Ashland is a city in
Boyd CountyBoyd County is located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1860. Its are found at the northeastern edge of the state the near the Ohio River and Big Sandy River, nestled in the verdant rolling hills of Appalachia. The county seat is Catlettsburg. Its largest municipality is the city...
,
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, nestled along the banks of the
Ohio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. It is approximately 981 miles long and is located in the eastern United States....
. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Huntington-Ashland metropolitan area is a United States metropolitan area that includes five counties in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649. A July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 284,026. The MSA is nestled along the banks of...
(MSA). As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649. Ashland is the second largest city within the MSA, after Huntington. Ashland serves as an important economic and medical center for northeast Kentucky.
History
Ashland dates back to the migration of the Poage family from the
Shenandoah ValleyThe Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bound to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
via the famed
Cumberland GapCumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains region of the Appalachian Mountains, also known as the Cumberland Water Gap, at the juncture of the U.S. states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia...
in 1786. They settled upon a homestead along the
Ohio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. It is approximately 981 miles long and is located in the eastern United States....
and named it Poage's Landing. It remained an extended-family settlement until the mid-1800s. In 1854, the name of the city was changed to Ashland, after
Henry ClayHenry Clay, Sr. was a nineteenth-century American statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He served as Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829....
's
LexingtonLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 65th largest in the United States. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
estate, and to reflect the city's growing industrial base.
The city's early industrial growth was a result of Ohio's
pig ironPig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Pig iron has a very high carbon content, typically 3.5–4.5%, which makes it very brittle and not useful directly as a material except for limited applications.The traditional shape of the molds...
industry. It was not until 1854, that growth began to occur with the charter of the Kentucky Iron, Coal and Manufacturing Company by the Kentucky General Assembly. Major industrial employers in the first half of the 20th century included the Armco, the Ashland Oil and Refining Company, the
C&O RailroadThe Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
, Allied Chemical and Dye Company's Semet Solvay and Mansbach Steel.
Geography and climate
Ashland distinctly experiences all four seasons, with vivid fall foliage and occasional snow in winter. Average highs are around 88°F in July, the warmest month, and average lows are around 19°F in January, the coolest month. The highest recorded temperature was 105°F in July 1954. The lowest recorded temperature was -25°F in January 1994. Average annual precipitation is , with the wettest month being July, averaging .
Ashland is located at (38.464017, -82.641571).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 31.6 km
2 (12.2 mi
2). 28.7 km
2 (11.1 mi
2) of it is land and 2.9 km
2 (1.1 mi
2) of it (9.18%) is water.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 21,981 people, 9,675 households, and 6,192 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 766.0/km
2 (1,984.4/mi
2). There were 10,763 housing units at an average density of 375.1/km
2 (971.7/mi
2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.84% White, 2.30% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.
There were 9,675 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,309, and the median income for a family was $40,131. Males had a median income of $35,362 versus $23,994 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $19,218. About 14.0% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Ashland is governed by a City Manager form of government. The City Manager is the chief administrative officer for the city who reports to a Board of Commissioners. Department heads ranging from the Police to Public works report to the City Manager. The City Manager is currently Steve Corbitt.
The Mayor of Ashland is elected for a four year term and is not term limited. The mayor presides over City Commission meetings, is a voting member of the City Commission and represents the city at major functions. The current mayor is Tom Kelley. Kelley is a former member of the Ashland Police Department, where he retired as Chief of Police.
Ashland's current City Commissioners are Mayor Tom Kelley, Kevin Gunderson, Larry Brown, Marty Gute and Cheryl Spriggs.
Law enforcement
In the late-1800s, what is now the Ashland Police Department was organized during the town's reign as Poage's Landing. The first executive officer was a town
MarshallMarshall may refer to:*"Marshall", an American spelling for the military rank of marshal*Marshall *Marshall Aerospace, an aerospace contractor based in Cambridge, England*Marshall Amplification, a brand of guitar amplifier...
and was soon eclipsed by a professional police department.
