Elsmere, Kentucky
Elsmere is a home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 9,159 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Elsmere is located in western Kenton County and is bordered to the north and east by Erlanger, to the south by Independence, and to the west by Florence in Boone County. The Dixie Highway forms the northern border of the city and leads northeast to Covington and southwest to the center of Florence.According to the United States Census Bureau, Elsmere has a total area of, of which, or 0.73%, are water.
History
The community was first settled in 1885 as "South Erlanger". Elsmere has historically been a largely African-American city, and originally had an African-American school house Known as the Dunbar School on Spring Street. Elsmere also had an African-American baseball team. There is also a park on Capitol Avenue named after Rosella Porterfield, who taught at the Historic Dunbar School. Elsmere organized as a city in 1896, renamed after Elsmere Avenue in Norwood, Ohio, the hometown of one of its founders.Government
In 1998, Billy Bradford was elected mayor of Elsmere, the first African-American mayor elected in northern Kentucky. He served 12 years, and now serves as a member of the city council. The current mayor is Marty Lenhof.Economy
Regal Beloit and L'Oréal have facilities in an unincorporated pocket of Kenton County surrounded by Elsmere. Portions of Elsmere have a Florence mailing address. Mazak's North American headquarters are in Elsmere.Education
Portions of the cities of Elsmere and adjacent Erlanger share a public school system: Erlanger/Elsmere Independent School District.The following schools are shared by the areas of the two cities within the Erlanger/Elsmere school district:
;Primary schools
- Arnett Elementary School
- Howell Elementary School
- Lindeman Elementary School
- Miles Elementary School
- Tichenor Middle School
A portion of Elsmere is in the Kenton County School District