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Union County, Kentucky

80 topographic sheets and 20 fire insurance atlases across 3 places.

Research this county

From the record

7 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kentucky within the United States
Union County within Kentucky

What the record shows

  • 3 places in this county were surveyed for fire insurance: Morganfield, Uniontown, Sturgis, between 1886 and 1943.
  • 20 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 695 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 7 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 4 buildings, 1 object, 1 district and 1 site.
  • 1 of the 7 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 41 populated places in this county; 41 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

7

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
Camp Breckinridge Non-Commissioned Officers' Clubbuilding200101000804
Confederate Monument of Morganfieldobject199797000666
Daniel H. Hughes Housebuilding198080001673
Morganfield Commercial Districtdistrict198484002063
George N. Proctor Housebuilding199090001488
Saline Islandsite199898001291
Union County Courthousebuilding197878001401

Photographs from libraries nationwide

1 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 1 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.

Infantry band - Camp Breckinridge 372nd infantry 7:45 a, Boston Public Library - undated
Infantry band - Camp Breckinridge 372nd infantry 7:45 a. Miller, Jack, 1924-1948, 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 781 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, 1950-04-01, scale 1:28400
1950-04-01, scale 1:28400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1950-04-01, scale 1:28400
1950-04-01, scale 1:28400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1950-04-01, scale 1:28400
1950-04-01, scale 1:28400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1950-04-01, scale 1:28400
1950-04-01, scale 1:28400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-02-21, scale 1:18000
1952-02-21, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-02-21, scale 1:18000
1952-02-21, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1956-03-21, scale 1:60000
1956-03-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1956-03-21, scale 1:60000
1956-03-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1956-03-21, scale 1:60000
1956-03-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1956-03-21, scale 1:60000
1956-03-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1958-01-11, scale 1:24000
1958-01-11, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1959-04-04, scale 1:17000
1959-04-04, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-04, scale 1:24000
1968-03-04, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-04, scale 1:24000
1968-03-04, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-04, scale 1:24000
1968-03-04, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-04, scale 1:24000
1968-03-04, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-14, scale 1:119934
1971-05-14, scale 1:119934. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-14, scale 1:119934
1971-05-14, scale 1:119934. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-14, scale 1:119365
1971-05-14, scale 1:119365. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-06-17, scale 1:121000
1971-06-17, scale 1:121000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-01, scale 1:24000
1973-03-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-01, scale 1:24000
1973-03-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-01, scale 1:24000
1973-03-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-03-01, scale 1:24000
1973-03-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-05-01, scale 1:80000
1977-05-01, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-05-01, scale 1:80000
1977-05-01, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

4 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

27 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.

