Owen

Formed February 6, 1819 (62^nd county)

Owen County (11,271), Owenton (1,683)

The red brick Classical Revival courthouse was erected in 1858.  This facility is at Thomas, Seminary, Madison, and Bryan streets.  United States Highway 127 passes one block east of the site.  Nathaniel C. Cook is the building architect.  The building was renovated in 1930 and 1970.  A Judicial Center was built in 2011.  The courthouse sits on a hill and features a tower and columns.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county was established on February 6, 1819 as the 62^nd county and named for War of 1812 hero Colonel Abraham Owen.  The county was created from Scott, Franklin, and Gallatin counties.  He is also the source name for this county seat and the county seat of Daviess County.  Hesler was the first county seat until 1822 when Owenton became the county seat. 

Owen County government consists of a County Judge Executive, a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 4 Magistrates (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges and One District Court Judge serve Owen, Carroll, and Grant counties and a court clerk serves Owen County (judicial.) The county is in the northern part of the state.  Louisville, Kentucky is southwest and Cincinnati, Ohio is northeast of the county.   The county center is 5.7 miles Southeast of Owenton nearer Hesler.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Gallatin, Grant, Scott, Franklin, Henry, and Carroll counties. 

The area of the county is 352 square miles.  It is 44 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 95 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 32.0 persons per square mile making it 103 out of 120 in the state.  Owen County has 16.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 127 passes through the county north to south from Gallatin County to Franklin County.  The county is shaped like a vase tipping toward the west.  Owenton is located in the western half of the county.  Owenton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 14.9% of the county population.

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