====== Carroll Cropper, Long Time Judge ====== By: Robert Schrage Harold Conner, C.L. Cropper Originally published: November, 2007 in the //[[Boone County Recorder]]// Carroll Lee Cropper became [[Boone County]] Judge in 1942 and served for the next twenty years. Cropper was born in a farm house near [[Bullittsburg Baptist Church]] in [[1897]] and graduated from [[schools|Burlington High School]] in 1916. He served in World War I and after returning settled on his family farm, eventually becoming a cashier at the [[banks|Boone County Deposit Bank]]. He served as a State Representative for twelve years beginning in 1934. Upon the death of [[nathaniel_riddell|Judge Nathaniel E. Riddell]] in 1942, Cropper was appointed to finish the unexpired term. The next year he was elected to his first full term. The position Cropper held is the equivalent of today's County [[judge executive|Judge/Executive]]. Prior to the reorganization of county government in the early 1980's, County Judges in Kentucky also had judicial powers. During his terms in office, Cropper witnessed [[Big Bone Lick]] becoming a [[big bone lick state park|State Park]], development of the airport now known as [[cincinnati_northern_kentucky_international_airport|Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport]], and the construction of [[roads|Interstates 71 and 75.]] It was during Judge Cropper's terms that Boone County began its tremendous population growth. In a Kentucky Post interview in 1974, Cropper said "I'm not against progress, but I actually hate to see [[farming|farms]] turn into subdivisions. It spoils the nature of the County. A lot of people are going to want to come here." How prolific his prediction seems to be! During his twenty years in office, Judge Cropper saw the County increase in population 250% from approximately 10,000 to 25,000. A Democrat, Cropper served as Boone County Campaign Manager for Franklin Roosevelt's first campaign for the presidency in 1932. He also served as chair of the Boone County Democratic Party. Upon his retirement in 1962, Judge Cropper became President of the People's Deposit Bank and five years later Chairman of the Board. Between 1901 and 1982, Cropper was one of only four long-standing Judges in Kentucky. Judge Cropper died in the year of America's bicentennial, 1976, and is buried along with his wife Kathryn in [[cemeteries|Bullittsburg Baptist Cemetery]]. In honor of his service, the [[roads|I-275]] Bridge between from Kentucky and [[Lawrenceburg, Indiana]] was named the Carroll Lee Cropper Bridge upon its 1977 dedication. ===== Related Topics ===== * [[Biographies]] * [[government|Boone County Government]] * [[kentucky_politics|Boone County in Kentucky Politics]] * [[articles_of_interest|More articles by the Boone County Preservation Review Board]] ====Related Websites==== * National Register information for the Carroll Cropper House in Burlington (PDFs), [[https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=f587918d-3eaf-4840-b3ed-c6716bf39303|inventory form and photos]]