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Knott County, Kentucky

Coordinates: 37°21′N 82°57′W / 37.35°N 82.95°W / 37.35; -82.95
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Knott County
County
Knott County Courthouse
Knott County Courthouse
Map of Kentucky highlighting Knott County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°21′N 82°57′W / 37.35°N 82.95°W / 37.35; -82.95
Country United States
State Kentucky
Founded1884
Named forJames Proctor Knott
SeatHindman
Largest cityHindman
Area
 • Total
353 sq mi (910 km2)
 • Land352 sq mi (910 km2)
 • Water1.3 sq mi (3 km2)  0.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
14,251
 • Estimate 
(2023)
13,659 Decrease
 • Density40/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district5th
Websitewww.knottky.com

Knott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,251.[1] Its county seat is Hindman.[2] The county was formed in 1884 and is named for James Proctor Knott, Governor of Kentucky (1883–1887).[3] 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

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Further information: The Forks of Troublesome § Early settlers; and Hindman, Kentucky § History

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.[4]

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.[5] 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.[5]

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.[5] This caused a feud that lasted several years, with fights and deaths in Hindman.[5]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 353 square miles (910 km2), of which 352 square miles (910 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) (0.4%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties

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Summits

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Big Lovely Mountain, 1,401 feet (427 m)

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18905,438—
19008,70460.1%
191010,79124.0%
192011,6558.0%
193015,23030.7%
194020,00731.4%
195020,3201.6%
196017,362−14.6%
197014,698−15.3%
198017,94022.1%
199017,906−0.2%
200017,649−1.4%
201016,346−7.4%
202014,251−12.8%
2023 (est.)13,659[7]−4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1]

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 50 per square mile (19/km2). There were 7,579 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (8.5/km2). 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

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Knott County Schools

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Private schools

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Higher education

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Politics

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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%.[12]

United States presidential election results for Knott County, Kentucky[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 4,732 78.83% 1,181 19.67% 90 1.50%
2020 4,780 76.46% 1,412 22.58% 60 0.96%
2016 4,357 75.60% 1,245 21.60% 161 2.79%
2012 4,130 72.55% 1,420 24.94% 143 2.51%
2008 3,070 52.75% 2,612 44.88% 138 2.37%
2004 2,648 35.81% 4,685 63.36% 61 0.82%
2000 2,029 31.42% 4,349 67.34% 80 1.24%
1996 1,201 18.18% 4,842 73.29% 564 8.54%
1992 1,243 16.96% 5,500 75.05% 585 7.98%
1988 1,691 24.42% 5,185 74.86% 50 0.72%
1984 1,728 27.66% 4,487 71.81% 33 0.53%
1980 1,602 22.68% 5,405 76.50% 58 0.82%
1976 962 16.65% 4,762 82.40% 55 0.95%
1972 1,479 34.50% 2,774 64.71% 34 0.79%
1968 1,098 22.56% 3,335 68.52% 434 8.92%
1964 482 9.22% 4,739 90.61% 9 0.17%
1960 1,412 26.30% 3,957 73.70% 0 0.00%
1956 1,715 30.02% 3,987 69.80% 10 0.18%
1952 1,124 20.14% 4,437 79.49% 21 0.38%
1948 754 13.93% 4,660 86.07% 0 0.00%
1944 803 17.19% 3,867 82.81% 0 0.00%
1940 759 14.62% 4,434 85.38% 0 0.00%
1936 865 19.87% 3,488 80.13% 0 0.00%
1932 747 14.39% 4,443 85.61% 0 0.00%
1928 1,004 26.24% 2,822 73.76% 0 0.00%
1924 886 27.75% 2,286 71.59% 21 0.66%
1920 802 25.80% 2,295 73.84% 11 0.35%
1916 571 28.14% 1,454 71.66% 4 0.20%
1912 387 23.74% 1,114 68.34% 129 7.91%

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.

Economy

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Coal companies in Knott County

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Areas of interest

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Tourism is increasing in the county,[citation needed] especially the popularity of elk viewing.[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.[citation needed][16] 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

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Television

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Hometown24

Radio

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Newspapers

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Communities

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Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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Infrastructure

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Transportation

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Public transportation is provided by LKLP Community Action Partnership with demand-response service and scheduled service from Hindman to Hazard.[18]

Notable residents

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[edit]
  • 20th Century Fox filmed several scenes in the county for a nationally released movie Fire Down Below

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. p. 35.
  4. ^ Hogan, Roseann Reinemuth (1992). Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research. Ancestry Publishing. p. 263. ISBN 9780916489496. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d Scalf, Henry Preston (2000). "The Rising Tide". Kentucky's Last Frontier. The Overmountain Press. pp. 151–152. ISBN 9781570721656.
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  12. ^ "Presidential Election Results Map". The New York Times. 2008.
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  14. ^ [Alpha Natural Resources - 2012 Kentucky Operations]
  15. ^ James River Coal Company – Leeco complex
  16. ^ "All About Elk in Kentucky". kentuckytourism.com. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  17. ^ Kentucky Department of State - Office of Land Management - Map
  18. ^ "LKLP Community Action Council, Inc. > Programs > Public Transportation". Retrieved May 19, 2015.

Further reading

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37°21′N 82°57′W / 37.35°N 82.95°W / 37.35; -82.95

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