Owensboro

Sister cities

• Nisshin
• Olomouc

History

Evidence of Native American settlement in the area dates back 12,000 years. Following a series of failed uprisings with British support, however, the last Shawnee were forced to vacate the area before the end of the 18th century. The first European descendant to settle in Owensboro was frontiersman William Smeathers or Smothers in 1797, for whom the riverfront park is named. The settlement was originally known as "Yellow Banks" from the color of the land beside the Ohio River. In 1817, Yellow Banks was formally established under the name Owensborough, named after Col. Abraham Owen. In 1893, the spelling of the name was shortened to its current Owensboro. Several distillers, mainly of bourbon whiskey, have been in and around the city of Owensboro. The major distillery still in operation is the Glenmore Distillery Company, now owned by the Sazerac Company. The other distillery, Green River Distilling Company, started in 1885 and is also Owensboro based. It is still in operation today. On August 14, 1936, downtown Owensboro was the site of the last public hanging in the United States. A 26 year old African American man, Rainey Bethea, was convicted and sentenced for the rape and murder of 70-year-old Lischa Edwards. The public execution, attended by a large crowd including children and many reporters, took place 37 days after the crime. The execution was presided over by a female sheriff, Florence Shoemaker Thompson, who gained national media attention for her role in the process, although she declined to spring the trap. Vendors sold hot dogs, and the crowd began tearing at his clothes and body for souvenirs, even before he was pronounced dead. The Kentucky General Assembly abolished public executions after the incident. As of 1903, Owensboro was home to several…

Geography

Owensboro is located at the crook of a bend in the Ohio River, southeast of Evansville, Indiana. According to the United States Census Bureau, Owensboro has a total area of , of which is land and , or 6.47%, is water. Owensboro has a humid subtropical climate which is characterized by hot, humid summers and moderately cold winters. Day-to-day temperature differences can be high during the winter. Summers, in comparison, are much more stable. Severe weather, including the threat of tornadoes, is not uncommon throughout much of the year, with several notable events occurring throughout the city's history. One such event occurred on December 9, 1952, when F3 tornado tore directly through the city, injuring three people.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Daviess County High School
  High · Owensboro · 1,740 students · 19.3:1 ratio
• Apollo High School
  High · Owensboro · 1,440 students · 17.6:1 ratio
• Owensboro High School
  High · Owensboro · 1,334 students · 15.3:1 ratio
• College View Middle School
  Middle · Owensboro · 863 students · 16:1 ratio
• Daviess County Middle School
  Middle · Owensboro · 813 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Owensboro Middle School
  Middle · Owensboro · 807 students · 12.8:1 ratio
• F T Burns Middle School
  Middle · Owensboro · 710 students · 14.8:1 ratio
• Newton Parrish Elementary School
  Elementary · Owensboro · 561 students · 14.4:1 ratio