Hopkinsville’s Walnut Street Stadium to be Demolished

Walnut Street Stadium, which served as the football and soccer home for Hopkinsville and Christian County for decades, will be demolished by the City of Hopkinsville to make room for the expansion of the adjoining Boys and Girls Club.

Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight said the deteriorating conditions at the stadium made the demolition necessary.

Knight said the stadium’s current condition also represents a safety hazard.

Walnut Street Stadium was one of several high school football stadiums built by the WPA in the 1930s, along with Russellville’s Rhea Stadium, Mayfield’s War Memorial Stadium, and Owensboro’s Rash Stadium.

Walnut Street Stadium was completed in 1937 at a cost of $25,000. The first football game played there was on September 18 when Hopkinsville High lost to Bardstown 20-0 in the first Saturday football game in school history.

The first game played between Hopkinsville and Christian County at the stadium was in 1962 — an 82-7 Hopkinsville blowout win.

The final football games played there by the city schools were in 1990. Christian County defeated Daviess County 24-12 behind touchdowns from Jimmy Settle, Carter Hendricks, and Keith O’Daniel.

Meanwhile, Hopkinsville played the final football game at the stadium the next night, losing to Paducah Tilghman 35-12. Carlos Killebrew had a pair of touchdown receptions from Tarryll Mason, which were the final points scored at the stadium. Tilghman’s Billy Jack Haskins threw for three touchdowns for the Blue Tornado.

The Walnut Street Stadium also served as the soccer home for both Hopkinsville and Christian County for two more years until they, too, moved to the Stadium of Champions in 1993.

The original stadium light poles were removed by the city in 2001.

Knight said the demolition will make room for an additional building at the adjoining Boys and Girls Club of Hopkinsville.

Knight said they will preserve the legacy of the stadium on the property at the Boys and Girls Club.

Both schools won two state titles while playing at Walnut Street Stadium — Hopkinsville in 1965 and 1966 and Christian County in 1982 and 1984.

When former Hopkinsville great Herb Covington died in 2017, a memorial service was held at the stadium where his ashes were scattered at the 19-yard line.

Ironically since moving into the Stadium of Champions in 1991, neither school has won a state football title.