The city of Ashland currently has 49 sworn officers, three civilian employees that function as administrative support and six parapolice that handle tasks that do not require the services of a sworn officer.
King's Daughters Medical Center
The fourth largest hospital in the state of
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
, the 465-bed not-for-profit institution is the city's largest employer at over 4,000 employees. It offers numerous inpatient and outpatient services for the region.
Another hospital, the Ashland Tuberculosis Hospital, was located south of the city and opened in 1950. It featured 100 beds and served 18 eastern Kentucky counties.
Cityscape
Ashland's central business district extends from 12th Street to 18th Street, and from Carter Avenue to Greenup Avenue. It includes many notable buildings, such as the
Paramount Arts CenterThe Paramount Arts Center is a historic theater located in Ashland, Kentucky, in the United States. Listed as the Paramount Theatre on the National Register of Historic Places, this landmark theater is an important part of theater in Kentucky.-History:...
and the Ashland Bank Building.
Education
There are eight public schools and two private schools in Ashland. All public schools within city limits are operated by the Ashland Independent School District.
Ashland has six public elementary schools, those being
Hager Elementary,
Oakview Elementary,
Crabbe Elementary School,
Poage Elementary,
Hatcher Elementary, and
Charles Russell Elementary.
There is one public middle school,
George M. Verity Middle School, formerly known as Putnam Junior High School. The campus is home to Putnam Stadium which serves as the home field for both the Verity Patriots football and soccer teams, and Ashland Tomcats football. The Ashland Tomcats football program has achieved 11 state championships. The Ashland Tomcats (boys') basketball program have accomplished 1 national championship, 4 state championships, 32 regional championships, and 55 district championships. The Ashland Tomcats and Kittens (girls') soccer teams play at the Ashland Soccer Complex at the high school.
One public high school serves the city of Ashland;
Paul G. Blazer High SchoolPaul G. Blazer High School is a public high school located in Ashland, Kentucky. It is part of the Ashland Independent school district. Blazer replaced the former Ashland High School in 1963. For this reason, Blazer is still commonly referred to as simply "Ashland" by local residents, or...
, named after philanthropist and founder of Ashland Inc., Paul G. Blazer. The high school is home to the Ashland Tomcats and Kittens athletic teams. The school's marching band competes in the AAAA class of the
Kentucky Music Educators Association(KMEA). The marching band is commonly called "The Pride of Blazer" for its excellent performance in many KMEA marching band competitions.
The two private schools serving the Ashland area are the
Holy Family School and the
Rose Hill Christian School. Holy Family is affiliated with Holy Family Catholic Church and currently offers K-8 education. Rose Hill is affiliated with the Rose Hill Baptist Church and offers K-12.
Post-secondary educational opportunities include
Ashland Community and Technical CollegeAshland Community and Technical College , located in Ashland, Kentucky, United States, is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System .-History:...
which has multiple campuses within the city.
Morehead State UniversityMorehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2005 and 2006 editions of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S....
also has a satellite campus located in Ashland.
Annual cultural events and fairs
Historical structures and museums
The
Paramount Arts CenterThe Paramount Arts Center is a historic theater located in Ashland, Kentucky, in the United States. Listed as the Paramount Theatre on the National Register of Historic Places, this landmark theater is an important part of theater in Kentucky.-History:...
, an art-deco converted movie theater built in 1930, is located on Winchester Avenue. The theater serves as an important venue for the arts in eastern Kentucky and the surrounding states of
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
and
West VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast...
. It is well noted for its Festival of Trees event during the winter season. In addition, the Paramount was the setting where Billy Ray Cyrus'
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
"Achy Breaky Heart" was taped. The Paramount is also devoted to teaching children the importance of the arts. Summer classes are offered for school age children.
