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Metcalfe County, Kentucky

35 topographic sheets cover 21 settlements here, and 5 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

5 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kentucky within the United States
Metcalfe County within Kentucky

What the record shows

  • 200 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 5 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 4 buildings and 1 district.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 21 populated places in this county; 21 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

5

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
Bell House, Thebuilding201616000012
Metcalfe County Jailbuilding200404000791
Metcalfe County Kentucky Courthousebuilding200000000271
Stockton-Ray Housebuilding199292000289
Sulphur Well Historic Districtdistrict199898000932

The county from the air

23 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 405 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 23 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 1:23600
1951-04-18, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-27, scale 1:18000
1953-03-27, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-27, scale 1:18000
1953-03-27, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-27, scale 1:18000
1953-03-27, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-03-27, scale 1:18000
1953-03-27, 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, 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, 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, 1975-04-01, scale 1:78000
1975-04-01, scale 1:78000. 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.

Weather records

8 stations, 1 gage

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

18 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.

  • 85-1Magisterial District 1, Edmonton: Edmonton town
  • 85-2Magisterial District 1, Edmonton - That part northeast of East Fork Little Barren River and north of Gascon - Columbia Rd. via East Fork Church
  • 85-3Magisterial District 1, Edmonton - That part southwest of East Fork Little Barren River, northwest of State Hwy. 80, and east of South Fork Little Barren River, outside Edmonton town
  • 85-4AMagisterial District 1, Edmonton - That part south of Old Horse Cave Rd.
  • 85-4BMagisterial District 1, Edmonton - That part north of Old Horse Cave Rd.
  • 85-5Magisterial District 1, Edmonton - That part south of State Hwy. 80 and west of Claylick Creek
  • 85-6Magisterial District 1, Edmonton - That part east of Claylick Creek, and south of South Fork Little Barren River, State Hwy. 80 and Gascon - Columbia Rd. via East Fork Church, outside Edmonton town
  • 85-7Magisterial District 2, Sulphur Well: Magisterial District 2, Sulphur Well - That part north of State Hwys. 163 and 70, east of Knob Lick - Center Rd. and south of State Hwy. 314 and Center - Node Rd.
  • 85-8Magisterial District 2, Sulphur Well - That part north of State Hwy. 314 and Center - Node Rd.
  • 85-9Magisterial District 2, Sulphur Well - That part south of State Hwy. 314, west of Center - Knob Lick Rd. and north of State Hwy. 70
  • 85-10Magisterial District 2, Sulphur Well - That part south of State Hwy. 70 and west of the South Fork Little Barren River
  • 85-11Magisterial District 2, Sulphur Well - That part southeast of State Hwys. 70 and 163, and east of the South Fork Little Barren River
  • 85-12Magisterial District 4, Cofer, Subtle, Good Luck: Magisterial District 4, Cofer, Subtle, Good Luck - That part northeast of Edmonton - Subtle Rd. to southeast county line
  • 85-13Magisterial District 4, Cofer, Subtle, Good Luck - That part southwest of Edmonton - Subtle Rd. to southeast county line and northeast of Walnut Grove Church - Cedar Flat Rd. via Moccasin School
  • 85-14Magisterial District 4, Cofer, Subtle, Good Luck - That part southwest of Walnut Grove Church - Cedar Flat Rd. via Moccasin School
  • 85-15Magisterial District 3, Summer Shade: Magisterial District 3, Summer Shade - That part west of State Hwy. 163 and north of State Hwy. 90
  • 85-16Magisterial District 3, Summer Shade - That part south of State Hwy 90 and west of State Hwy. 163
  • 85-17Magisterial District 3, Summer Shade - That part east of State Hwy. 163

Wildfire, 1998 to 2020

117 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 117 of them, burning about 1,133 acres. 2 started naturally and 15 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning47
Missing data/not specified/undetermined28
Arson/incendiarism15
Recreation and ceremony10
Railroad operations and maintenance8
Equipment and vehicle use6
Natural2
Smoking1

