Hickman, Kentucky

Not to be confused with Hickman County, Kentucky.

Hickman, Kentucky
City
Fulton County Courthouse in Hickman
Location of Hickman in Fulton County, Kentucky.
Coordinates: 36°34′2″N89°11′11″W / 36.56722°N 89.18639°W / 36.56722; -89.18639
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Fulton
Named for	Paschal Hickman
Area [1]
• Total	3.58 sq mi (9.27 km2)
• Land	3.55 sq mi (9.19 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation	469 ft (143 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,365
• Estimate  (2022) [2]	2,314
• Density	666.38/sq mi (257.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	42050
Area code(s)	270 & 364
FIPS code	21-36298
GNIS feature ID	0494109
Website	hickman.cityof.org

Hickman is a city in and the county seat of Fulton County, Kentucky, United States. ^[3] Located on the Mississippi River, the city had a population of 2,365 at the 2020 U.S. census ^[4] and is classified as a home rule-class city. ^[5] Hickman is part of the Union City micropolitan area.

History

This area was long occupied by various cultures of indigenous peoples. European-American settlement of this area did not begin until decades after the American Revolutionary War. James Mills built the first cabin on the site in 1819. The community of Mills Point was large enough to receive a post office in 1830. Around 1834, G. Marr purchased much of the surrounding area and laid out more streets. ^[6]

The community was renamed Hickman in 1837 after the maiden name of Marr's wife. The city was formally incorporated by the state assembly on February 18, 1841. ^[7] In 1845, the city became the county seat. ^[6]

A railroad from Hickman to Union City, Tennessee was completed in 1860. Originally incorporated in 1853 as the Hickman & Obion Railroad, it was bought out in 1871 by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway. ^[8]

David Walker, his wife, and their four children were lynched in Hickman in 1908 after Mr. Walker was accused of using inappropriate language with a white woman. ^[9]

View of Hickman, 1920

Two floods devastated Hickman, the first in 1912 and the second in 1913. ^[10] The flood of 1912 began when a levee located near Hickman broke. Within a few hours the water had risen to the roofs of houses. The flood of 1913 began when a levee near West Hickman broke on April 4. Baseball pitcher Rube Waddell was among the many who helped save the city during both floods. Waddell came down with pneumonia after each flood; he died of tuberculosis. ^[11]

Another flood in August 2023 impacted Hickman, with mudslides impacting the downtown area and led to road closures. ^[12]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²), of which 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) is land and 0.28% is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hickman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. ^[13]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	401		—
1860	1,006		150.9%
1870	1,120		11.3%
1880	1,264		12.9%
1890	1,652		30.7%
1900	1,589		−3.8%
1910	2,736		72.2%
1920	2,033		−25.7%
1930	2,321		14.2%
1940	2,268		−2.3%
1950	2,037		−10.2%
1960	1,537		−24.5%
1970	3,048		98.3%
1980	2,894		−5.1%
1990	2,689		−7.1%
2000	2,560		−4.8%
2010	2,395		−6.4%
2020	2,365		−1.3%
2022 (est.)	2,314	[14]	−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [15]

2020 census

Hickman Racial Composition ^[16]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	1,438	60.8%
Black or African American	760	32.14%
Native American	5	0.21%
Asian	1	0.04%
Pacific Islander	5	0.21%
Other/Mixed	90	3.81%
Hispanic or Latino	66	2.79%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 2,365 people, 752 households, and 385 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census ^[17] of 2000, there were 2,560 people, 1,015 households, and 665 families residing in the city. The population density was 718.1 inhabitants per square mile (277.3/km²). There were 1,177 housing units at an average density of 330.2 per square mile (127.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.06% White, 34.96% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.04% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.

There were 1,015 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% were married couples living together, 22.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,655, and the median income for a family was $27,384. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $18,264 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,573. About 24.8% of families and 27.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.0% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Sites in Fulton listed on the National Register of Historic Places include: ^[18]

• Confederate Memorial Gateway in Hickman
• Confederate Memorial in Fulton
• Buchanan Street Historic District
• Fulton County Courthouse
• Fulton Downtown Historic District
• Hickman Carnegie Library
• Old Hickman Historic District
• Thomas Chapel C.M.E. Church

Hickman has a public library, a branch of the Fulton County Public Library. ^[19]

Notable people

• Amy L. Bondurant, former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ^[20]
• Robert Glen Coe, convicted murderer ^[21]
• S.G. Goodman, singer-songwriter ^[22]
• Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr., President of Indiana University ^[23]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
2. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
5. "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform" (PDF). Kentucky League of Cities. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
6. Rennick, Robert M. (1987). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 138–139. ISBN   0813126312 . Retrieved April 28, 2013.
7. Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "Hickman, Kentucky". Accessed 29 July 2013.
8. Sulzer, Elmer. "Ghost Railroads of Kentucky". sites.rootsweb.com. Indiana University Press. p. 163. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
9. Cotter, Holland (June 1, 2018). "A Memorial to the Lingering Horror of Lynching". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 9, 2021.
10. "Mid-South Views on Floods of 1912 and 1913".
11. "Kentucky's Great Flood of 1912 and the Heroism of Baseball Legend Rube Waddell". Unmasked History Magazine. October 17, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
12. "Flooding in western Kentucky and Tennessee shuts down roads and forces some evacuations". AP News. August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
13. Climate Summary for Hickman, Kentucky
14. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
15. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
16. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
17. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
18. "National Register of Historic Places".
19. "Kentucky Public Library Directory". Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
20. Kennedy, Charles Stuart (November 3, 2005). "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project" (PDF). For example, I served on the board of Rolls Royce, the manufacturer of aviation engines, which is headquartered in London. I was the first woman on that corporate board.
21. "Robert Glen Coe #627". www.clarkprosecutor.org. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
22. Teague, Hawkins (July 6, 2020). "Goodman profiled in Rolling Stone, set to release debut record". Murray Ledger and Times. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
23. "Elvis Jacob Stahr, Jr.: University Honors and Awards: Indiana University". University Honors & Awards. Retrieved September 30, 2021.

External links

• Official website