Shelby

Formed June 1, 1792 (11^th county)

Shelby County (48,101), Shelbyville (17,286)                

The Beaux Arts style masonry courthouse was built in 1912 on Main and 5^th streets.  United States Highway 60 passes in front of the courthouse.  The masonry courthouse was designed by the firm of Joseph and Joseph.  An Annex sits behind the courthouse.  The courthouse features columns and veteran memorials are across the street.  A Judicial Center was added in 2009.  There was an 1844 courthouse in Shelbyville, the only county seat since the county’s founding on June 1, 1792.  The county was taken from Jefferson County as the 11^th county.  The county and county seat are named for Governor Isaac Shelby.  Shelby County was the birthplace of 2 Kentucky Governors, Augustus O. Stanley I and Martha L. Collins. 

Shelby County government consists of a sheriff, County Judge Executive, and 7 Magistrates.  Two Circuit Court Judges, One District Court Judge, and One Family Court Judge serve Shelby, Anderson, and Spencer counties.  The county is in north central Kentucky directly to the east of Louisville, Kentucky.  The county center is in Shelbyville 1.2 miles Northeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Henry, Franklin, Anderson, Spencer, Jefferson, and Oldham counties. 

The area of the county is 384 square miles.  It is 38 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 21 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 125.3 persons per square mile making it 22 out of 120 in the state.  Shelby County has 42.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 64 crosses the county from east to west Franklin County to Jefferson County.  United States Highway 60 parallels Interstate Highway 64 from Franklin to Jefferson counties.  The county’s shape looks like a home plate in baseball.  Shelbyville is located near the center of the county.  Shelbyville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 35.9% of the county population.  This county is in the Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Statistical Area.