Laurel County, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Laurel County is a county in the U.S. state
of Kentucky
. The population was 58,849 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat
is London
.
The London Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Laurel County.
Laurel County is a limited dry county
, meaning that sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except in certain areas as voted on by the residents of the area. In the case of Laurel County, by-the-drink alcohol sales is permitted only in restaurants in the city of London seating at least 100 diners and derive at least 70% of their total sales from food.
is in Laurel County.
of 2000, there were 52,715 people, 20,353 households, and 15,366 families residing in the county. The population density
was 121 /sqmi. There were 22,317 housing units at an average density of 51 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.66% White
, 0.63% Black or African American
, 0.37% Native American
, 0.35% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.08% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races
. 0.55% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
of any race.
There were 20,353 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples
living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.97.
The age distribution was 25.40% under 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,015, and the median income for a family was $31,318. Males had a median income of $27,965 versus $19,757 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $14,165. About 17.80% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.80% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.
Laurel County is home to the Battle of Wildcat Mountain, a pivotal yet little known battle during the American Civil War
that kept Confederate armies from advancing on Big Hill, a major stronghold during the war.
The first Kentucky Fried Chicken was started in Laurel County in Colonel Harland Sanders hometown of North Corbin. Due to the history of chicken in the county, The World Chicken Festival is celebrated every year in Laurel County, drawing crowds of up to 250,000 people over the four-day festival.
was raised and currently lives in Laurel County, at the small town of Lily. Former University of Kentucky basketball
star Jeff Sheppard
, the Most Outstanding Player
of the 1998 NCAA Tournament
who briefly played in the NBA
, now lives in London.
2000 ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Darrell Scott
, who has written hit songs for the Dixie Chicks
, Travis Tritt
, Brad Paisley
, Patty Loveless
, and many others, was born in London.
Laurel County is home to Chera-Lyn Cook, the first young woman from Southeast Kentucky to win the title of Miss Kentucky. Cook was talent winner and 4th runner-up to Miss America 1999. Cook was recognized by the Joint Sessions of the Kentucky Legislature for volunteer work with at-risk youth and was the Kentucky School Psychologist of the Year in 2004. Her platform issue at Miss America, Children's Miracle Network, was later adopted by the Miss America Scholarship Organization as a national platform. She was also commissioned a Goodwill Ambassador for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. The population was 58,849 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is London
London, Kentucky
-Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:...
.
The London Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Laurel County.
Laurel County is a limited dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
, meaning that sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except in certain areas as voted on by the residents of the area. In the case of Laurel County, by-the-drink alcohol sales is permitted only in restaurants in the city of London seating at least 100 diners and derive at least 70% of their total sales from food.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 443.74 square miles (1,149.3 km²), of which 435.67 square miles (1,128.4 km²) (or 98.18%) is land and 8.07 square miles (20.9 km²) (or 1.82%) is water. Part of Laurel River LakeLaurel River Lake
Laurel River Lake, located west of Corbin, Kentucky, in the USA, is an reservoir built in 1977 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Laurel River, a tributary of the Cumberland River, in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The lake covers parts of Laurel and Whitley counties.The 282 foot high...
is in Laurel County.
Adjacent counties
- Jackson CountyJackson County, KentuckyJackson County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was formed in 1858 and was named for President Andrew Jackson. As of 2000, the population was 13,495. Its county seat is McKee. It is a prohibition or dry county...
(northeast) - Clay CountyClay County, Kentucky- Demographics :As of the census of 2011, there were 21,000 people, 8,556 households, and 6,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 9,439 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
(east) - Knox CountyKnox County, KentuckyKnox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 31,795. Its county seat is Barbourville. The county is named for General Henry Knox...
(southeast) - Whitley CountyWhitley County, KentuckyWhitley County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. 2005 census projections list its population at 38,029 . The county seat is at Williamsburg, though the largest city is Corbin, and the county's District Court sits in both cities...
(south) - McCreary CountyMcCreary County, KentuckyMcCreary County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 17,080. Its county seat is Whitley City. The county is named for James B. McCreary, a Confederate war hero and Governor of Kentucky from 1875 to 1879. It is the only Kentucky county to not have a...
