Cayce

History

Jones began work in 1878 for the north-south Mobile and Ohio Railroad (later the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio, and since the early 1970s a part of the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad); by 1890 he had worked his way up to engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad. John Luther "Casey" Jones earned his place in American folklore and legend for remaining at the throttle in the 1900 crash in which he lost his life. In that era, railroaders with common surnames were often referred to by their hometown. John Luther Jones's nickname thus became "Cayce" Jones ("Casey" would later become the accepted spelling). In the late 19th century and early 20th century Cayce was a thriving southern business town. Today, however it is a residential small town. In December 2021, during a major tornado outbreak, Cayce was hit by the Western Kentucky tornado. Dozens of structures—including approximately 2/3 of all homes in the town—sustained major damage, and several were completely destroyed by damage rated up to EF4. These included the town's fire department and the former Cayce High School. After claiming a life, the tornado continued traveling east through multiple counties and cities in Western Kentucky, causing widespread devastation and killing 58 people. In the months following the storm, residents struggled with trauma from the outbreak and the slow rebuilding process, with many continuing to live in trailers or converted containers. }}

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Fulton County Elementary
  Elementary · Hickman · 331 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• Fulton Independent School
  Other · Fulton · 324 students · 10.5:1 ratio
• Fulton County High School
  High · Hickman · 175 students · 11.7:1 ratio
• Fulton County Middle School
  Middle · Hickman · 134 students · 19.1:1 ratio
• Four Rivers Career Academy
  High · Hickman