Also along Winchester Avenue is the
Highlands Museum and Discovery Center. Among its numerous exhibits, includes one about Country Music Heritage that pays tribute to the local music artists that line
U.S. Route 23U.S. Route 23 is a long north-south U.S. highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has since been extended.-Route description:|-|FL...
in Kentucky. Two local artists,
The JuddsThe Judds were a Grammy Award-winning American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna. The Judds signed with RCA Records in 1983 and were one of the most popular country music duos of the decade, recording more than ten studio albums and charting many hit singles on the...
from Ashland, and
Billy Ray CyrusBilly Ray Cyrus is a Grammy Award-nominated American country music singer, songwriter and actor, best known for his #1 single "Achy Breaky Heart." Cyrus, a multi-platinum selling recording artist, has scored a total of eight top-ten singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart...
from nearby
FlatwoodsFlatwoods is a city in Greenup County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census. Steve Blaine is the city's mayor . Flatwoods is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, are included.
The
Pendleton Art Center is also located within the downtown, formed in 2005. Among the art produced there include paintings, stained glass, carved gourds, and wood carvings produced by local artists. They are presented at the Pendleton the first Friday and Saturday of every month and other times by appointment.
The Jesse Stuart Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the literary legacy of
Jesse StuartJesse Hilton Stuart was an American writer who achieved prominence in the short story, poetry, and novels. Born and raised in Greenup County, Kentucky, Stuart relied heavily on the rural locale of Northeastern Kentucky for his writings...
and other Appalachian writers, is located within an earshot of the Pendleton Arts Center. Jesse Stuart, a well-known 20th century author, was from nearby
Greenup, KentuckyGreenup is a city in Greenup County, Kentucky, at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Sandy Rivers. The population was 1,198 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Greenup County. Greenup is named in honor of Christopher Greenup....
.
Newspaper
Ashland is home to
The Independent, a seven-day morning daily newspaper that covers the city and the surrounding metropolitan area. The newspaper is often called "The Daily Independent" by locals, as this was its former name. One of the paper's claims to fame is the first printing of a supposed image of Jesus in the clouds of Korea in 1951.
Radio
| Call sign | Frequency | Format | Description / Notes |
|---|
| W216AT |
91.1 FM |
|
Owned by the American Family Association. |
| WDGG |
93.7 FM |
|
Owned by Kindred Communications. Licensed to Ashland with studios located in Huntington, West VirginiaHuntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was estimated...
|
| WLGC-FM WLGC-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Country format. Licensed to Greenup, Kentucky, USA, the station's studios are located in Ashland, Kentucky with its transmitter remaining in Greenup. The station broadcasts to the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The station is...
|
105.7 FM |
Country MusicCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
|
Owned by Greenup County Broadcasting, Inc. Licensed to nearby Greenup, KentuckyGreenup is a city in Greenup County, Kentucky, at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Sandy Rivers. The population was 1,198 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Greenup County. Greenup is named in honor of Christopher Greenup....
with studios located in downtown Ashland. |
| WLGC-AM WLGC is a radio station broadcasting a 1980's music format, with the exception of weekdays from 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM when the station broadcasts Southern Gospel music, hosted by long-time radio announcer Ronnie Bell. Like it's FM sister station, WLGC-AM is licensed to Greenup, Kentucky while their...
|
1520 AM |
Classic Rock Classic rock was originally conceived as a radio station programming format which evolved from the album oriented rock format in the early-1980s...
(specifically music from the 1980sThe 1980s was the decade that ran from January 1, 1980, to December 31, 1989.The time period saw social, economic and general change as wealth and production migrated to newly industrializing economies...
