rushing over roads and entering a gas station building.
February 2000	Flash Flood	Countywide	$10,000	Several hours of heavy rainfall caused creeks to flood out of their banks.
November 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$10,000	Winds knocked down large limbs and snapped power poles.
August 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$10,000	Numerous trees knocked down across the county.
June 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Central Portion	$10,000	Several trees were knocked down through the county. A roof was reportedly blown off of a house and a barn.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Chent	$9,000	A tree was knocked down onto a car in Ghent.
May 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$8,000	Trees were downed.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$8,000	Trees were downed.
April 2026	Thunderstorm Wind	Eagle Station	$7,000	Several trees were downed and a couple of sheds were damaged.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Chent	$7,000	A few trees and power lines were downed in Ghent.
February 2021	Flood	Sanders	$6,000	Three vehicles required water rescues on State Highway 36 along Eagle Creek.
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$6,000	Trees were downed countywide.
April 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$5,000	A large tree fell on a house due to the winds.
October 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$5,000	Large tree limbs and power lines were reported down countywide due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
March 2008	Flood	Locust	$5,000	State Route 36 was flooded and closed outside of Carrollton. Several other roads were flooded throughout the county.
July 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$5,000	Trees knocked down across the county.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Eagle Station	$5,000	Numerous trees downed.
August 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Worthville	$5,000	Numerous trees downed.
August 2000	Flash Flood	Countywide	$5,000	Heavy rainfall caused the closing of Highway 42.
August 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$5,000	Trees downed across the county due to thunderstorm winds.
April 1993	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	$5,000	Several trees were snapped and uprooted 1 mile east of Carrollton.
May 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Countywide	$5,000	no account filed
April 2026	Thunderstorm Wind	Locust	$4,000	A few trees were downed in the 2300 block of U.S. Route 42.
April 2026	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$4,000	A few trees were downed on both Hawkins and Taylor Streets.
May 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$4,000	A few trees were downed.
May 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Chent	$4,000	A few trees were downed along Black Rock Road.
April 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$4,000	Tree limbs were knocked down.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$3,000	A few trees were downed in the Carrollton area, including one on Martin Road and one on State Route 55.
May 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Locust	$3,000	A few trees were downed onto State Route 36 West.
March 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Locust	$3,000	Several large trees were downed.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Chent	$3,000	A few trees were knocked down.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Carrollton	$3,000	Three large trees were snapped at the intersection of 6th Street and Village Lane.

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It still produces. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity	Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction	1

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

Where	Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
	Milton Plant	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer

Every populated place in the county

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 1 place that was also surveyed for fire insurance comes first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

Carrollton

Carrollton census division · 41008 · On Kentucky River · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990

Fire insurance: 8 atlases
Carson

41083 · On Stony Creek · Sanders quadrangle

8 sheets, 1951 to 1986
Easterday

Carrollton census division · Vevay South quadrangle

11 sheets, 1943 to 1990
English

Prestonville census division · 41008 · On Lees Creek · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990
Fairview

Prestonville census division · 40045 · On Fairview Ridge · Madison East quadrangle

11 sheets, 1953 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Ghent

Carrollton census division · 41045 · On Black Rock Creek · Vevay South quadrangle

11 sheets, 1943 to 1990
Gilgal

Prestonville census division · 40075 · On Lees Creek · Campbellsburg quadrangle

7 sheets, 1952 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Indian Hills

Carrollton census division · 41008 · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990
Kings Ridge

Prestonville census division · 41008 · Near Wrights Ridge · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990
Langstaff

Carrollton census division · 41098 · On Whites Run · Vevay South quadrangle

11 sheets, 1943 to 1990
Little Kentucky

Prestonville census division · 41008 · On Ellis Branch · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Locust

Prestonville census division · 40045 · On East Prong Locust Creek · Madison East quadrangle

11 sheets, 1953 to 1990
Mill Creek

Prestonville census division · 41008 · On East Fork Mill Creek · Campbellsburg quadrangle

7 sheets, 1952 to 1990
Mound Hill

Prestonville census division · 41008 · On Ellis Branch · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Notch Lick

Prestonville census division · 40045 · On Notch Lick · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Pleasant Union

Prestonville census division · 40075 · Worthville quadrangle

8 sheets, 1952 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Prestonville

Prestonville census division · 41008 · On Kentucky River · Carrollton quadrangle

12 sheets, 1943 to 1990
Rockville

Carrollton census division · 41045 · Vevay South quadrangle

11 sheets, 1943 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Sanders

Carrollton census division · 41083 · On Lick Creek · Sanders quadrangle

8 sheets, 1951 to 1986
Tomtown

Prestonville census division · 40011 · On Pryor Branch · Campbellsburg quadrangle

7 sheets, 1952 to 1990

No longer a settlement
Worthville

Carrollton census division · 41098 · On Eagle Creek · Worthville quadrangle

8 sheets, 1952 to 1990
Wrights Ridge

Prestonville census division · 40045 · On Wrights Ridge · Madison East quadrangle

11 sheets, 1953 to 1990

No longer a settlement

The vanished settlements of Carroll County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Recorded here

Carrollton, Kentucky

12 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases, 1886 to 1948

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.