Gratz

History

The present city was laid out in 1847 on land supposedly owned by the heirs of Sen. John Brown and was probably named for his grandson B. Gratz Brown, who later became a senator from and governor of Missouri and made a failed vice-presidential bid in 1872 with Horace Greeley of the Liberal Republicans. The town was incorporated in either 1861 Before the lock and dam system was built on the Kentucky River, Gratz was one of the most prosperous towns in the area due to the business of portaging goods around an unnavigable part of the river (Lock #2 is just up river at Lockport). Goods were also ferried across the river and transported up KY 22 to Pleasureville, which had a railroad depot. The town's streets are laid out in a grid pattern. There is a local bank, and many large, well-built houses. Before public electric service was available, a diesel powered generator fed streetlights from dusk until about 10 p.m. A former operator of this plant reported that he learned how much fuel to put into the engine so that it would run out at the desired time (saved him a trip down the hill). It is home to the only bridge between Owen and Henry county across the Kentucky River. The old Gratz Bridge was a historic iron steel bridge built back in 1931. Work on a newer concrete bridge was finished in 2011. The Gratz Bridge was demolished in February of that year. The Gratz Bridge was on the National Register of historic landmarks. A piece of the old bridge was used in a commemorative kiosk at the site of the old Gratz entrance to the bridge. A local post office was established on November 21, 1844, as "Clay Lick" due to its position above the Clay Lick Creek and Joseph W. Rowlett served as the first Postmaster up until July 20, 1850. The post office was renamed "Gratz" in…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Owen County Elementary/Primary School
  Elementary · Owenton · 690 students · 15:1 ratio
• Owen County High School
  High · Owenton · 558 students · 18.6:1 ratio
• Maurice Bowling Middle School
  Middle · Owenton · 484 students · 15.1:1 ratio