  • 113-1Magisterial District 1, Morganfield: Morganfield city: Morganfield city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; City limits, Lyon, Padgett; Houston, Air Line Rd., Illinois Central Railroad, Main
  • 113-2Morganfield city - That part Bounded by Illinois Central Railroad; Air Line Rd.; Morgan; Main
  • 113-3Morganfield city - That part Bounded by Morgan; Houston, Padgett, Lyon; City limits; Main
  • 113-4Morganfield city - That part Bounded by Morgan; Main; City limits; City limits
  • 113-5Morganfield city - That part Bounded by City limits; Main; Morgan; City limits
  • 113-6Magisterial District 1, Morganfield - That part north of U.S. Hwy. 60 and State Hwy. 56, outside Morganfield city
  • 113-7Magisterial District 1, Morganfield - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 60 and State Hwy. 56, excluding Camp Breckenridge, outside Morganfield city
  • 113-8Camp Breckenridge - That part in Magisterial District 1, Morganfield (Remainder of Camp Breckenridge is in Magisterial District 6, Waverly, Union County; Magisterial District 7, Corydon, Henderson County; and Magisterial District 1, Dixon, Webster County)
  • 113-9Magisterial District 2, Uniontown: Uniontown city: Uniontown city - That part southeast of State Hwy. 268
  • 113-10Uniontown city - That part northwest of State Hwy. 268
  • 113-11Magisterial District 2, Uniontown - That part outside Uniontown city, including Slim Island, Wabash Island and all unnamed islands in this enumeration district
  • 113-12Magisterial District 3, Raleigh - Including Cincinnati Bar and all other islands in this Magisterial District
  • 113-13Magisterial District 4, Caseyville: Caseyville town
  • 113-14VOID
  • 113-15Magisterial District 4, Caseyville - That part outside Caseyville town, including Saline Island and all other islands in this enumeration district
  • 113-16Magisterial District 5, Sturgis: Sturgis city: Sturgis city - That part east of Adams and north of 5th
  • 113-17Sturgis city - That part west of Adams and north of 9th
  • 113-18BSturgis city - That part Bounded by 5th, U.S. Hwy. 60; City limits; City limits
  • 113-18ASturgis city - That part Bounded by 9th; Adams, 5th, Monroe; City limits; City limits
  • 113-19Magisterial District 5, Sturgis - That part east of U.S. Hwy. 60 and west of State Hwy. 141, outside Sturgis city
  • 113-20Magisterial District 5, Sturgis - That part west of U.S. Hwy. 60, outside Sturgis city
  • 113-21Magisterial District 5, Sturgis - That part southeast of State Hwy. 141 and U.S. Hwy. 60
  • 113-22Magisterial District 6, Waverly Waverly town
  • 113-23Magisterial District 6, Waverly - That part north of U.S. Hwy. 60, outside Waverly town, excluding St. Vincents Academy
  • 113-24St. Vincents Academy (In Magisterial District 6, Waverly)
  • 113-25Magisterial District 6, Waverly - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 60, outside Waverly town, excluding Camp Breckenridge (part)
  • 113-26Camp Breckenridge - That part in Magisterial District 7, Waverly (Remainder of Camp Breckenridge is in Magisterial District 1, Morganfield, Union County; Magisterial District 7, Corydon, Henderson County, and Magisterial District 1, Dixon, Webster County)

Wildfire, 2000 to 2019

13 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 13 of them, burning about 169 acres. None started naturally and 2 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined6
Recreation and ceremony3
Arson/incendiarism2
Railroad operations and maintenance1
Debris and open burning1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Two of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
29 February 2004Missing data/not specified/undetermined50 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
13 March 2004Missing data/not specified/undetermined50 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
18 February 2017Arson/incendiarism17 acresKentucky Division of ForestryHWY 1508
12 October 2000Railroad operations and maintenance12 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
12 March 2013Debris and open burning9.0 acresKentucky Division of ForestryMCLURE CEMETARY ROAD
4 October 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined8.0 acresKentucky Division of ForestryCASEYVILLE CEMENTERY
13 December 2017Arson/incendiarism7.0 acresKentucky Division of ForestryH AND H
19 March 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined5.0 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named

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

Storms, 1956 to 2025

60 of 278 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 278 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 23 injuries and about $23,170,050 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind87
Flood84
Hail52
Tornado29
Flash Flood18
Funnel Cloud5
Heavy Rain2
Lightning1

