London, Kentucky

London is a home rule-class city<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in and the county seat of Laurel County, Kentucky, United States.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> As of the 2020 census, its population was 8,053.<ref name="Census 2020">Template:Cite web</ref> London is home to the annual World Chicken Festival that celebrates the life of Colonel Sanders and features the world's largest skillet.

History

The area around London had been Cherokee territory and in 1776 Daniel Boone passed through the area that would become London.Template:Cn

Upon the establishment of Laurel County in 1825, a vote was held to provide for the new area's seat of government. The land offered by John Jackson and his son Jarvis Jackson was selected, along with their suggested name of London, honoring their English heritage.<ref name=ren>Rennick, Robert. Kentucky Place Names, p. 178. University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 1987. Accessed August 1, 2013.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The town was founded the next year, its post office established in 1831,<ref name=ren/> and its city rights granted in 1836.<ref name=sos>Commonwealth of Kentucky. Office of the Secretary of State. Land Office. "London, Kentucky". Accessed August 1, 2013.</ref>

One of John Jackson's sons was Hancock Lee Jackson, 13th governor of Missouri. His second cousin was Claiborne Fox Jackson, 15th governor of Missouri.

The Battle of Camp Wildcat was fought early in the American civil war to the north of the town in 1861.

In 1865 the non denominational, First Christian Church of London was founded.<ref>website of the First Christian Church of London Kentucky.</ref>

The St. Joseph's Hospital was founded in 1926.Template:Citation needed

During the late 1930s and early 1940s, London served as a central collection agency for books donated to the Pack Horse Library Project.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite news</ref> It also had a pack horse library which delivered books to rural residents in the mountains.<ref name=":5">Template:Cite news</ref>

2025 tornado

On the night of May 16, 2025, a destructive and deadly tornado tore through London, killing at least 17, and 1 in the neighboring city of Somerset. Authorities also stated that some people are still unaccounted for.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

London is located in central Laurel County. U.S. Route 25 passes through London as its Main Street. Route 25 leads northwest Template:Convert to Mount Vernon and south Template:Convert to Corbin. Interstate 75, running parallel to US 25, passes along the western edge of London, with access from Exits 38 and 41. I-75 leads north Template:Convert to Lexington and south Template:Convert to Knoxville, Tennessee. The Hal Rogers Parkway runs along the northern edge of London, leading east Template:Convert to Garrard and west Template:Convert to Somerset.

According to the United States Census Bureau, London has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert, or 0.39%, are water.<ref name=Gazetteer>Template:Cite web</ref> Between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, the city annexed a significant portion of land.<ref name=LondonFiling>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

London has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa) with continental influences. Summers are hot and humid with frequent storms. July is the warmest month, with an average high of Template:Convert and an average low of Template:Convert. Winters are cold with a few mild periods. January is the coldest month with an average high of Template:Convert and an average low of Template:Convert. The highest recorded temperature was Template:Convert on June 29, 2012, and the lowest recorded temperature was Template:Convert on January 19, 1994.<ref name = NOAA /> May has the highest average rainfall of Template:Convert and October has the lowest average rainfall of Template:Convert.<ref name = NOAA />

Demographics

Template:US Census population London is part of the London, Kentucky micropolitan area. Of the seventeen micropolitan areas in Kentucky, London is the largest; the London micropolitan area's 2010 Census population was 126,368.

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 5,692 people, 2,400 households, and 1,461 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,676 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 96.03% White, 1.83% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population.

There were 2,400 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,283, and the median income for a family was $34,340. Males had a median income of $32,355 versus $19,873 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,046. About 19.4% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.9% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Major employers in London include:<ref>London Laurel County Community Profile</ref>

• ABC Group
• Aisin
• Bimbo Bakeries USA
• Flowers Foods
• Maximus
• Hearthside Food Solutions
• Highlands Diversified Services
• Niflheim Finances
• Springleaf Financial
• Senture
• SourceHOV
• Walmart
• Xerox
• Serco

Education

Public schools are administered by Laurel County Public Schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The district has two comprehensive high schools: North Laurel High School and South Laurel High School.

There is a private school, London Christian Academy.

Colleges

• Laurel Technical College
• Somerset Community and Technical College (Laurel Campus)
• Sue Bennett College was a private college in London, which operated from 1897 through 1997.

Public library

London has a lending library, the Laurel County Public Library.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

File:London-Corbin Airport terminal and restaurant.JPG

London-Corbin Airport terminal and restaurant (2011)

Greyhound Lines provides service to London on its route serving Atlanta, Knoxville, and Detroit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rural Transit Enterprises Coordinated provides on-demand public transportation to Laurel County and surrounding counties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Daniel Boone Transit and Harlan County Community Action Agency provide connecting services from other counties to Greyhound in London.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

London-Corbin Airport is located three miles south of London.

Notable people

• Granville Aikman, Kansas state judge
• Teel Bruner, College Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Chera-Lyn Cook, Miss Kentucky 1998; placed 4th runner-up to Miss America 1999
• Brady Deaton, Chancellor of the University of Missouri<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Donald Harvey, serial killer
• Gene Huff, politician
• Derek Lewis, American politician; born in London<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Nan Phelps, artist
• Flem Sampson, 42nd governor of Kentucky
• Darrell Scott, musician
• Reed Sheppard (born 2004), basketball player, picked 3rd overall in 2024 NBA draft by Houston Rockets

Gallery

• Laurel Country Court house (2007)
  Laurel Country Court house (2007)
• Federal building and US courthouse<Ref> Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse and Annex. U.S. Courthouse built in 1910 by Architect James Knox Taylor. Annex built in 2002. The historic building was designed to house the post office for London, Kentucky. The stucture is masonry bearing wall with steel interior columns. There is a two-story half elliptical wing that projects from the rear of the building reflecting the elliptical shape of the second floor court room.</Ref>
  Federal building and US courthouse<Ref> Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse and Annex. U.S. Courthouse built in 1910 by Architect James Knox Taylor. Annex built in 2002. The historic building was designed to house the post office for London, Kentucky. The stucture is masonry bearing wall with steel interior columns. There is a two-story half elliptical wing that projects from the rear of the building reflecting the elliptical shape of the second floor court room.</Ref>
• First Christian Church London (2018)
  First Christian Church London (2018)
• Saint William Church (2023)
  Saint William Church (2023)

External links

• City of London
• Laurel County History Museum & Genealogy Center