(southwest) - Pulaski CountyPulaski County, KentuckyPulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 63,063 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Somerset6. The county is named for Count Kazimierz Pułaski. Most of the county is a prohibition or dry county...
(west) - Rockcastle CountyRockcastle County, KentuckyRockcastle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,582. Its county seat is Mt. Vernon. The county is named for the Rockcastle River which runs through it...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A 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. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 52,715 people, 20,353 households, and 15,366 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 121 /sqmi. There were 22,317 housing units at an average density of 51 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.66% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 0.63% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.37% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.35% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.08% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
. 0.55% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race.
There were 20,353 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.97.
The age distribution was 25.40% under 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,015, and the median income for a family was $31,318. Males had a median income of $27,965 versus $19,757 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $14,165. About 17.80% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.80% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.
Unincorporated
- AtlantaAtlanta, KentuckyAtlanta is an unincorporated area in Laurel County, Kentucky, United States. Its elevation is 1010ft , and it is located at , just off of Route 30.-References:...
- East BernstadtEast Bernstadt, KentuckyEast Bernstadt is a census-designated place in Laurel County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 774 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Bernstadt is located at ....
- LakeLake, KentuckyLake is an unincorporated community in Laurel County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at latitude 37°5'22" North, longitude 83°53'8" West....
- North CorbinNorth Corbin, KentuckyNorth Corbin is a census-designated place in Knox and Laurel counties in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 1,662 at the 2000 census....
Education
Two public school districts serve K-12 students in the county:- Laurel County School District — Operates one preschool, 11 elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools.
- East Bernstadt Independent School District — Operates a single K-8 school. High school students in the district may attend either high school in the Laurel County district.
History
Laurel County, the eighteenth county to be organized in Kentucky, was established by an act of the general assembly, December 12, 1825, from parts of Rockcastle, Clay, Knox and Whitley Counties. However, the actual operation of the county government did not begin until March 1826.Laurel County is home to the Battle of Wildcat Mountain, a pivotal yet little known battle during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
that kept Confederate armies from advancing on Big Hill, a major stronghold during the war.
The first Kentucky Fried Chicken was started in Laurel County in Colonel Harland Sanders hometown of North Corbin. Due to the history of chicken in the county, The World Chicken Festival is celebrated every year in Laurel County, drawing crowds of up to 250,000 people over the four-day festival.
Famous residents
Nationally bestselling author Silas HouseSilas House
Silas Dwane House is an American writer best known for his novels. He is also a music journalist, environmental activist and columnist...
was raised and currently lives in Laurel County, at the small town of Lily. Former University of Kentucky basketball
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
star Jeff Sheppard
Jeff Sheppard
Jeffrey Kyle Sheppard is a retired American professional and collegiate basketball player.Sheppard was Player of the Year in Georgia in 1993 at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City....
, the Most Outstanding Player
NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships , the Associated Press selects a Most Outstanding Player. The MOP need not be, but almost always is a member of the Championship team, especially since the third place game was eliminated after 1981...
of the 1998 NCAA Tournament
1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
who briefly played in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, now lives in London.
2000 ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Darrell Scott
Darrell Scott
James Darrell Scott known as Darrell Scott , the son of musician Wayne Scott with whom he has collaborated, is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He moved as a child to East Gary, Indiana. He was playing professionally by his teens in Southern California, later living in...
, who has written hit songs for the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt is an American country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on Columbia Records and one for the defunct...
, Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
, Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless , is an American country music singer.Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and...
, and many others, was born in London.
Laurel County is home to Chera-Lyn Cook, the first young woman from Southeast Kentucky to win the title of Miss Kentucky. Cook was talent winner and 4th runner-up to Miss America 1999. Cook was recognized by the Joint Sessions of the Kentucky Legislature for volunteer work with at-risk youth and was the Kentucky School Psychologist of the Year in 2004. Her platform issue at Miss America, Children's Miracle Network, was later adopted by the Miss America Scholarship Organization as a national platform. She was also commissioned a Goodwill Ambassador for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
See also
- Dry counties
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Laurel County, Kentucky