Robards, Kentucky

Robards is a home rule-class city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 515 at the 2010 census, down from 564 at the 2000 census.HistoryThe name of the precinct has gone through three changes. In 1868 it was officially "Robard's Station". In 1880 it became "Robard", and in 1924 the final change made it "Robards". Robards is pronounced "Robberds". The early settlers of the area included Reuben Moss, George Robards, George Eakins, Bennett Sandefur, Jordan Moss, Enoch Spencer, Thomas Reidout, Ben Wall, Nathan Smith, T. W. Royster, James McMullin, and Samuel McMullin, Sr.As far back as 1810 and through 1840, and even later, before Robards became a community, its site attracted daring horsemen who raced their steeds there on a race track, which was a straight half mile section of road, congregating to bet.George Rudy's school house was built before 1840, and between 1840 and 1848 the school had four teachers: Washington Sale, Dave Cowan, Frank Davis, and Joseph C. Norman. The Methodists built a church near the school, and in 1853 it was dedicated as "McMullin's Chapel". Two of the chief battles of the American Civil War in this county took place at what would become Robards.J.D. Robards, for whom Robards was named, built the first house in 1867. This was a frame store house which was also used as a dry goods, grocery and general merchandise store. In this store he carried on a business totaling from $25,000 to $40,000 per year. He also owned and operated a tobacco stemmery which employed 50 men and shipped directly to Europe. In the twenty years after the Civil War, Robards doubled in population. The average price of land in the 1800s was $20–$25 per acre. While tobacco, corn and wheat were the chief cash crops, a number of farmers were engaged in cattle raising.