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Stanford, Kentucky
Stanford is a city of 3,643 people in Lincoln County, Kentucky, founded in 1775.
Why visit Stanford
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 9 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Stanford Drive-in, James W. Alcorn House and Lincoln County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Stanford
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Stanford
Stanford is a home rule-class city in Lincoln County, Kentucky, United States. It is one of the oldest settlements in Kentucky, having been founded in 1775. Its population was 3,487 at the 2010 census and an estimated 3,702 in 2024. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.
From the Wikipedia article Stanford, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks6
James W. Alcorn House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
United States historic place
Lincoln County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Kentucky
Samuel and Mary Logan Briggs House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building in Kentucky, United States of America
Stanford L&N Railroad Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Railway station in Stanford, the United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes9
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.6 mi
102 Vincent Drive, Stanford
Mo-Th 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 10:00-22:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.5 mi
22 Frontier Road, Stanford
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
History
Stanford was founded in 1775 by Benjamin Logan as "St. Asaph"; the early settlement was also known simply as "Logan's Fort". The site of the fort is about one mile west of the courthouse at the center of town. The name "Fort Logan" is still used to this day by local businesses, including the Fort Logan Hospital and Standing Fort Collectibles. The main street was built on what was originally a buffalo trail.
The name "Stanford" may have come from "Standing Fort", a name given to Fort Logan because it survived multiple attacks by British-led Native Americans during the American Revolution. Alternately, it may have been named for Stamford, England. Although it was one of the smaller pioneer forts, it never fell to an attack.
From the History section of Stanford, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Lincoln County Area Technology Center
School · 1.3 mi
422 Education Way, Stanford
Healthcare1
Map of Stanford
33 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 23°F | 3.7 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 26°F | 3.7 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 33°F | 4.6 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 44°F | 4.2 in |
| May | 75°F | 54°F | 4.4 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 61°F | 4.7 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 5.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 64°F | 3.2 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 57°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 45°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 34°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 4.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Danville (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lincoln County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2022-07-29: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 33 miles away.
- Lancaster 7 mi northeast, about 11 min by car
- Junction City 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Danville 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Brodhead 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Berea 20 mi east, about 33 min by car
- Harrodsburg 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Liberty 21 mi southwest, about 34 min by car
- Mount Vernon 22 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
- Richmond 24 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
- Nicholasville 25 mi north, about 41 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- StanfordKY-Commercial-District, Joel Bradshaw, CC0
- Lincoln County Courthouse — Stanford, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lincoln County Courthouse (Stanford, Kentucky), FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lincoln County Courthouse, Stanford, Kentucky 02, Farrargirl, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lincoln County Courthouse, Stanford, Kentucky 03, Farrargirl, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lincoln County Courthouse, Stanford, Kentucky 01, Farrargirl, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Baughman's Mill; Stanford, Kentucky 2, FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Caboose, Stanford Railroad Depot, 6, FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Baughman's Mill; Stanford, Kentucky, FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stanford L&N Railroad Depo,, FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Baughman's Mill; Stanford, Kentucky 3, FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- New Beginnings Church in Stanford, Nyttend, Public domain
- StanfordKY-JamesWAlcorn-house, Joel Bradshaw, CC0
- Thomas Montgomery House in Stanford, Nyttend, Public domain
- John Logan House in Stanford, Nyttend, Public domain
- Samuel and Mary Logan Briggs House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Horace Withers House, Nyttend, Public domain
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