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

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
30 October 2010Debris and open burning203 acresKentucky Division of ForestryGORDEN BRANCH
11 November 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined160 acresKentucky Division of ForestryDIVIDING RIDGE
6 January 2012Debris and open burning74 acresKentucky Division of ForestrySMITH FARM
31 October 2010Debris and open burning63 acresKentucky Division of Forestry200 DOLLAR FIRE
6 April 2010Debris and open burning50 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
12 November 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined50 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
25 September 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined38 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
7 April 2013Debris and open burning35 acresKentucky Division of ForestrySLATE CREEK FIRE

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

Storms, 1957 to 2026

60 of 190 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 190 reports for this county, causing 3 deaths, 9 injuries and about $9,816,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind112
Hail35
Tornado19
Flash Flood17
Flood7

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
March 1997Tornado (F2)Summer Shade1 killed, 6 hurt, $1,000,000no account filed
November 1965Tornado (F2)not stated1 killed, 1 hurtno account filed
April 1998Tornado (F2)Wisdom1 killed, $5,000,000no account filed
July 1997Thunderstorm WindSulphur Well1 hurt, $100,000One man was injured as the mobile home he just finished collapsed on him. Also, several homes received minor damage and many barns were blown down.
May 2001Thunderstorm WindEdmonton1 hurt, $5,000no account filed
April 2006HailCenter$550,000no account filed
May 1995Tornado (F2)Edmonton$500,000Tornado touched down in Edmonton then traveled along U.S. 80 to the Adair County line 14 miles to the West. A mobile and three barns were destroyed. Several homes and a factory were damaged. Many trees and power lines were also blown down.
April 2017Thunderstorm WindSavoyard$400,000Over 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 Metcalfe County, two of the three tornadoes touched down near the community of Center, which had been hit by a brief EF-1 tornado just eight days earlier. In addition to the dozens of structures damaged by the non-tornadic winds - including the complete destruction of several outbuildings - several headstones were blown over in a small cemetery a half mile north of Center.
March 2017Tornado (EF1)Center$300,000This squall-line tornado was on the ground for just over a quarter of a mile, but caused considerable destruction. It touched down about 0.3 miles southwest of Center, destroying two large barns and a small outbuilding in addition to taking the roof off a small home. The front porch of a nearby home was briefly raised, causing the supports to fall out. The tornado moved northeast, streaming debris from the four buildings in a cyclonic pattern and into a nearby automotive repair shop that had one door blown in and another outward. The large metal shop had minor roof damage, but was pierced in several locations by debris from the outbuildings to the southwest and the entire facility was shifted slightly off its foundation. Numerous vehicles near the repair shop sustained damage when hit by large debris from the barns to the southwest. The cab of a small pickup was crushed by debris and the vehicle blown onto Highway 969. An RV parked next to the shop was blown into a utility pole. Several other vehicles had windows broken out. Metal roof panels from the destroyed buildings, along with insulation from the small home, was wrapped around trees as far as a half mile from their origin, with other small debris observed as far as 3/4 mile from the initial touchdown location.
May 2010Flash FloodCedar Flat$300,000Numerous roads across the county were closed due to flash flooding, and Dunham Lake dam on the north side of Edmonton was in danger of failing when water surging over the spillway eroded up to 7 feet of earth away from both sides of the concrete spillway. The rushing water also washed away the shoulder of a roadway immediately downstream of the dam. A total of eight to ten inches of rain fell across Metcalfe county from May 1-2.
November 1957Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
February 2018FloodKnob Lick$200,000Heavy rain resulted in numerous sinkholes, several bank erosions, and road washouts across Metcalfe County, resulting in nearly $170,000 damage to public infrastructure alone, with bridge and roadway washouts.
April 2006Tornado (F2)Summer Shade$175,000Several homes and barns were destroyed on Froedge-Dubree and Pitcock Roads in the Summer Shade area, as a tornado moved from Barren into Metcalfe County.