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
February 2018Flash FloodHitesville1 killedA water rescue was conducted near Mason Creek on Highway 359. A vehicle was swept off the roadway by the flash flood. Fire department dive team members recovered the body of the victim from the submerged car. The 77-year-old victim was a local farmer.
June 1960Tornado (F3)not stated12 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
May 2025Tornado (EF3)Spring Grove4 hurt, $15,000,000An EF-3 tornado with peak winds of 155 mph impacted the south side of Morganfield, KY, on the evening of May 16, 2025. The tornado began along Bunger Road where ground scouring of newly-planted crops was seen. Moving east, the tornado intensified,|doing EF-3 damage to several homes on Highway 130, Robinson Road, US Highway 60, Terre Hill Road, and Wildlife Road. Some homes suffered near catastrophic damage, with most roofs and most exterior walls removed. The tornado weakened after it crossed Highway 56 moving east, lifting near Kit Harris Road. The tornado reached a peak width of around 500 yards and caused four minor injuries along its 9.94 miles track.
February 1999Tornado (F1)Morganfield2 hurt, $200,000Three mobile homes in a mobile home park were destroyed, and 3 others received major damage. Several garages and small storage buildings were destroyed. Two occupants of one of the mobile homes were hospitalized for cuts, bruises, and torn ligaments. Top winds were estimated near 110 MPH.
April 2024Tornado (EF1)Sullivan1 hurt, $130,000An EF-1 tornado struck near the community of Sullivan in southern Union County during the early morning hours. The tornado began near the intersection of US Hwy 60 and Sullivan Road, where a large farm outbuilding was severely damaged. After passing through a farm field, the tornado did roof damage to two homes on Cowan Road. Further east along KY-109, the tornado snapped several large trees at their base. One tree fell onto a double-wide manufactured home, where falling debris struck and injured the head of its occupant. The tornado dissipated very shortly thereafter. Peak winds were estimated at 105 mph.
March 2019Tornado (EF1)Henshaw1 hurt, $60,000The tornado touched down on Highway 109 in western Union County, where a semi truck and trailer was blown over. The driver sustained minor injuries. Where the tornado crossed Highway 947 a couple miles northwest of Morganfield, a Ford Taurus sedan was picked up and flipped onto its roof. The car was moved approximately 25 feet. Along the path of the tornado, dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted, and numerous power poles were broken. The roof of a farm building was partially ripped off. The tornado was widely seen and videoed by local residents. Peak winds in the tornado were estimated near 110 mph.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindHenshaw1 hurt, $4,000Downed trees and broken limbs were reported throughout the county. Kentucky State Police reported a falling tree struck a car on Kentucky 758, but the driver was not seriously hurt.
April 1956Tornado (F0)not stated1 hurt, $2,500no account filed
March 2012Tornado (EF2)Chapman1 hurtThe tornado touched down about 2 and 1/2 miles southeast of Uniontown and tracked east to about 5 miles west of Corydon. The tornado blew the roof off a home, destroyed a grain bin and a barn, blew down several trees and power poles, and produced mostly minor damage to a few homes and other structures. An elderly man was injured by flying debris in the house that lost its roof.
May 2011FloodUniontown$1,000,000Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from April. At the Uniontown river gage, the flood crest of 56.94 feet on the morning of May 6 was about three feet higher than the 1997 flood. This was still over seven feet lower than the record crest set in 1937. The Ohio River floodgates were installed on Kentucky Highway 923 at Sturgis. This was the first time since the March 1997 flood that such actions were required. Sandbagging was done to protect some houses. Several county roads were closed, as was the main traffic artery through the county, U.S. Highway 60. There were at least 14 state highways and 18 county roads posted as closed in Union County.
April 2024Tornado (EF2)Raleigh$500,000This EF-2 tornado touched down along the Ohio River in far western Union County with damage to several trees by the river. It travelled eastward, uprooting a tree at KY-871, then sliding a barn off its foundation on its second crossing of KY-871. Crossing Hilltop Rd, the tornado passed about 1.5 miles south of Uniontown. Considerable damage occurred to several homes in the Cottingham Acres Rd area along KY-130. This included significant roof damage, homes being shifted off their foundation, and an overturned manufactured home. Dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped along the path. The tornado lifted just east of Hodgins Rd after flipping a trailer several yards and turning a tractor trailer onto its side. Peak winds were estimated at 120 mph.