) |
Owned by Greenup County Broadcasting, Inc. Licensed to nearby Greenup, KentuckyGreenup is a city in Greenup County, Kentucky, at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Sandy Rivers. The population was 1,198 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Greenup County. Greenup is named in honor of Christopher Greenup....
with studios located in downtown Ashland. |
| WCMI |
1340 AM |
|
The owner is Kindred Communications. It was founded by the Ashland Broadcasting Station whose owners were the Daily Independent on April 29, 1935. It was sold to Nunn Enterprises in 1939. |
| WYHY WRTB is a radio station licensed to serve Winnebago, Illinois, and serving the Rockford, Illinois, market. WRTB has used the Bob FM format since August 1, 2006.-History:...
|
1080 AM |
|
Located in adjacent Cannonsburg Cannonsburg is an unincorporated community in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. Cannonsburg is generally considered a part of nearby Ashland, although Cannonsburg is not within Ashland city limits. Most of Cannonsburg shares its mailing zipcode with Ashland; however, parts are within the...
, it is owned by Big River Radio Inc. |
| WWKO |
|
|
Operated by the States Broadcasting Company, it went live on July 31, 1954. |
Television
Ashland residents receive their network television primarily from stations in
HuntingtonHuntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was estimated...
and
Charleston, West VirginiaCharleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,421, with its urban area having a population of 212,991, and its metropolitan area 309,635...
. In addition, WKYT, the
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
affiliate in
Lexington, KentuckyLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 65th largest in the United States. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
is shown on cable in Ashland when its programming is different from the CBS affiliate in Huntington, WOWK. There are also two television stations licensed to Ashland itself. Those are:
| Call sign | Channel | Description |
|---|
| WKAS |
25 |
Owned by the Kentucky Authority for Educational Television. PBS/Kentucky Educational Television The Kentucky Educational Television network a.k.a. "KET, The Kentucky Network" is Kentucky's statewide public television network. It delivers the PBS national schedule plus a wide range of local programming, basic skills and workplace education, and college credit courses.The network, headquartered...
affiliate |
WTSFWTSF is a charismatic Christian television station in the Huntington-Charleston, West Virginia market, which covers parts of that state, eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio. It operates on digital channel 44...
|
61 |
Owned by Daystar Television NetworkThe Daystar Television Network is a Christian television network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas. Daystar's founders are Marcus Lamb and his wife, Joni Lamb.-Programming:...
|
Parks and outdoor attractions
Ashland boasts a wooded
Central Park, founded in 1854, playgrounds and other amusements. It was bounded between Lexington and Central Avenue, and 17th and 22nd Streets. In 1936, the
Works Progress AdministrationThe Works Progress Administration was the largest "New Deal" agency, employing millions of people and affecting almost every locality in the United States, especially rural and western mountain populations...
constructed a central road through the park; one year later, a pond was constructed in the southeast quadrant. Twenty years later, after complaints of mosquito problems, the pond was filled in with five feet of dirt and it became a softball practice field.
In the spring of 1995, the pond was excavated and was filled with water by September. The original water lilies that were planned in 1937 had come back in full bloom. A fountain was added in the center and numerous fish species were added. The park today features three separate children playgrounds, several baseball diamonds, a volleyball court and a traditional bandstand. Central Park also hosts an annual holiday light show, the Winter Wonderland of Lights.
In July 1976, a new park at the former
Clyffeside Park was envisioned. Named after Commissioner Johnny Oliverio, it features several baseball diamonds, and is located along Winchester Avenue near 39th Street.
In 2004, the
AK Steel Sports Park was constructed along Blackburn Avenue in South Ashland. The sports-oriented park features several baseball diamonds, soccer fields and a skate park.
Air
Located just north of the city in
WorthingtonWorthington is a city in Greenup County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,673 at the 2000 census.Worthington is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
is the
Ashland Regional AirportAshland Regional Airport is a public use airport owned by the Ashland Regional Airport Board and located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Ashland, a city in Greenup County, Kentucky, United States. Currently, the airport serves local charter and private aircraft...
. This airport is used for general aviation and charter services. The then-named
Ashland-Boyd County Airport opened in 1953 and featured a . runway with a . clearance.
Tri-State AirportTri-State Airport , also known as Milton J. Ferguson Field, is a public airport located just south of Ceredo, West Virginia, three miles south of the central business district of Huntington, West Virginia. It serves the nearby cities of Huntington, Ashland, Kentucky, and Ironton, Ohio. The...
