“…it's the combination of low crime, outstanding school test scores, and a low cost of living that makes Owensboro a great place to raise kids.”

-- Businessweek, 2009

Owensboro is the industrial, medical, retail and cultural hub of western Kentucky.  The City is strategically located on the southern banks of the Ohio River, which provides a majestic backdrop to our ambitious Downtown Revitalization initiative and Riverfront Master Plan. The $80 million Downtown Plan calls for a river front park, downtown hotel and convention center, a market square and an arts academy. Our riverfront is also getting a boost with the construction of overlook pavilions, a new boat ramp, signature fountain and playground and a riverfront promenade. Owensboro is on the move!

Location & Transportation

Owensboro is situated 32 miles southeast of Evansville, IN; 123 miles north of Nashville, TN; and 109 miles southwest of Louisville, KY and has direct access via highway, rail, river and air.  The William H. Natcher Bridge provides a route to Interstate 64 in Indiana.  Construction has commenced on the I-69 spur and I-64 / I-65 corridor linking Owensboro to the region. The Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport serves access to the national air transportation system and has recently positioned itself to receive $1 million in Federal Aviation Administration funding.

Education

We are a learning community! Quality education is a priority and education facilities in the area are abound.  The city, county and parochial school systems provide elementary, middle and secondary school students with a quality education. The average student-teacher ratio for these systems is 20-and 25-to-1.

Brescia University and Kentucky Wesleyan College are four-year education institutions offering Bachelor of Science and Arts degrees. The University of Louisville School of Nursing facilitates a BSN program locally in conjunction with Owensboro Medical Health System. Owensboro Community and Technical College, another institute of higher learning, offers two-year Associate of Arts and Science degrees, and several doctoral degree programs via telecommunications. Daymar College is a private two-year accredited business school. Adding further dimension to post-secondary educational opportunities in the Owensboro area are graduate programs offered through Brescia, Western Kentucky University and Murray State University. These programs provide area residents with the opportunity to earn post-graduate degrees without leaving the city. Located across from the main campus of Owensboro Community and Technical College, Western Kentucky University offers Junior and Senior level college courses, as well as Graduate programs, at their Owensboro Extended Campus. Each year more than 1,500 students participate in graduate programs for credit hours. Another 500 per year utilize short courses for adult education workshops.

Medical Facilities

The Owensboro area is fortunate to have an excellent hospital that is rated among the top five percent in the nation - Owensboro Medical Health System. This organization serves eleven counties in Kentucky and southern Indiana.  The hospital is embarking on construction of a new, state-of-the-art facility. OMHS also leads two key initiatives for cancer research in the Owensboro region.

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

Owensboro offers a wide range of recreational and cultural activities. We have everything from fishing on a nearby lake to live performances of the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, one of the finest in the state. Municipal parks provide areas for picnicking, golf, tennis, softball, football and relaxing. Water sport activities may be enjoyed on the Ohio River.

The City recently opened the only municipal ice arena in Kentucky, Edge Ice Center. The year-round facility features a 42,600 square foot arena and is the home to the Owensboro Youth Hockey Association and the Owensboro Figure Skating Club. During the summer months, the City maintains two swimming pools and a Spraypark. The Spraypark addition to Legion Park was an enhancement to a beautiful park located in the center of Owensboro that already features basketball courts, a walking trail, playground equipment, and covered shelters. Owensboro hosts many local, state, regional and national softball and baseball tournaments at our softball complex located at Jack C. Fisher Park.

We are an arts community! Cultural activities play a major role in the everyday lives of Owensboro residents. Owensboro RiverPark Center, a performing arts and civic center, boasts a 1,500 seat multi-purpose auditorium, and experimental theatre, a riverfront plaza, an open-air courtyard, meeting/reception rooms, and the International Bluegrass Museum. Each year the RiverPark Center hosts over 150 performance events and 900 civic events. Many cultural agencies are funded in part by the City of Owensboro. The City is also home to the Owensboro Museum of Fine Arts and the Owensboro Museum of Science and History.

Owensboro hosts numerous festivals throughout the year. Each festival is unique and designed for the whole family. The International Bar-B-Q Festival is held each year and sees
tens of thousands of people visit the “Bar-B-Q Capital of the World”. The Bar-B-Q Festival is packed with food, music, dance, and more food.

Friday After 5 is a weekly, summer-long series of free outdoor music concerts at the RiverPark Center. The City, along with local sponsors, allows the concerts to be free to everyone. Friday After 5 has recently been named one of the “Top Ten Summer Festivals” in Kentucky. The concerts began in 1996 and have become the place to be Friday evenings during the summer. The season begins Memorial Day weekend and continues through Labor Day weekend.

City Government

Owensboro operates under a City Manager form of government. The Board of Commissioners is made up of a Mayor and four Commissioners. The citizens, on a non-partisan ballot, elect the Commissioners at-large. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term and the Commissioners have two-year terms. The Mayor and Commissioners have equal voting power and they set the policies that govern the City. The Commission appoints citizen advisory groups that help in the decision-making process. The City Manager is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the City’s staff. The department managers are responsible for their various departments and report to the City Manager.

History

Owensboro was first settled in 1797 and was originally known as “Yellowbanks”, referring to the color of the soil along the Ohio River banks. By 1817, the Act of Kentucky Legislature incorporated the town as “Owensborough”.