November 2013Tornado (EF3)Chapman$500,000The tornado began just northwest of Morganfield, then tracked north of and parallel to U.S. Highway 60. A church roof was lifted and blown sideways. There were numerous homes with roof damage and some substantial structural damage. One home sustained total roof loss. Numerous hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted, some of which were very large. Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed. One mobile home slid off its foundation. Another mobile home disintegrated, with no walls, flooring, or roofing found. The steel I-beam undercarriage was twisted. A large metal storage building was destroyed. The steel I-beams supporting the roof were twisted. This metal building, about a mile north of Waverly, is where the most intense damage was located. Peak winds were estimated near 145 mph. There were several visual sightings of the tornado by trained spotters, along with video. The tornado continued across the Henderson County line into the Corydon area.
November 2005Flash FloodCountywide$500,000Most of the flooding was from Morganfield east to the Henderson County line. At least a half-dozen businesses were flooded in Morganfield, including businesses in the Union County Shopping Center. Several homes in Sturgis and Morganfield were flooded. An auto shop and a YMCA building were flooded. Numerous roads were flooded or closed. Half of the roads in the Sturgis area were closed due to standing water. Parts of U.S. Highway 60 were impassable due to flooding. County schools were closed.
May 2003Tornado (F1)Boxville$400,000The tornado downed numerous trees. One farm, located on Highway 56 near the junction of Highway 141, was heavily damaged. Many trees were blown down in a wildlife area. The tornado crossed into Henderson County, where most of the structural damage occurred.
April 2011Tornado (EF2)Yuba$300,000Several grain bins and barns were destroyed along the Union/Webster County line along Highway 56 and on a secondary road. Dozens of trees were uprooted and snapped. Peak winds were estimated near 125 mph. The average path width was 150 yards. The tornado exited into Webster County.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$200,000Substantial damage occurred in downtown Morganfield. Large trees were uprooted. Several metal roofs were torn off businesses and apartments. Downtown business fronts were damaged, and a few partially collapsed. Roof debris became entangled in power lines. Two windows were blown out of a furniture store. Utility poles were snapped. Kentucky Route 56 was closed downtown because of street lamps on the ground, downed trees, and roof debris. A few miles north of Morganfield, strong winds downed a large tree and some tree limbs up to 2 inches in diameter.
March 2008FloodUniontown$153,000Due to flooding, U.S. Highway 60 was closed near the Henderson County line. Nine other less travelled state roads were closed. About a dozen county roads were closed. Two county roads collapsed.
March 2023Tornado (EF1)Sturgis Muni Arpt$115,000An EF-1 tornado began just southeast of the Sturgis Municipal Airport. Traveling north-northeast, the tornado partially demolished three separate large barns along its path. The tornado also snapped or uprooted several trees and downed dozens of large tree limbs. The tornado roughly paralleled Poplar Ridge Road initially. After crossing Kentucky Highway 270, the tornado then passed along Kentucky Highway 1177 before disappearing near the intersection of Kentucky Highways 1177 and 758, just northwest of the community of Pride. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph.
June 1999Flash FloodCountywide$100,000Torrential downpours from thunderstorms dumped between 3 and 4 inches of rain in about 2 hours. This resulted in the closing of streets and highways throughout the county. One of the hardest hit areas was Highway 60 West in Morganfield, which was covered by an estimated two and a half feet of water at one point. This led to flooding of several businesses, including an auto body shop and a plumbing and electrical supply store. An equipment dealership suffered the loss of about 10 vehicles located on its lot. Elsewhere in Morganfield, major flooding occurred on North Morgan Street, which was closed near the Union County Shopping Center. Businesses along both sides of the street received extensive flooding. The first floor of a motel received severe damage, dislocating a number of guests. Several stores in the Union County Shopping Center, such as a video store and a restaurant, received water damage. A department store had a couple inches of water over the entire floor, resulting in over 3,000 dollars in lost merchandise.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindSturgis$100,000State police reported numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Siding was stripped from downtown businesses. Winds knocked over a wall and damaged bleachers at Sturgis Elementary School. An estimated 10 to 15 homes were damaged by felled trees, and other trees were down over roads. Roofs were ripped off storage buildings at a lumberyard, and some roofing material was blown three blocks down U.S. Highway 60. Sturgis was still cleaning up from wind damage that occurred during a thunderstorm on June 12.
March 1997Flash FloodMorganfield$100,000no account filed
