Ballard County is located in the extreme western part of Kentucky, along the banks of the Mississippi River. It is bordered on the north by McCracken County, on the east by Carlisle County, on the south by Hickman County, and on the west by Missouri. According to gradinmath, the county seat is Wickliffe, located in the center of Ballard County. The county has a total area of 257 square miles and an estimated population of 8,373.
The topography of Ballard County is mostly flat with rolling hills in some areas. The Mississippi River forms its western border and provides numerous waterways for fishing as well as recreational activities such as boating and swimming. There are also several creeks and streams that flow through Ballard County offering additional recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike.
The climate in Ballard County is humid subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. Average temperatures range from about 60°F to 90°F throughout the year while average precipitation levels range from about 30 inches to 45 inches annually.
Ballard County’s economy is largely agricultural with a focus on soybeans, corn, hay, wheat, sorghum, tobacco, and beef cattle production. Other industries include manufacturing (including furniture production), retail trade (including convenience stores), health care services (including hospitals), educational services (including universities), construction (including residential housing developments) and transportation services (including railroads).
Wickliffe serves as Ballard County’s county seat as well as its largest city with a population estimated at 1,744 people in 2019. It was founded in 1834 and was originally known as Grand Tower before being renamed for General Charles Wickliffe who served as Kentucky’s 11th Governor from 1839 to 1840. As the county seat, it serves many important functions including hosting local government offices such as Courthouse Square which houses offices such as tax collection services and voter registration facilities among others.
School districts in Ballard County, Kentucky
Ballard County, Kentucky is served by three school districts. The first district is the Ballard County School District, which serves all public schools in the county. It consists of seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school. The district also has a career and technical education center that provides students with career-oriented training and classes to equip them for post-secondary education or work after high school.
The second district is the Ballard Memorial High School District, which serves students in grades 9-12. It consists of one high school located in LaCenter and offers a variety of courses ranging from core academic subjects to electives such as art and music. It also offers Advanced Placement courses as well as dual-enrollment programs that allow students to take college-level classes while still in high school.
The third district is the McCracken County School District, which serves students in grades K-12 from the towns of Bardwell, LaCenter, Lovelaceville, and Wickliffe. This district has five elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and an alternative education program for at-risk youth. The McCracken County School District also offers many extracurricular activities including sports teams such as football, basketball, baseball/softball teams; music groups such as marching band; clubs such as drama club; and afterschool activities such as chess club and robotics club.
Overall, Ballard County has a wide variety of educational opportunities available for its residents with three distinct districts serving different areas within the county. Each district provides quality instruction through certified teachers who are dedicated to providing their students with a quality education that will prepare them for college or other postsecondary paths after graduation. Furthermore, each district offers numerous extracurricular activities that allow students to explore their interests while building skills necessary for success after high school graduation whether it be at a university or other postsecondary institution or directly entering into the workforce upon graduation from high school.
Major schools in Ballard County, Kentucky
Ballard County, Kentucky is home to three distinct school districts: Ballard Memorial High School District, Paducah Public School District, and McCracken County School District. Each district provides quality instruction through certified teachers who are dedicated to providing their students with a quality education that will prepare them for college or other postsecondary paths after graduation. Furthermore, each district offers numerous extracurricular activities that allow students to explore their interests while building skills necessary for success after high school graduation whether it be at a university or other postsecondary institution or directly entering into the workforce upon graduation from high school.
The first district is Paducah Public School District which serves students in grades K-12 from the towns of Paducah and Reidland. The district consists of five elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and an alternative education program for at-risk youth. In addition to core academic classes such as math, science, English language arts, and social studies; the district also offers electives in areas such as art and music as well as Advanced Placement classes. The district also has a career and technical education center that provides students with career-oriented training and classes to equip them for post-secondary education or work after high school.
The second district is the Ballard Memorial High School District which serves students in grades 9-12 from LaCenter town. It consists of one high school located in LaCenter offering a variety of courses ranging from core academic subjects to electives such as art and music; along with Advanced Placement courses as well as dual-enrollment programs allowing students to take college-level classes while still in high school. In addition to academics, Ballard Memorial High School also offers extracurricular activities such as sports teams (football, basketball, baseball/softball), music groups (marching band), clubs (drama club), chess club and robotics club among others.
The third district is the McCracken County School District which serves students in grades K-12 from Bardwell, LaCenter, Lovelaceville and Wickliffe towns. This district has five elementary schools (Bardwell Elementary School; LaCenter Elementary School; Lovelaceville Elementary School; West McCracken Middle Schools; Wickliffe Elementary Schools); two middle schools (West McCracken Middle School; Waverly Middle); one high school (McCracken County High) along with an alternative education program for at-risk youth. This district also offers extracurricular activities including sports teams such as football, basketball baseball/softball teams; music groups such as marching band; clubs such as drama club; chess club & robotics club among others.
Notable people of Ballard County, Kentucky
According to businesscarriers, Ballard County, Kentucky is a small rural county located in the western part of the state. The county has a rich history and is home to many notable people who have made their mark in various fields ranging from politics to entertainment.
One of the most prominent figures from Ballard County is politician and former US Senator Wendell Ford. Born in Owensboro, he moved to Ballard County as a young man and became active in politics. He served as Governor of Kentucky from 1971-1975, and was elected to the US Senate where he served for 24 years until his retirement in 1999. He was instrumental in passing legislation that improved the lives of Kentuckians, including environmental protection laws, health care reform, and educational reforms.
Another well-known figure from Ballard County is actor Tom Sizemore. Sizemore grew up in LaCenter and attended Ballard Memorial High School before going on to pursue an acting career. He has appeared in numerous films such as Saving Private Ryan, Heat, Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, Natural Born Killers and many more. He has also starred on television shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Hawaii Five-O.
In addition to these two famous individuals, there are several other notable people who have come from or lived in Ballard County at some point during their lives. These include former Olympic skier Billy Kidd; musician Loretta Lynn; author Eddy Harris; musician Kenny Chesney; singer/songwriter Deana Carter; actor/director Peter Fonda; football player Vaughn Dunbar; baseball player Jim Edmonds; basketball player Kenny Walker; golfer Stacy Lewis; NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip; country singer Patty Loveless; and actor Matthew McConaughey among others.
Overall, Ballard County can boast of having produced some truly remarkable individuals who have made their mark on both local and national levels through their accomplishments in various fields ranging from politics to entertainment. Their contributions will be remembered for generations to come.