April 2017Tornado (EF1)Center$150,000This small tornado touched down near the intersection of Iron Mountain and Kidd Roads where it heavily damaged a barn, then moved east-northeast over open farmland before hitting a farm on the west side of Center Three Springs Road. It tore the back end off a large barn there and collapsed a 60 foot silo, then crossed the road and snapped off several trees before lifting. The doors on a nearby barn were blown in.
July 2018Tornado (EF0)Cedar Flat$125,000This short-lived spin-up occurred as a northeast-moving storm interacted with outflow winds from a southeastward-moving storm in eastern Metcalfe County. The first damage occurred along Subtle Road, where a carport was overturned and a large part of a metal outbuilding's roof was torn off, in addition to snapping numerous trees. The tornado then moved east-northeast at tree-top level over wooded areas and farm fields, doing its next major damage a mile away where it pushed a double-wide mobile home to the northwest off its blocks, breaking windows, and ripping off shingles from the roof. The tornado continued on for another mile, causing occasional tree damage, and dropping debris before lifting near the east end of Groce Road, where it peeled roofing material from a metal out building. Maximum wind speeds with this tornado were estimated at 80 to 85 mph.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindCenter$100,000Winds from a microburst completely destroyed 4 barns, damaging 3 others near the intersection of Kentucky Highway 1048 and Herbert Hodges Road.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$100,000Thunderstorm winds blew windows blown out of several businesses.
April 2017Tornado (EF1)Center$75,000This small, short-lived tornado touched down shortly after the previous tornado to its northwest lifted. It began in a field west of Center Peggyville Road, taking out several trees in a tree line before moving east where it destroyed a large, well-built barn, lofting debris into the air and sending it as far as 1/4 mile to the east. After crossing the road, it snapped several trees on the edge of a large grove and narrowly missed another home.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$50,000The fire chief reported that trees and power lines were down, and a shop was destroyed near Edmonton along Highway 496. Highway 496 was closed due to debris.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindRandolph$50,000State officials reported that a barn was blown down on Randolph Road.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$50,000The roof was blown off a farm supply store in Edmonton. Trees were downed throughout the county.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$50,000no account filed
August 2017Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$40,000Trees fell on the roofs of two houses.
April 1996Tornado (F1)Knob Lick$40,000no account filed
July 2016Thunderstorm WindSavoyard$30,000The Metcalfe County emergency manager reported a metal roof was peeled off a barn due to severe thunderstorm winds.
April 2006Thunderstorm WindSummer Shade$25,000Several homes received unspecified structural damage.
April 2012Thunderstorm WindKnob Lick$20,000One house lost a roof along Crenshaw Road. Four other homes suffered roof damage on the same street.
March 2006Thunderstorm WindCountywide$20,000The roof was blown off a barn in Edmonton.
January 1997Tornado (F1)Wisdom$20,000no account filed
June 2015Thunderstorm WindKnob Lick$15,000A Kentucky state official reported that several trees and power lines were down on Crenshaw Cassady Road and Cave Ridge-New Liberty Road.
February 2012Tornado (EF1)Center$10,000This EF-1 tornado touched down just southeast of Center, near Herbert-Hodges Road. It damaged several barns and snapped numerous trees along its path.
May 2009Tornado (EF0)Savoyard$10,000This tornado first touched down in Barren County, about one mile northeast of Hiseville, before tracking into Metcalfe County. While the tornado produced EF-1 damage in Barren County, only EF-0 damage occurred along the Metcalfe part of its path, uplifting a pole barn and scattering it across a field. The tornado then lifted about one mile south of Center near State Highway 1243.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindRandolph$10,000A roof was blown off a porch. The roof was blown off a shed as well. Numerous trees and power lines were downed.
January 1999Thunderstorm WindCountywide$10,000Several barns damaged
November 2000Thunderstorm WindSubtle$10,000no account filed
March 2017Thunderstorm WindSavoyard$5,000Two outbuildings along Iron Mountain Rd west of Center were partially collapsed by thunderstorm winds.
May 1995Thunderstorm WindSummershade$5,000Trees and some barns blown down reported by Fire Department.