April 2024Tornado (EF1)Chapman$85,000A brief EF-1 tornado struck rural portions of central Union County during the early morning hours. The tornado began just west of Wallie Clements Road, where a small shed was destroyed and a home suffered shingle and facia damage. Traveling east-southeast, the tornado severely damaged the roof and walls of a large, newly-built farm outbuilding located northwest of KY-359. The tornado dissipated after damaging a carport near a home along KY-141. Several trees also suffered damage to large limbs along the path. Peak winds were estimated at 100 mph.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$75,000Scattered wind damage extended from about three miles north of Morganfield to Morganfield, and then extended southwest to about ten miles southwest of Morganfield around Kentucky Highway 109. Dozens of trees were uprooted. Trees and power lines were blown down throughout the east side of Morganfield. Several barns and small sheds were damaged by winds estimated up to 85 mph. Large sections of roofing were blown off at least a couple barns. Numerous areas of corn were blown down. The majority of the damage was from Morganfield west and southwest.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindCountywide$75,000no account filed
March 2025Thunderstorm WindPride$60,000A double wide mobile home was knocked off of its foundation and the roof was ripped off just west of Pride. A large barn was also destroyed in this area.
March 2009Tornado (EF1)Yuba$60,000This was the first tornado spawned by a supercell storm that originated over Crittenden County. This was a relatively weak and short-lived tornado compared to the second. Two camper trailers were overturned, one 30-by-30 foot farm shed was destroyed, and several trees were down. Peak winds were estimated near 90 mph.
March 2023Tornado (EF1)Blackburn$50,000An EF-1 tornado struck far western Union County. Moving north-northeast, the tornado began near the intersection of IV Runyon Road and Geiger Lake Road. The tornado damaged several trees in this area as well as producing minor roof and fascia damage to a couple of homes. When the tornado reached the intersection of Kentucky Highways 56 and 109, it removed a portion of the roof from a large outbuilding and parts of roofing and fascia from a small convenience store. Just north of Highway 56, the tornado snapped approximately five large hardwood trees and downed several large tree limbs before dissipating. Peak winds were estimated near 100 mph.
March 2018FloodDe Koven$50,000Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At J.T. Myers Lock and Dam near Uniontown, the river crested at 52.96 feet late on the evening of the 3rd. Flood stage is 37 feet. This crest was about one foot lower than the Flood of March, 1997. A small number of homes were evacuated. Numerous roads were closed, including 10 state highways. Highway 60 was covered by water near the Henderson County line, but the road remained open. Tributaries that flow into the Ohio River backed up, causing serious flooding miles away from the Ohio. Extensive flooding of cropland occurred, but agricultural damage was very limited because most crops were not yet planted.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$50,000A microburst caused extensive damage in northwest Union County. Dozens of large trees were uprooted, and numerous limbs were down. The roof of a home was damaged. A garage door was pushed in. A separate small garage was blown partially over. Dozens of acres of corn were blown over. The damage path was about 3.75 miles long. The maximum width of the damage path was 1.25 miles. Much of the damage was concentrated along Highways 871 and 946. The damage started along the Ohio River and ended along Kentucky Highway 360. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph.
March 2009HailPride$50,000Very large hail occurred with the supercell that crossed the county. Baseball size hail near the community of Pride broke windshields and shredded siding of modular homes. Quarter-size hail was reported in Morganfield.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindSturgis$40,000At the Union County Fairgrounds, one barn was damaged and debris damaged two campers. Most of the other damage was to trees in the Sturgis area. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph.
March 2009Tornado (EF3)Boxville$40,000The second tornado spawned by this supercell was stronger and longer lived. This second tornado formed along Highway 141 and moved northeast along the highway. Damage was spotty at the beginning of the damage path, where a small grain bin imploded. Further along the damage path, a 30-by-50 foot machinery shed was destroyed. The estimated maximum winds were near 140 mph as the tornado approached the Henderson County line. The tornado continued into Henderson County.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindSturgis$30,000Numerous trees were blown down, and a structure partially collapsed in downtown Sturgis. There were power outages.
May 2011FloodHazel Bend$30,000no account filed
May 2025Thunderstorm WindCullen$25,000Thunderstorm winds lifted the roof of a home on Highway 758 south southeast of Morganfield, causing a few columns on the porch to become displaced. Some shingles and guttering were also removed, and the HVAC system was turned on its side.
May 2016Tornado (EF1)Spring Grove$25,000Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted in this tornado, which ended a couple miles west of Morganfield. The tornado was witnessed by a trained spotter. Peak winds were estimated near 90 mph.
