The City of Prospect's Seal is a visible site throughout the
community from entrance signs at the many subdivisions, to police vehicles, to the glass etching on the entrance to City Hall.
 

It represents the origins of the
community and notes the natural beauty that surrounds the community. The items represented contain special meaning:

The Tree - signifiies growth and stability. It also represents the wealth of our natural surroundings and the City's commitment to its
semi-rural ambiance.

The Partridge - symbolizes one of
the original subdivisions of Prospect, Hunting Creek

The Fox - represents the other original subdivision, Fox Harbor

The Water - represents Harrod's Creek, an active tributary of the Ohio River that flows through the city
 
Moments in History:
The following special information is provided to give you a sense of our community's history. Just click on the events below to open another window:
You can be a part of the History!
You can be a part of the history of Prospect by helping us discover new facts about our community. If you have any really interesting facts or photos of Prospect that date back to 1974 and before, please feel free to contact us at City Hall. If you've got the goods, we'll publish your photos/stories on our website.

The word “prospect”, as written in the dictionary, is a derivative of the Latin word prospectus, or ‘view’. It also derives meaning from the French word prosier or to ‘look forward’. From the earliest formation of Jefferson County until the mid-1960’s, Prospect was mostly land belonging to a few wealthy families who commuted to Louisville and groups of farmers. The growth of the area wasn’t significant until the railroad came through around the early 1900’s.

Just up the road on U.S. 42 was the Prospect Store. Considered to be the center of town, the store, which was opened in 1911, served the community for some 52 years. Joe Snowden’s family owned and operated the store for that period until the Five Star mini-mart purchased the land on that corner location. It was noted that in the 1930s, the store sold overalls to farmers and steaks to gentleman farmers. Three loaves of bread cost a quarter.

A resident named Henry Wallace, who owned nearly 600 acres of property on the north side of U.S. Highway 42 frequented the Prospect Store for many years. Instead of watching the store be demolished and cleared away, he bought it for one dollar and had it moved to his property across the road. It stands today and is called the Rose Island Apartments.

 
The interurban train was the main reason for population growth in the Prospect area between 1910 and 1934. It’s regular route included hourly stops that brought goods in from Louisville as well as transporting farm products to market. The interurban train eventually stopped hourly service to the area but maintained a “midnight run” until service was discontinued.

Prospect’s modern-day origin is based on the combined developments of Hunting Creek subdivision, Hunting Creek Country Club, and Fox Harbor subdivision. Those individuals who first pioneered this area were genuinely concerned over being able to control the type of urban sprawl that had been witnessed since the mid-1960’s. They wanted an area that continued to maintain the natural beauty that surrounded them and restrict over commercialization.

In 1974, the City of Prospect was incorporated and in 1979 the city applied for and received a Fourth Class city designation by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. That status allowed Prospect to create it’s own city government and provide specific city services that make Prospect a desirable area for many individuals and families to live.

In 2005, the City of Prospect became a Third Class city. This designation gives the final authority for development within the city limits to the City. Citizens are members of the Mayor's Advisory Council, Citation Review Board, Disaster and the 2010 Prospect Green Committees.

Prospect‘s elected officials include a mayor and six council members who meet regularly to review city policy, ordinances, and basic governmental functions.

The mayor handles the day-to-day business of government while the council, in coordination with the
mayor, performs duties that involve decision-making about the city’s direction and focus.

Prospect employs a small staff of support personnel who perform vital functions to aid the mayor and city council. They include a City Administrator, Deputy City Clerk for Adminstration, Deputy City Clerk for Finance, and Director of Maintenance & Technology.
Various committees, assigned by the mayor and/or city council can include members of the community to discuss and resolve issues that are common to the entire community. A recent example of this effort is the Committee for Ordinance Review. This particular committee has completed reviewing all of the current city ordinances that effect everything from commercial zoning to safety. This effort, initiated in 2003, has revised the entire ordinance structure to remove and/or change those ordinances that no longer meet the needs of the community and improve the overall scope of governance for the future.

Today’s population of approximately 8,000 is celebrating 33 years of community growth and accomplishments. Prospect continues in the tradition of providing it’s citizens with conveniences and services as well as protecting and maintaining its unique cultural and natural beauty.