BlockBefore

Washington County, Kentucky

33 topographic sheets and 7 fire insurance atlases across 1 place.

Research this county

From the record

69 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kentucky within the United States
Washington County within Kentucky

What the record shows

  • 1 place in this county was surveyed for fire insurance: Springfield, between 1886 and 1942.
  • 7 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 290 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 69 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 56 buildings, 8 districts and 5 structures.
  • 1 of them is a covered bridge.
  • 9 of the 69 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 36 populated places in this county; 36 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

1 photograph,

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.

Washington County Courthouse, Springfield, Washington County, KY
Washington County Courthouse, Springfield, Washington County, KY
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

69

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
John R. Barber Housebuilding198988003423
Beech Fork Bridge, Mackville Roadstructure198988003429
Beechfork Presbyterian Churchbuilding198988003406
Richard Berry Jr. Housebuilding198988003400
William Blackwell Housebuilding198988003391
Stephen Cooke Brown Housebuilding199488003471
William Caldwell Kitchenbuilding198787002054
Cartwright Creek Bridgestructure198988003425
Clements Housebuilding198988003401
Cocanougher Housebuilding198988003413
George Conner Housebuilding198988003402
Covington Institute Teachers' Residencebuilding198383002890
Ed Cusick Housebuilding198988003426
Doe Run Trestlestructure198988003418
Duncan Housebuilding198988003393
Edelen Housebuilding198988003433
Elmwoodbuilding197777000658
Farmer's Bank of Mackvillebuilding198988003431
Fields' Housebuilding198988003422
Glenn Cottage Tractbuilding198988003416
Gregory-Barlow Placebuilding198988003398
Grundy Housesdistrict197878001411
Hamilton Farmdistrict199393000695
Thomas H. Hamilton Housebuilding198988003403
Hatchett Tobacco Barnbuilding200808000013
Holy Rosary Churchbuilding198988003409
Johnson's Chapel AME Churchbuilding198988003396
Kalarama Saddlebred Horse Farmdistrict201010000528
Kendrick-Croake Housebuilding198988003417
Kendrick-Tucker-Barber Housebuilding198988003421
Mordecai Lincoln Housebuilding197272000547
John Litsey Housebuilding198988003404
Long Lick Creek Bridgestructure198988003414
Pat Lyddan Housebuilding198988003420
Mackville Historic Districtdistrict201412001203
Maple Grovebuilding201010000527
Archibald Scott Mayes Housebuilding198988003405
William C. McChord Housebuilding197878001412
T. I. McElroy Housebuilding198988003397
Wilson McElroy Housebuilding198988003392
Mount Zion Covered Bridgestructure197676000958
Parrot Housebuilding198988003412
Benjamin Pile Housebuilding198988003407
John Pope Housebuilding197676000959
Ray-Wakefield Housebuilding198988003415
Road Run Schoolbuilding198988003424
Round Stone Smokehousebuilding198787000164
Simms-Edelen Housebuilding198988003427
Simms-Mattingly Housebuilding198988003428
Simmstownbuilding198988003408
Levi J. Smith Housebuilding198988003411
Springfield Armorybuilding200000000283
Springfield Baptist Churchbuilding198988003394
Springfield Graded Schoolbuilding198988003389
Springfield Historic Commercial Districtdistrict198988003434
Springfield Main Street Historic Districtdistrict201111000803
St. Catherine of Sienna Conventbuilding198988003395
St. Dominic's Catholic Churchbuilding198988003388
St. Rose Roman Catholic Church Complexbuilding197878001413
Tatham Springsbuilding198988003399
John Thomas Housebuilding198988003419
Dr. Thompson Housebuilding198988003430
Turner, S. F., and Company Steam Flouring and Grist Millbuilding198988003390
Walnut Street Historic Districtdistrict198988003435
Walton Manor Cottagebuilding197777000659
Washington County Courthousebuilding197777000660
Thomas H. Williams Housebuilding198988003410
Willisburg Central Bank and Post Officebuilding198988003432
Willisburg Historic Districtdistrict201412001204

Covered bridges

1

Washington County has 1 covered bridge on the National Register. Each is a listed structure with a federal nomination on file.

Mount Zion Covered BridgeListed 1976

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, 1877 - Map of Marion and Washington counties, Ky : from actual surveys and official records
Land ownership map (1877) - Map of Marion and Washington counties, Ky : from actual surveys and official records. Library of Congress.

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.