May 1995Thunderstorm WindSummershade$5,000Twelve barns were damaged.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindGascon$3,000The Metcalfe county Emergency Manager reported several trees down across eastern Metcalfe county. There was structural damage reported to one house.
March 2012Thunderstorm WindClarks Corner$3,000A supercell moved north of Edmonson bringing destructive winds and large hail. Estimated 70 mph winds destroyed a tool shed on Don Lyle Road. A portion of a home's roof was removed on Odell-Vanzant Road.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$2,000The Metcalfe Emergency Manager reported that a tree split and fell onto a house. Several other trees and multiple large limbs also down in the area.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$2,000Several trees and power lines were downed in Edmonton. A small outbuilding was blown onto a street.
January 2000Thunderstorm WindEdmonton$1,000Windows blown out of a house
March 2026Thunderstorm WindGascon-A tree was blown down into the road near the intersection of US Route 68 and A H Boston Road. Another tree was reported down near the intersection of Columbia Road and Mosby Ridge Road.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindCork-A tree was blown down along Bridgeport Road.
April 2025Flash FloodCedar Flat-Multiple roads were closed across the county due to flood waters.
April 2025Flash FloodWisdom-There was a water rescue along Dripping Springs Bragg Road.
December 2025Thunderstorm WindBeechville-A tree had to be removed after being blown across US Route 68 in northern Metcalfe County. A tree was also blown down along Muncie Court in Edmonton.
July 2024Tornado (EF0)Willow Shade-The tornadic circulation continued from Cumberland County into Metcalfe County, hugging the west side of Cedar Ridge just to the east of Ferris Creek Road and Earl Hurt Road. The tornado lifted about 1.9 miles north-northeast of Dubre at a residence |along Earl Hurt Road after uprooting several more trees that were|oriented in multiple directions. A drone was flown along the|western edge of the ridge line between the initial residence that|was impacted and the lifting point, and very little limb damage|was noted. It is likely that there was some terrain interaction|along the western edge of Cedar Ridge that helped with the|circulation. Overall, the EF0 tornado was on the ground for just|under 1 mile with a maximum path width of 200 yards. There was|additional straight-line wind damage consistent with 70 to 80 mph|winds that was noted right on Ferris Fork and Ferris Creek Roads|that all had east-northeasterly orientation and appears to be inflow into the|main tornadic circulation just a couple hundred yards to the east.
May 2024Tornado (EF1)Willow Shade-The National Weather Service conducted a storm survey and found a tornado occurred on Sunday, May 26th, 2024. Despite the fact that the tornado was only on the ground for a little over one mile and one minute, it tracked very briefly through Monroe, Metcalfe, and Cumberland County.||The tornado crossed into Metcalfe County for a few yards as it tracked along Bacon Branch of Leatherwood Creek near Fowler Brown Road. Most of the tree damage associated with the tornado at this point was in Cumberland County, though minor damage did occur across the county line in Metcalfe County. After a few seconds straddling the Metcalfe and Cumberland County line, the tornado would cross into Cumberland County for good.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindClarks Corner-Trees were blown down along Knob Lick Road near Edmonton.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindEdmonton-There were numerous trees and power outages throughout the county.
October 2022Thunderstorm WindKnob Lick-Trees were blown down near the intersection of Knob Lick Road and Sulphur Well Knob Lick Road.
January 2022Thunderstorm WindSavoyard-A barn's roof was blown off and approximately 7 windows were blown out of a house.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindWisdom-Trees were down on a property along Dripping Springs Church Road near Wisdom.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindSummer Shade-Trees were down along Summer Shade Road.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindCurtis-A couple of trees were down along Cedar Flat Curtis Road and Subtle Road.
May 2021Flash FloodEdmonton-River Road was flooded.
May 2021Flash FloodClarks Corner-Parts of Knob Lick Road were under water. The time was estimated by the dispatcher.
May 2021Flash FloodCurtis-The Cedar Flat Curtis Bridge flooded.

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
Stone, Crushed/Broken1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Chapman QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every populated place in the county

21

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.

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.