Crab Orchard is a home rule-class city in Lincoln County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 744. It is part of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Crab Orchard was named for a large stand of crab apple trees located by early pioneer Henry Long Hunter Skaggs. It was situated near the end of the Logan Trace branch of the famous Wilderness Road, making it an important early pioneer station and rest stop for settlers traveling further into the Kentucky frontier from Hazel Patch to Logan's Station (present-day Stanford).
The city's post office was established in 1815, with Archibald Shanks serving as its first postmaster. It later became a station along the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which significantly aided the town's early economic development.
Crab Orchard Springs Resort
The area is naturally abundant in mineral springs, featuring eight distinct local springs: three iron-heavy, two salt, and three sulfur. In 1827, entrepreneur Jack Davis established the first resort at the site. By the 1850s, the elegant Crab Orchard Springs Hotel was constructed with accommodations for 700 guests, receiving nearly 500 visitors daily. Famous guests during this era included John Hunt Morgan and his Lexington Rifles.
In 1871, a devastating fire destroyed the main hotel building. Under the supervision of the site's owner, Isaac Shelby III, a grand new hotel was constructed featuring more than 250 rooms. Guests partook in mineral bathing alongside local diversions such as horse racing, boating, gambling, and cockfighting.
The resort thrived into the late nineteenth century but declined as the rise of the automobile shifted American vacation habits away from mineral spas. Entrepreneur Joe Willis purchased the resort in 1897 and operated it until its permanent closure in 1922, after which the hotel briefly served as a local school building before being dismantled.
Geography
Crab Orchard is located in eastern Lincoln County within the Knobs region of Kentucky, a unique landscape characterized by isolated, cone-shaped hills. The city is situated roughly 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the Rockcastle County line and 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of the Dix River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.76 square miles (4.55 km<sup>2</sup>), of which 1.75 square miles (4.52 km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.012 square miles (0.03 km<sup>2</sup>) is water.
Transportation
- U.S. Route 150 bypasses the southern and western edges of the city, leading northwest 11 miles (18 km) to Stanford and southeast 13 miles (21 km) to Mount Vernon.
- Kentucky Route 39 passes directly through the center of the city as Main Street, leading north 12 miles (19 km) to Lancaster and south 28 miles (45 km) to Somerset.
Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 744 people residing in the city.
Historical census trends show that the community's population has hovered between 700 and 800 residents over the last several decades, experiencing a minor decline from the 842 residents recorded during the 2000 census.
Culture
The Howard Theater
Crab Orchard was home to the historic Howard Theater, a notable regional entertainment venue that hosted major acts across country, country-rock, and bluegrass music genres. Legendary performers who played at the theater include Loretta Lynn, The Osborne Brothers, the "Father of Bluegrass" Bill Monroe, Conway Twitty, and Jerry Lee Lewis—the latter famously noting on CMT that it was one of the roughest venues he ever performed in. Country music singer John Michael Montgomery made his earliest performance debut at the theater at the age of five, booked by his father Harold Montgomery.
Points of Interest
- William Whitley House State Historic Site: Located just outside Crab Orchard, this estate (named Sportsman's Hill) features the first brick house built west of the Allegheny Mountains, constructed between 1787 and 1794 for frontier pioneer William Whitley. The property also featured the first circular, counter-clockwise horse racing track in the United States.
- Confederate Monument at Crab Orchard: Located in the Crab Orchard Cemetery, this 10-foot white marble column was erected in 1872 to honor fallen soldiers from the American Civil War. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Cedar Creek Lake: A 784-acre public reservoir located between Stanford and Crab Orchard, managed for regional outdoor recreation and fishing.
Notable People
- Thomas L. "Pegleg" Smith (1801–1866), a 19th-century mountain man, fur trapper, and western explorer, was born in Crab Orchard.
History
Crab Orchard was near the end of the Logan Trace of the Wilderness Road and was an early pioneer station. There are several mineral springs in the area, and from 1827 until 1922, taverns and hotels were located at Crab Orchard Springs. The post office was established in 1815, with Archibald Shanks its first postmaster.
Crab Orchard was a station on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
Crab Orchard was the birthplace of Thomas L. Smith, a mountain man also known as "Pegleg" Smith.
Geography
Crab Orchard is located in eastern Lincoln County in the Knobs 3 miles west of the Rockcastle County line. U.S. Route 150 passes around the southern and western edges of the city, leading northwest to Stanford, the county seat, and southeast to Mount Vernon. Kentucky Route 39 passes through Crab Orchard as Main Street, leading north to Lancaster and south to Somerset.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Crab Orchard has a total area of , of which , or 0.66%, are water. The city is southwest of the Dix River, a northwest-flowing tributary of the Kentucky River.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 842 people, 373 households, and 227 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 435 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.15% White, 1.54% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.24% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.
There were 373 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,184, and the median income for a family was $31,111. Males had a median income of $26,607 versus $18,889 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,706. About 17.7% of families and 27.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.1% of those under age 18 and 27.8% of those age 65 or over.