El- Mar Motel, E. Main St., on U. S. 160, Springfield, Ky., Boston Public Library - undated
El- Mar Motel, E. Main St., on U. S. 160, Springfield, Ky.. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
Washington and Marion counties, Boston Public Library - undated
Washington and Marion counties. Hoeing, J. B. (Joseph Bernard), 1855, Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

14 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 457 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 14 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, 1950-06-10, scale 1:16500
1950-06-10, scale 1:16500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1950-06-10, scale 1:16500
1950-06-10, scale 1:16500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1950-06-10, scale 1:16500
1950-06-10, scale 1:16500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1950-06-10, scale 1:16500
1950-06-10, scale 1:16500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-23, scale 1:23600
1951-04-23, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-23, scale 1:23600
1951-04-23, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-23, scale 1:23600
1951-04-23, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-04-23, scale 1:23600
1951-04-23, scale 1:23600. 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, 1967-01-19, scale 1:24000
1967-01-19, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-02-01, scale 1:24000
1972-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-02-01, scale 1:24000
1972-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-02-01, scale 1:24000
1972-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-02-01, scale 1:24000
1972-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

5 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

22 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.

  • 115-1Magisterial District 1: Magisterial District 1 - That part north of Beech Fork and Lick Creek
  • 115-2Magisterial District 1 - That part south of Beech Fork and Lick Creek
  • 115-3Magisterial District 2: Magisterial District 2 - That part north of Chaplin River
  • 115-4Magisterial District 2 - That part south of Chaplin River and northeast of Glens Creek
  • 115-5Magisterial District 2 - That part southwest of Glens Creek and northwest of State Hwy. 53
  • 115-6Magisterial District 2 - That part southeast of State Hwy. 53
  • 115-7Magisterial District 3: Magisterial District 3 - That part northeast of Glens Creek and north of State Hwy. 152 to east county line
  • 115-8Magisterial District 3 - That part southwest of Glens Creek and north of State Hwy. 152
  • 115-9Magisterial District 3 - That part south of State Hwy. 152
  • 115-10Springfield city, comprising parts of Magisterial Districts 4, 5, and 6: Springfield city -That part in Magisterial District 4
  • 115-11Springfield city - That part in Magisterial District 5
  • 115-12Springfield city - That part in Magisterial District 6
  • 115-13Magisterial District 4, outside Springfield city Magisterial District 4 - That part east of Beech Fork
  • 115-14Magisterial District 4 - That part west of Beech Fork, outside Springfield city (Remainder of Magisterial District 4 is in Springfield city)
  • 115-15Magisterial District 5, outside Springfield city: Magisterial District 5 - That part northeast of U.S. Hwy. 68 from west county line to Cartwright Creek and east of Cartwright Creek to south county line, outside of Springfield city, excluding St. Catharine Jr. College and Academy and St. Catharine of Sienna Convent
  • 115-16St. Catharine Jr. College and Academy (In Magisterial District 5)
  • 115-17St. Catharine of Sienna Convent (In Magisterial District 5)
  • 115-18Magisterial District 5 - That part southwest of U.S. Hwy. 68 from west county line to Cartwright Creek and west of Cartwright Creek to State Hwy. 152 and north of State Hwy. 152 to west county line, excluding St. Roses Priory
  • 115-19St. Roses Priory (In Magisterial District 5)
  • 115-20Magisterial District 5 - That part south of State Hwy. 152 and west of Cartwright Creek (Remainder of Magisterial District 5 is in Springfield city)
  • 115-21Magisterial District 6, outside Springfield city: Magisterial District 6 - That part east of State Hwy. 53, outside Springfield city
  • 115-22Magisterial District 6 - That part west of State Hwy. 53, outside Springfield city (Remainder of Magisterial District 6 is in Springfield city)

Wildfire, 2004 to 2019

3 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 3 of them, burning about 96 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 ceremony1
Arson/incendiarism1
Missing data/not specified/undetermined1

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

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
27 February 2004Missing data/not specified/undetermined80 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
3 October 2019Arson/incendiarism15 acresKentucky Division of ForestryDEEP CREEK
24 October 2010Recreation and ceremony1.0 acresKentucky Division of ForestryTEXAS ROAD

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

Storms, 1968 to 2025

60 of 163 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 163 reports for this county, causing 3 deaths, 24 injuries and about $1,346,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind100
Hail27
Flash Flood21
Tornado9
Flood6