, located in nearby
Ceredo, West VirginiaCeredo is a city in Wayne County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,675 at the 2000 census. Ceredo is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649.The city is also near the location of...
, provides commercial aviation services for the city.
Rail
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Ashland. The major and only line that Amtrak offers in Ashland is the
CardinalThe Cardinal is a 1,147-mile congressionally-mandated passenger train route operated by Amtrak, connecting New York Penn Station with Chicago Union Station three days a week via Philadelphia, Wilmington, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Charlottesville, Virginia, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Indianapolis,...
. Amtrak Service is offered at the Ashland Transportation Center, formerly the Chesapeake and Ohio freight depot located at 15th Street near the
Ohio RiverThe Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. It is approximately 981 miles long and is located in the eastern United States....
, but it does not have an Amtrak Ticket Counter or QuikTrak Ticket Machine. The former freight depot, constructed in 1906 on the former Aldine Hotel site, was an abandoned derelict before being renovated in the late 1990s to serve as a unified transportation hub for the city.
The former
Chesapeake and Ohio RailwayThe Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
passenger depot at 11th Street and Carter Avenue, was completed in 1925 but abandoned in the 1970s in favor of a downsized depot in
CatlettsburgCatlettsburg is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. It is the county seat of Boyd County. The city population was 1,960 at the 2000 census. However, the city's postal zip code serves a greater population of 10,029. Catlettsburg is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan...
. The rail lines to the building have since been removed and the building itself now serves as the downtown Ashland branch of National City Bank. Passenger rail service was moved from Catlettsburg to the Ashland Transportation Center in the early 2000s.
Bus
Greyhound LinesGreyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, USA, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States and Canada, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and incorporated...
is the sole provider of intercity bus transportation out of Ashland. It operates out of the Ashland Transportation Center.
The
Ashland Bus SystemAshland Bus System provides the municipal bus service in the City of Ashland, Kentucky and its nearby suburbs. Unlike many such services, it is operated by the City government itself, even though its routes also reach the suburbs, including Ceredo, West Virginia and Kenova, West Virginia...
provides five local bus routes out of the Ashland Transportation Center.
Roads
Ashland is served by
US 23U.S. Route 23 runs north-south through the eastern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky, forming the northern part of Corridor B of the Appalachian Development Highway System. It is also known as the "Country Music Highway" and was designated as a National Scenic Byway on June 13,...
and
US 60U.S. Route 60 is an east-west United States highway, running 2,670 miles from eastern Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection with the major U.S. Route 66...
, several state routes, and is in close proximity to
US 52U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
and
Interstate 64Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with U.S. 40 and U.S...
.
Notable natives
- Allison Anders
Allison Anders is an American film and television director. Anders has directed many independent films, on which she frequently collaborates with fellow UCLA film school graduate Kurt Voss.-Biography:...
, film director.
- Paul J. Fannin, a former Governor and Senator from Arizona
The State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
.
- Jillian Hall
Jillian Faye Fletcher is an American professional wrestler who currently performs for World Wrestling Entertainment on its Raw brand under the ring name Jillian Hall, or better known as Jillian....
, WWE Diva who was born in Ashland
- Chris Jennings
Chris Jennings is a gridiron football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed as a street free agent by the Montreal Alouettes in 2008. He played college football at Arizona....
, running back for the Cleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are an American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They play in the AFC North division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . The original Cleveland Browns began play in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the NFL
- The Judds
The Judds were a Grammy Award-winning American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna. The Judds signed with RCA Records in 1983 and were one of the most popular country music duos of the decade, recording more than ten studio albums and charting many hit singles on the...
, a country musicCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
duo of mother NaomiNaomi Judd is an American country music singer, songwriter, and activist.-Biography:She was born Diana Ellen Judd to Charles Glen Judd and his wife Pauline Judd on January 11, 1946, in Ashland, Kentucky. Her father owned a gas station; her mother started out as a homemaker but later became a...
and daughter WynonnaWynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna . Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
. The city of Ashland features a public square at 16th Street and Winchester Avenue titled Judd Plaza.
- Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd is an American actress, well known for playing a number of strong women characters in films such as Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, and High Crimes.-Early life:...
is an actress and daughter of Naomi Judd.
- Kasey Kazee also known as the Duct Tape bandit
- Matt Wheeler actor MTV's Punk'd
- Although originally from Canton, Georgia
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 9,000 at the 2000 census. In 2005, Canton was the fastest growing city in Georgia and the 5th fastest growing city in the United States...
, Sonny LandhamWilliam M. "Sonny" Landham is an American movie actor and political candidate.-Acting career:At the beginning of his acting career, Landham was an actor in pornographic films...
is an actor and former Kentucky gubernatorial candidate. He currently resides in Ashland.
- Jon Maggard The renown chef and Front man for popular acts Like "Rock on Ice" and "ScoutLion"
- Michele Mahone, television host of Direct Shopping Network.
- Venus Ramey
Venus Ramey was Miss America in 1944, and was the first red-haired contestant to win the title.Ramey competed as Miss District of Columbia and worked during her reign to help win suffrage for Washington D.C. in 1945...
was the first red-haired Miss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
in 1944.
- Charlie Reliford
Charles Harold Reliford is an umpire in American Major League Baseball. After working in the National League from 1989 to 1999, he has worked throughout both leagues since 2000. He wears uniform number 18.He began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1982, eventually reaching the American Association...
an umpire in Major League Baseball.
- Julie Reeves
Julie Reeves is an American country music artist. She released one studio album for Virgin Records in 1999, and charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including two minor Top 40 hits. Reeves was once married to country music parodist Cledus T...
, country music singer.
- Robert Smedley
Robert Smedley is an American professional wrestler better known under his stage name Bobby Blaze. He has performed for several wrestling promotions, including Smoky Mountain Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
, also known as Bobby Blaze, is a professional wrestler for national and international wrestling organizations including World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and his...
and World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
.
- Jean Thomas
Jean Bell Thomas was an American folk festival promoter, author and photographer who specialized in the music, crafts, and language patterns of the Appalachian region of the United States.-Early life:...
, proprietress of the American Folk Song Festival in the Ashland area between 1930 and 1972.
- Brandon Webb
Brandon Tyler Webb , is a National Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks and was the 2006 National League Cy Young Award winner....
is a pitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter who attempts to either make contact with it or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is...
for Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
's Arizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, 2006 National League Cy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner.
- Chuck Woolery
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Woolery is an American game show host. He has had long-running tenures hosting several different game shows. He was the original host of Wheel of Fortune from 1975-1981, the original incarnation of Love Connection from 1983-1994, and Scrabble from 1984-1990...
is a popular game show host. A street in Central Park, Chuck Woolery Boulevard, is named after him.
- Trace Cyrus
Trace Dempsey Cyrus is an American musician. He is a guitarist, songwriter and vocalist in the band Metro Station. He is the owner of a clothing company called From Backseats to Bedrooms. Cyrus is the adopted son of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus...
, born in Ashland. Vocalist and guitarist of the band Metro StationMetro Station is an American pop band, formed in 2006 in Los Angeles, California. In late 2006, the band signed a recording contract with Columbia/Red Ink. They are best known for their Top 10 Billboard hit single "Shake It" from their self-titled debut album...
.
- David E. Carter
David E. Carter is an entrepreneur and writer who is a considered an expert on graphic design, logo design, and corporate branding and the "pioneer" of trademark and logo books...
, born in Ashland. He is an entrepreneur and writer who is a considered an expert on graphic design, logo design, and corporate branding and the "pioneer" of trademark and logo books.
Trivia
- In 1925, a new city hall was erected at the corner of 17th Street and Greenup Avenue.
- The government switched from a council-manager to a city commissioner-manager form of government in 1950.
External links