Editing Fleming-Neon, Kentucky

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Fleming-Neon, Kentucky
|settlement_type          = [[list of Kentucky cities|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Fleming-Neon-from-Potter-ky.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Fleming-Neon
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Letcher County Kentucky Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fleming-Neon Highlighted 2127846.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in Letcher County, Kentucky
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Kentucky]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Kentucky|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Letcher County, Kentucky|Letcher]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Mayor-council government|Mayor-Council]]
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Ricky Burke
|leader_title1            =  
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Established (merger)
|established_date         = July 7, 1977

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_21.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 18, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 4.18
|area_land_km2            = 4.18
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.62
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.61
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 548
|population_density_km2   = 131.03
<!-- 2018 est. -->
|population_density_sq_mi = 339.32

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 424
|elevation_ft             = 1391
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|11|40|N|82|42|21|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 41840
|area_code                = [[Area code 606|606]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 21-27846
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1681811
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}

'''Fleming-Neon''' also known as '''Neon''', is a [[List of cities in Kentucky|home rule-class city]] in [[Letcher County, Kentucky|Letcher County]], [[Kentucky]], in the United States. The population was 770 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2127846&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1| title=Total Population: 2010 Census DEC Summary File 1 (P1), Fleming-Neon city, Kentucky| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| website=data.census.gov| access-date=February 11, 2020}}</ref> down from 840 at the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]].

==History==
The city was established by the [[Elkhorn Coal Corporation]] which moved into the area in 1913. '''Fleming''' was the location of the mine and was named for its first president, [[George W. Fleming]].<ref name=ren>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Lac2FUSj_oC&pg=PA103 | title=Kentucky Place Names | publisher=University Press of Kentucky | year=1987 | access-date=2013-04-28 | author=Rennick, Robert M. | pages=103| isbn=0813126312 }}</ref> A city named "Chip" existed near the community that became Fleming; it was quickly built up and served as a trading center for the nearby coal towns. The train that hauled the coal out of Fleming would make stops in '''Neon'''. Local tradition holds that the conductor would holler instructions to people climbing aboard the train to "Knee On" and this was corrupted into the present name, replacing Chip. In 1977, the two towns were merged into Fleming-Neon during their municipal incorporation by the [[Kentucky General Assembly|General Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyAtlas/ky-fleming-neon.html |title = Fleming-Neon, Kentucky}}</ref>

==Geography==
Fleming-Neon is located in eastern Letcher County at {{coord|37|11|40|N|82|42|21|W|type:city}} (37.194421, -82.705937).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It is bordered to the east by the unincorporated community of [[McRoberts, Kentucky|McRoberts]]. [[Whitesburg, Kentucky|Whitesburg]], the [[county seat]], is {{convert|12|mi}} to the southwest.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city of Fleming-Neon has a total area of {{convert|4.2|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|2127|sqm|acre|order=flip|2}}, or 0.05%, are water.<ref name=Gazetteer>{{cite web| url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_21.txt| title=U.S. Gazetteer Files: 2019: Places: Kentucky| website=U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division| access-date=February 11, 2020}}</ref> The city is in the valleys of the Wrights Fork and Yonts Fork, part of the upper watershed of the North Fork of the [[Kentucky River]].

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 840 people, 351 households, and 244 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|509.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 403 housing units at an average density of {{convert|244.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.55% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.86% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], and 0.60% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.60% of the population.

There were 351 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.88.

{{US Census population
|1980= 1195
|1990= 759
|2000= 840
|2010= 770
|2020= 548
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $18,421, and the median income for a family was $20,795. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $23,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $9,029. About 33.3% of families and 39.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 55.8% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Fleming-Neon High School served as the high school for the area for about 80 years. It was built in 1925 by the Elkhorn Coal Corporation to provide an educational system for the children of the coal miners. The school's mascot was a pirate, and the school colors were purple and gold. The original building was destroyed by fire on the night of February 11, 1958. Classes were held in the evenings in the Fleming-Neon Elementary School building until a new building was constructed in the same location as the old building. Classes resumed on the hill until June 6, 2005. The graduating class of 2005 was the last for Fleming-Neon High School due to consolidation with two other county schools, Whitesburg High School and Letcher High School, to form Letcher County Central High School.<ref>http://www.piratehistory.friendpages.com--17:19{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, 3 July 2009 (UTC)</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Martha Carson]], singer
* [[Jean Chapel]], singer
* [[Johnny Cox]], [[Chicago Zephyrs]] professional basketball player
* [[Hoover Dawahare]], businessman and politician

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Fleming-Neon, Kentucky}}
* [http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyAtlas/ky-fleming-neon.html uky.edu]

{{Letcher County, Kentucky}}
{{Eastern Mountain Coal Fields (Kentucky)}} 
{{Kentucky}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Cities in Letcher County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Mining communities in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Company towns in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1913]]
[[Category:1913 establishments in Kentucky]]
[[Category:1977 establishments in Kentucky]]