Hickman is a city in and the county seat of Fulton County, Kentucky, United States.^[3] Located on the Mississippi River, the city had a population of 2,365 at the 2020 U.S. census^[4] and is classified as a home rule-class city.^[5] Hickman is part of the Union City micropolitan area.

This area was long occupied by various cultures of indigenous peoples. European-American settlement of this area did not begin until decades after the American Revolutionary War. James Mills built the first cabin on the site in 1819. The community of Mills Point was large enough to receive a post office in 1830. Around 1834, G. Marr purchased much of the surrounding area and laid out more streets.^[6]

The community was renamed Hickman in 1837 after the maiden name of Marr's wife. The city was formally incorporated by the state assembly on February 18, 1841.^[7] In 1845, the city became the county seat.^[6]

A railroad from Hickman to Union City, Tennessee was completed in 1860. Originally incorporated in 1853 as the Hickman & Obion Railroad, it was bought out in 1871 by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway.^[8]

David Walker, his wife, and their four children were lynched in Hickman in 1908 after Mr. Walker was accused of using inappropriate language with a white woman.^[9]

Two floods devastated Hickman, the first in 1912 and the second in 1913.^[10] The flood of 1912 began when a levee located near Hickman broke. Within a few hours the water had risen to the roofs of houses. The flood of 1913 began when a levee near West Hickman broke on April 4. Baseball pitcher Rube Waddell was among the many who helped save the city during both floods. Waddell came down with pneumonia after each flood; he died of tuberculosis.^[11]

Another flood in August 2023 impacted Hickman, with mudslides impacting the downtown area and led to road closures.^[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²), of which 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) is land and 0.28% is water.

Sites in Fulton listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:^[18]

Hickman has a public library, a branch of the Fulton County Public Library.^[19]

• Amy L. Bondurant, former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)^[20]
• Robert Glen Coe, convicted murderer^[21]
• S.G. Goodman, singer-songwriter^[22]
• Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr., President of Indiana University^[23]