Fancy Farm, Kentucky
| Fancy Farm, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
| Census-designated place | |
Street scene in Fancy Farm
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 Fancy Farm's location in Kentucky |
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| Coordinates: 36°47′56″N 88°47′29″W / 36.79889°N 88.79139°WCoordinates: 36°47′56″N 88°47′29″W / 36.79889°N 88.79139°W | |
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 Kentucky
|
| County | Graves |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.3 km2 (0.9 sq mi) |
| • Land | 2.3 km2 (0.9 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.0 km2 (0.0 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 130 m (430 ft) |
| Population (2010) | 458 |
| • Density | 201.9/km2 (523/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP Code | 42039 |
| Area code(s) | 270 & 364 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2629613 |
| U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fancy Farm, Kentucky | |
Fancy Farm is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Graves County, Kentucky, United States, 10 miles (16 km) northwest of the county seat, Mayfield. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 458.
Fancy Farm is on Kentucky Route 80 in the rural, far-western portion of the state called the Jackson Purchase. It was settled by Roman Catholics starting in 1829, and is known for being a strongly Catholic area. The community grew around St. Jerome Church, built in 1836. The first post office opened in 1843. The colorful name was apparently chosen when the post office opened, by a man who was applying to be postmaster. It was first mentioned in the U.S. Census in 1870 as a post office in Boswell Precinct; first mentioned as a town in Magisterial District 5 in the 1910 census; and finally enumerated as a town in its own precinct in the 1920 census.
The village is the site of the annual St. Jerome Catholic Church Picnic, famous as a traditional political gathering attracting statewide and occasionally national candidates. The picnic, referred to by non-locals as the "Fancy Farm Picnic," began in 1881 as a purely local affair. It takes place on the grounds of the church, which have expanded thanks in part to the picnic's success. Since 1956, the year that Kentucky moved its primary election to May from August, it has been held on the first Saturday in August. It has come to represent the traditional starting point of the fall campaign season in Kentucky.
The picnic was of largely local interest until two-time Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler (best known for being the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball) began making appearances, going for the first time in 1931 while running successfully for lieutenant governor.
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Wikipedia