October 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide$25,000Trees were down across the county. Several structures were damaged.
March 1985Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1985Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
April 1973Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 1973Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
February 1959Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
April 2024Thunderstorm WindRaleigh$20,000Strong inflow winds north of a tornado track removed the siding from an outbuilding. A camper was also overturned.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindSullivan$20,000Thunderstorm downdraft winds caused a tree to fall onto a vacant home in Sullivan.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindSpring Grove$20,000Numerous trees were downed as a result of slow moving training thunderstorms in Union County, including along KY-947 and in Morganfield. With slow moving training thunderstorms in Union County, numerous trees were downed.
July 2024Tornado (EF1)Grove Center$20,000A long track cell produced its first tornado in Southwestern Union County on the afternoon of July 9th as an EF-1. The tornado touched down near the KY-270 and KY-492 intersection, then lifted just northeast of Grove Center. Minor to moderate roof damage to two homes occurred near Grove Center. Several large trees were uprooted and snapped along the path. Crops were severely damaged in the path of the tornado with large sections of corn flattened. Estimated peak winds with this tornado were 105 mph.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$20,000A barn was damaged on Highway 56, a shed was damaged at wmsk radio station, and a roof was damaged on the Union/Henderson County line. A wind gust to 63 mph was measured at a site four miles east of Morganfield.
June 2014Tornado (EF1)Sturgis$20,000The tornado moved along Highway 109 from the east edge of Sturgis to just south of the Sturgis Municipal Airport. Damage was mainly to trees, including several that were snapped or uprooted. A couple of homes sustained soffit and shingle damage. Two outbuildings were destroyed. One of them was thrown about 75 yards into a group of trees. Peak winds were estimated between 105 and 110 mph.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindUniontown$20,000A wind gust to 60 mph was measured in Uniontown. At Morganfield, a house sustained siding and roofing damage. A glass door was broken. At a nearby business, a metal carport was lifted and blown into a neighboring yard. Trees were blown down on State Route 1508.
October 2001Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$20,000A carport was ripped off a house and wrapped around a tree. A tree fell on a car and on a house in Morganfield.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$15,000Several trees and power lines were blown down around the junction of State Routes 56 and 758.
March 2022Thunderstorm WindMorganfield Arpt$10,000A Kentucky mesonet site four miles east of Morganfield measured a wind gust to 73 mph. A house roof was damaged.
October 2014Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$10,000Power lines and trees were blown down.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindSullivan$10,000A tree was snapped, and a house lost some shingles.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindCullen$10,000Trees were down along Highway 141.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$10,000Some shingles were blown off. Tree limbs were blown down. The period of strong winds was about 10 to 15 minutes long.
April 2009Thunderstorm WindSturgis$10,000The roof was blown off the back side of a house. Other damage was reported in the surrounding area.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindMorganfield$10,000Some trees were blown down, mostly small ones.
November 2002Thunderstorm WindCountywide$10,000A utility company reported trees blown down countywide, including the Morganfield, Sturgis, and Uniontown areas.
November 2002Flash FloodMorganfield$10,000A line of thunderstorms with very heavy rain became nearly stationary over northern and central Union County for a few hours. Rainfall from 3 to 4 inches in three hours was indicated. A few vehicles became stranded on flooded roads near Morganfield.

Mines and quarries

3 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 3 workings inside this county. None of them still produces: all are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Silica1
Sand and Gravel, Construction1
Clay1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Caseyville-Dekoven Road OutcropSilicaProspect
Union Sand Inc.Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Uniontown Brick WorksClayUnknown

Every populated place in the county

41

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 3 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

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

Recorded here

Morganfield, Kentucky

14 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases, 1886 to 1943

Uniontown, Kentucky

19 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases, 1886 to 1939

Sturgis, Kentucky

14 topographic sheets and 4 fire insurance atlases, 1912 to 1932

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.