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
May 2025Tornado (EF2)Pottsville1 killed, 14 hurtAn NWS damage survey team determined that an EF2 tornado with peak winds of 125 mph, maximum width of 450 yards, and track length of 5.55 miles initially touched down on the morning of Friday, May 30th in southeastern Washington County, Kentucky. ||The tornado touched down on a ridgetop near the|intersection of Coyle Lane and Long Run Road, initially snapping|and twisting some hardwood trees, and throwing a chicken cage|almost a quarter mile to the northeast of the path. From there, the|tornado quickly intensified into solid EF-2 strength as a vortex|within the parent circulation produced a third of a mile long|swath of intense damage starting only about 100-200 yards from|the touchdown point. Here, a well built barn with living quarters|was completely swept off the concrete foundation and thrown into|the valley below. Sill plates were anchored to the concrete|foundation, so construction was good, however three large overhead|doors likely contributed to the demise of the structure as they|faced the direction of the tornado path directly. Eyewitness|accounts from inside the structure said the overhead doors caved|inward first, and then the whole building went. Several occupants|were thrown into the valley below among the debris, but|miraculously survived.||From there, the intense EF2 vortex traveled east-northeast across Long Run|Road and completely destroyed another structure/home just to the |east of the road. Here, debris from the complete destruction of |the home was thrown about 75 yards directly to the north of the |path into a ravine. Sadly, one occupant of the home was killed, |with at least two others injured. The foundation of this structure|was on cinder blocks, with quite a bit of open space beneath the |floor. Peak winds reached 125 mph for both of these structures, |with broader EF1 damage noted on either side of the path. Peak |width was right at a quarter of a mile, or roughly 450 yards here |before the tornado narrowed considerably and weakened.||EF1 strength winds continued along and just north of Long Run |Road as the tornado traveled ESE toward the Boyle County line.
June 2020Flash FloodWillisburg1 killed, 1 hurt, $30,000A driver on Lawrenceburg Road noticed a white Ford Explorer that had washed off the road in flood waters. He then noticed an elderly man and woman were still in the vehicle with water up to their necks. Rescuers broke out windows on the vehicle and pulled the couple out just as it filled completely with flood water. Both were unconscious when they were pulled out; the woman was resuscitated at the scene, but her husband never regained consciousness and died later that afternoon after they were both transported to a local hospital.
February 2025FloodThompsonville1 killed, $10,000A 79 year old woman left the roadway on the 3300 block of Tick Creek Road and drown in a creek that would have normally had less water in it. Damage to the vehicle is unknown.
April 2000Tornado (F1)Willisburg4 hurt, $70,000The tornado destroyed two mobile homes and a tobacco barn. It also did roof, siding, and chimney damage to several homes, and damaged vehicles.
May 2002HailSpringfield3 hurt, $150,000Hail damaged many homes and vehicles.
April 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide1 hurt, $120,000Two trailers were completely destroyed west of Willisburg, with one person injured. Several barns were destroyed, and house windows were blown out.
November 2000Tornado (F1)Sharpsville1 hurt, $10,000A resident observed a funnel cloud before taking shelter. The tornado blew in his back door, shattering the glass. The man was injured by flying glass.
August 2003Thunderstorm WindMackville$125,000A barn was blown on to Cardwell Road. Another barn collapsed on Kelly Shop Road. The roof was blown off a mobile home on Cardwell Road.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindWillisburg$75,000A one-half mile long area of straight-line wind damage was surveyed southwest of Willisburg. The most significant damage was to a sturdy Amish school house that lost part of its roof, and to a nearby home that had lost the vertical supports to its front porch when the roof briefly lifted. Several trees were also downed and minor roof damage occurred to two outbuildings.
May 2010FloodSpringfield$75,000Six to eight inches of rain across Spencer county May 1-2 led to areal flooding in spots across the county on the 2nd.
March 2002Thunderstorm WindCountywide$75,000Widespread wind damage was reported around the county. Two barns and two silos were destroyed. Power lines were downed.
June 2020Flash FloodThompsonville$60,000Three homes were flooded on Mayes Creek Road.
February 2008Tornado (EF1)Jimtown$60,000The tornado touched down on Pleasant Drive about two miles southeast of Springfield. It was embedded within an area of straight-line wind damage. The tornado blew the roof off a house, and threw it about 125 yards downwind. Several pine trees were snapped and small outbuildings were destroyed. A 14 inch diameter pine tree was snapped and moved about 45 yards downwind as well.
June 2020Flash FloodCroakes$50,000Several homes had water damage near Fredericktown, and one vehicle was submerged.
May 2017HailSpringfield$50,000Local broadcast media received multiple reports of golf ball sized hail.
May 2016HailMackville$50,000Golf ball to egg size hail fell, which damaged car windshields and house siding.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindSpringfield$50,000A garage was damaged along Highway 152 east of Springfield. Numerous trees were downed in Springfield and elsewhere in Washington County. Power was out to much of the city of Springfield for two hours after the storm passed.
May 2003Thunderstorm WindMackville$50,000Thunderstorm wind destroyed a barn, ripped shingles off a house, and did unspecified damage to a car.
