Rabbit Hash, Kentucky

Rabbit Hash is a small unincorporated community in Boone County, Kentucky, United States, noted primarily for its name.

The name "Rabbit Hash" may derive from the historic use of the local rabbit population as food. The hamlet's most notable building, the Rabbit Hash General Store, is regarded as the best known and best preserved country store in Kentucky. Rabbit Hash is unincorporated and therefore without fixed boundaries, which makes its exact population a matter of opinion, but the population is generally regarded as between four and 40 depending on how the boundaries are drawn.

In 1998 a dog was elected mayor in an unofficial "election", an event covered in the documentary "Rabbit Hash (The Center of the Universe)", and in 2004 a dog was elected mayor once again and is still considered to be the ceremonial mayor of the town. The dog, Junior, has unfortunately now come under scrutiny by the Northern Kentucky Health Department and has been banned from entering the General Store in the town due to complaints. According to WXIX-TV on March 13, 2008, the dog's owner will petition for an exemption for the "mayor".

On May 30, 2008, it was reported by WXIX-TV that Junior had died [http://www.fox19.com/global/story.asp?s=8400335] A new election will be held beginning August 31. [cite news|url=http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=8883333|title=Border collie on ballot in northern Ky. town|publisher=WorldNow and WAVE|accessdate=2008-08-24]

Rabbit Hash is a motorcycle Mecca, with motorcycles outnumbering cars.Fact|date=March 2007

The historic Piatt family established a ferry in Rabbit Hash in the early 1800s going across the Ohio River to Indiana. Some of the stories of their run-ins with criminals along the river are colorful and legendary. The Piatts and other farming families in the area would take produce from their farms and send them via flatboat down to Natchez and New Orleans.Fact|date=March 2007

After the Civil War ended and the slaves were freed, farm production became far less profitable with increased labor costs.

The Duke Energy East Bend Station coal-fired power plant is nearby. [cite news|url=http://www.kypost.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=c07c19ad-2c4b-44ea-8e6b-8ec213190ac4|title=Clean Coal Research In Boone County|last=White|first=Bob|date=2008-02-01|work=Kentucky Post|publisher=The E.W. Scripps Co|accessdate=2008-08-24]

The Rabbit Hash Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 2003. It includes 330 acres, 12 buildings, 6 structures, and 3 objects around 10021-10410 Lower River Rd. [cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20031212.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings December 12, 2003:|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=2008-08-24] [cite web|url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/KY/Boone/districts.html|title=KENTUCKY - Boone County - Historic Districts |accessdate=2008-08-24] The Rabbit Hash General Store had already been listed since February 2, 1989. [cite web |url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/ |title=National Register Information System |publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=2008-08-24]

References

* [http://www.preserveamerica.gov/PAcommunity-rabbithashKY.html Preserve America Community: Rabbit Hash, Kentucky]
* [http://www.rabbithashusa.com Rabbit Hash Historical Society]
*Fox19.com. [http://www.fox19.com/global/story.asp?s=8400335 "Small town remembers fallen canine mayor"] , WXIX-TV, May 30, 2008. Accessed May 31, 2008

External links

* [http://www.rabbithashthemovie.com/ "Rabbit Hash The Movie"]
*geolinks-US-streetscale|38.942173|-84.845848