Knott County, Kentucky
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county
Knott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,251.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Hindman.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was formed in 1884 and is named for James Proctor Knott, Governor of Kentucky (1883–1887).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> As of 2024 the county is now wet. Its county seat is home to the Hindman Settlement School, founded as America's first settlement school. The Knott County town of Pippa Passes is home to Alice Lloyd College.
History
[edit]Template:Further Knott County was established in 1884 from land given by Breathitt, Floyd, Letcher, and Perry counties. The 1890s-era courthouse, the second to serve the county, burned in 1929.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The first elected county officials were county clerk Lewis Hays (an early settler of The Forks of Troublesome defeating fellow early settler F. P. Allen), county judge David Calhoun, county attorney Fielding Johnson, sheriff Madison Pigman, jailer Isom Slone, and county assessor Hiram Maggard.<ref name="Scolf2000">Template:Cite book</ref> The political lines drawn in the early politics of the county were largely along divisions between the early settler families of The Forks, inherited from Civil War differences.<ref name="Scolf2000" />
In a later election Anderson Hays ran against Clabe Jones, who had been on opposite sides in the Civil War, with Jones winning the election.<ref name="Scolf2000" /> This caused a feud that lasted several years, with fights and deaths in Hindman.<ref name="Scolf2000" />
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Magoffin County (north)
- Floyd County (northeast)
- Pike County (east)
- Letcher County (south)
- Perry County (southwest)
- Breathitt County (northwest)
Summits
[edit]Big Lovely Mountain, Template:Convert
Demographics
[edit]As of the census of 2000, there were 17,649 people, 6,717 households, and 4,990 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,579 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 98.27% White, 0.73% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,717 households, out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 10.80% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $20,373, and the median income for a family was $24,930. Males had a median income of $29,471 versus $21,240 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,297. About 26.20% of families and 31.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.80% of those under age 18 and 23.10% of those age 65 or over.
Education
[edit]Knott County Schools
[edit]- Knott County Central High School
- Knott County Area Technology Center
- Beaver Creek Elementary
- Carr Creek Elementary
- Cordia School
- Emmalena Elementary
- Hindman Elementary
- Jones Fork Elementary
Private schools
[edit]- Bethel Christian Academy
- Hindman Settlement School
- June Buchanan School
Higher education
[edit]- Knott County Campus of Hazard Community and Technical College
- Alice Lloyd College
Politics
[edit]Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot Knott County had historically voted very strongly for the Democratic Party. In 1992, 75% of Knott County residents voted for Democrat Bill Clinton for US president, the highest percentage for Clinton of any county in the state. However, in recent years, Knott County has voted more favorably for the Republican Party. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain became the first Republican to win Knott County in a presidential election by winning 52.6% of the vote to Barack Obama's 45%.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
When Governor Ernie Fletcher appointed Republican Randy Thompson as County Judge Executive in 2005, it was the first time the county ever had a Republican Judge Executive. Thompson won re-election in 2006 and again in 2010, making him the first Republican to win election in a Knott County office. Randy Thompson was later convicted in federal court of running a vote buying scheme and sentenced to 40 months in the federal prison system.
Elected officials
[edit]Elected officials as of January 3, 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
U.S. House | Template:Party shading/Republican|Hal Rogers (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr |
---|---|---|
Ky. Senate | Template:Party shading/Republican|Scott Madon (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|29 |
Ky. House | Template:Party shading/Republican|John Blanton (R) | Template:Party shading/Republican|92 |
Economy
[edit]Coal companies in Knott County
[edit]- Alpha Natural Resources<ref>[Alpha Natural Resources - 2012 Kentucky Operations]</ref>
- James River Coal Company<ref>James River Coal Company – Leeco complex</ref>
Areas of interest
[edit]Tourism is increasing in the county,Template:Citation needed especially the popularity of elk viewing.Template:Citation needed Knott County and its surrounding counties are home to 5,700 free ranging elk, the largest elk herd east of the Mississippi River.Template:Citation needed<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> There is an ATV Training Center dedicated to the safety of ATV usage amongst riders and the Knott County Sportsplex, a sports complex which has indoor basketball courts, outside baseball fields, a soccer field, and a fitness center.
Media
[edit]Television
[edit]Hometown24
Radio
[edit]Newspapers
[edit]Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]- Hindman (county seat)
- Pippa Passes
- Vicco<ref>Kentucky Department of State - Office of Land Management - Map</ref> (part)
Unincorporated communities
[edit]- Anco
- Bath
- Bearville
- Betty
- Breeding Creek
- Carrie
- Dema (part)
- Elic
- Elmrock
- Emmalena
- Fisty
- Garner
- Handshoe
- Hollybush
- Indian Grave
- Irishmans
- Jones Fork
- Kite
- Leburn
- Littcarr
- Mallie
- Mousie
- Pine Top
- Raven
- Redfox
- Ritchie
- Sassafras
- Slone Fork
- Soft Shell
- Spider
- Talcum
- Tina
- Topmost
- Vest
- Wiscoal
Infrastructure
[edit]Transportation
[edit]Public transportation is provided by LKLP Community Action Partnership with demand-response service and scheduled service from Hindman to Hazard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable residents
[edit]- Lige Clarke (1942−1975), LGBT activist, journalist and author
- Rebecca Gayheart (born 1971), actress and model
- Carl Dewey Perkins (1912−1984), politician and member of the United States House of Representatives
- James Still (1906–2001), author folklorist
- David Tolliver, musician; member of country band Halfway to Hazard
In popular culture
[edit]- 20th Century Fox filmed several scenes in the county for a nationally released movie Fire Down Below
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Further reading
[edit]External links
[edit]Template:Knott County, Kentucky Template:Eastern Mountain Coal Fields (Kentucky) Template:Kentucky