May 1995Hailnot stated$50,000Several reports of window and car damage from golf ball-size hail reported by public.
April 2000Thunderstorm WindMooresville$35,000A shed housing farm equipment and a barn were destroyed.
November 2000Thunderstorm WindTexas$30,000no account filed
March 2019Thunderstorm WindCardwell$20,000A barn blew down on Caldwell Road in north Washington County, Kentucky.
March 2006Thunderstorm WindSpringfield$20,000The roof was blown off a barn in Springfield.
November 2000Tornado (F1)St Catherine$20,000A barn was destroyed and a post was pulled out of the ground along with the concrete base. The barn owner reported seeing a funnel cloud before impact.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindWillisburg$15,000The southwest corner of a large, well-constructed barn was blown in, with several roofing panels removed.
February 2008Tornado (EF2)Deep Creek$15,000This tornado touched down on Russell Lane about eight miles east-northeast of Springfield. The tornado completely blew away a large, well-constructed out-building. Six-by-six inch posts were snapped and piled up, while metal sheeting was blown about a quarter of a mile away. Concrete joists weighing two hundred pounds were displaced.
January 1999Thunderstorm WindCountywide$15,000Trailer split in two
March 1997Tornado (F0)Springfield$15,000no account filed
April 1996Thunderstorm WindWillisburg$1,000no account filed
June 2025Flash FloodFredricktown-Flash flooding and a mudslide occurred along US Route 150 near mile marker 3 in Washington County.
June 2025Flash FloodBattle-A water rescue was performed for a person whose vehicle became trapped in flood waters along East Fork Road near Mackville.
June 2025Flash FloodFredricktown-US Route 150 was closed near Mayfield Lane due to flash flooding.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindCisselville-A large tree fell down across Cissellville Road near Loretto Road.
April 2025Flash FloodTatham Spgs-Water was flowing over Tatum Springs Road near Glens Creek.
April 2025Flash FloodBooker-Water was flowing over Grundy Home Road.
April 2024Tornado (EF0)Tatham Spgs-As the tornado was exiting Nelson County and entering Washington County, it was weakening as it crossed Kentucky 555 and the Chaplain River. There were a few top trees and wind speeds had decreased to 75 mph with a width of 60 yards before the tornado lifted. This EF1 tornado traveled a total of 5.02 miles from where it began near Maude Cooksey Lane and Hagan Lane in Nelson County to where it ended in Washington County.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindSpringfield-Trees were damaged and power lines were blown down in Springfield.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindSpringfield-Structural damage occurred to the baseball field at Idle Hour Park. Scattered tree damage was observed throughout the park.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindWillisburg-Power lines were down.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindMackville-A large tree and power lines were down in Mackville.
January 2023Thunderstorm WindLebanon Spgfld Arpt-AWOS at Lebanon-Springfield Airport observed a wind gust of 50 knots.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindPulliam-A tree was blown down over Chaplin Road.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindBattle-A tree was blown down over the road. Dime sized hail was also observed.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindSt Catherine-A large tree was blown down on State Route 55 near Shay Lane.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindSpringfield-Three small trees fell down.
April 2020Thunderstorm WindPulliam-There was structural and tree damage along Brush Grove Road.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindSt Catherine-Dispatch reported trees down 1 mile north of 150.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindPleasant Grove-Dispatch reported trees down on Thurman Road.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindWillisburg-A tree blew down in Willisburg.
June 2020Flash FloodSpringfield-There were multiple reports of flooded roadways across the county including Lincoln Park Road and Highway 150 near Springfield.
June 2020Flash FloodWillisburg-A state highway department official stated that roads that don't normally flood where flooding across the northern part of the county.
June 2020Flash FloodWillisburg-A road was impassable due to flash flooding.
June 2020Flash FloodWillisburg-Water up to 10 feet deep was flowing over Lawrenceburg Road.
November 2019Flash FloodRineltown-There were numerous county roads flooded and closed. One road was Tick Creek Road near Springfield, Kentucky.
June 2018FloodCisselville-Water was reported over the roadway at Saint Rose Road and Booker Road.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindBrush Grove-Tree reported down on Polin Road.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindCardwell-Tree down on Cardwell Road.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindMooresville-Trees down on Hayes Lane.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindKirkland-Multiple trees down in the area due to severe thunderstorm winds.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindBattle-Trees down on Rush Run 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
Limestone, General1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Nally & Gibson SpringfieldLimestone, GeneralProducer

Every populated place in the county

36

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.

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

Recorded here

Springfield, Kentucky

9 topographic sheets and 7 fire insurance atlases, 1886 to 1942

Everything this county holds

The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.

Surveyed structures

1 structure

The vanished settlements of Washington County, the places these records name that are no longer on the map.

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.