St. Mary is a home rule-class city in Marion County, Kentucky, in the United States.Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "St. Mary, Kentucky". Accessed October 4, 2013. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 138.
History The town was first known as Hardin's Creek when it was settled by the Hardin family . Catholic settlers from "Saint" Charles Co., Maryland, arrived in 1790. Their community was originally known as Saint Charles after their former home and new church.Rennick, Robert. Kentucky Place Names, p. 261. University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 1987. Accessed October 4, 2013.
The first Catholic settlers of the Hardin's Creek settlement were the brothers Edward Beaven and Charles Beaven from Maryland in 1786, followed by the brothers Mathew, Zachariah, Sylvester, and Jeremiah Cissell.
The community was the birthplace and hometown of George Elder, who along with William Byrne later returned from seminary in Maryland to found Saint Mary's College in 1821. The post office was established in 1858 as Saint Mary's for the school.University of Kentucky. Kentucky Atlas and Gazetteer. "Saint Mary, Kentucky". Accessed October 4, 2013. The city was incorporated as St. Mary on May 26, 1865. The college closed its doors in 1976.
The city includes historical markers honoring the Sisters of Loretto and St. Mary's College.Signs of History. "Marion County". Accessed October 4, 2013.
Geography St. Mary is located on Kentucky Route 84 at (37.580711, -85.346291), west of Lebanon.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of St. Mary has an area of , of which , or 0.89%, are water.
Demographics
Economy Since 1980, St. Mary has been home to the 826-bed Marion Adjustment Center, a CCA-owned minimum- and medium-security facility.Kentucky Department of Corrections. "About MAC". Accessed October 4, 2013.Corrections Corporation of America. Press Release: "Kentucky Elects Not to Renew Contract at Marion Adjustment Center". Op. cit. in Wall Street Journal, June 26, 2013. Accessed October 4, 2013. In June 2013, the Kentucky Department of Corrections elected not to renew the contract.Lexington Herald-Leader, July 2, 2013. "A welcome close to privately run prisons in Kentucky". Accessed October 4, 2013.Barrouquere, Brett. Bloomberg Businessweek, June 25, 2013. "Kentucky to walk away from last private prison". Accessed July 25, 2013. At the time, the MAC employed 166 people.Lega, Stephen. Kentucky Standard, July 3, 2013. "Marion Adjustment Center's closing will impact community in many ways". Accessed October 4, 2013.
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