Lewis County, Kentucky

Last updated

Lewis County
Lewis County, Kentucky courthouse.jpg
Lewis County courthouse in Vanceburg
Map of Kentucky highlighting Lewis County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky in United States.svg
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°32′N83°23′W / 38.53°N 83.39°W / 38.53; -83.39
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Kentucky.svg  Kentucky
FoundedDecember 2, 1806
Named after Meriwether Lewis
Seat Vanceburg
Largest cityVanceburg
Area
  Total
495 sq mi (1,280 km2)
  Land483 sq mi (1,250 km2)
  Water13 sq mi (30 km2)  2.5%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
13,080
  Estimate 
(2024)
12,875 Decrease2.svg
  Density26/sq mi (10/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 4th
Website lewiscounty.ky.gov

Lewis County is near the northeastern tip of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,080. [1] Its county seat is Vanceburg. [2]

Contents

History

Kentucky was part of Virginia until 1792. The District of Kentucky began with three counties: Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln and Fayette. Part of Fayette County was split off as Bourbon County in 1785; a portion of Bourbon was split off in 1788 as Mason County; in 1806 Lewis County was split off from Mason and named for Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. [3] [4] [5]

The county's elevation ranges from 485 to 1400 feet above sea level. Its heavily forested hills and hollows have produced some of the nation's best oak lumber. Lumbering was long the county's principal economic activity; today the largest categories of employment are health care and social assistance (814 persons), construction (680) and manufacturing (600). [6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 495 square miles (1,280 km2), of which 483 square miles (1,250 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (2.5%) is water. [7] The county's northern border with Ohio is formed by the Ohio River. Its border with the river is the longest of all the Kentucky counties. [8]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1810 2,357
1820 3,97368.6%
1830 5,22931.6%
1840 6,30620.6%
1850 7,20214.2%
1860 8,36116.1%
1870 9,1159.0%
1880 13,15444.3%
1890 14,80312.5%
1900 17,86820.7%
1910 16,887−5.5%
1920 15,829−6.3%
1930 14,315−9.6%
1940 15,6869.6%
1950 13,520−13.8%
1960 13,115−3.0%
1970 12,355−5.8%
1980 14,54517.7%
1990 13,029−10.4%
2000 14,0928.2%
2010 13,870−1.6%
2020 13,080−5.7%
2024 (est.)12,875 [9] −1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12]
1990-2000 [13] 2010-2020 [1]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,092 people, 5,422 households, and 4,050 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 per square mile (11/km2). There were 6,173 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.92% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.03% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 0.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,422 households, out of which 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% 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 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $22,208, and the median income for a family was $26,109. Males had a median income of $25,522 versus $18,764 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,031. About 23.50% of families and 28.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.40% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over. Over forty percent of this county gets some kind of government benefit. [14]

Education

A view of the Lewis County Middle School near Vanceburg from KY 10 LewisCountyKYSchoolComplex.jpg
A view of the Lewis County Middle School near Vanceburg from KY 10

The residents of Lewis County are served by the Lewis County Schools. There are four elementary schools, a middle school for 7th and 8th graders, and an adjacent high school on KY 10, the AA Highway. The elementary schools are Lewis County Central in Vanceburg; Garrison Elementary, east of Vanceburg in the community of Garrison; Tollesboro Elementary, west of Vanceburg in the community of Tollesboro; and Laurel Elementary, southeast of Vanceburg. LCHS hwas a nationally distinguished school in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Elementary Schools:

Middle Schools:

High Schools:

Closed Schools:

Politics

United States presidential election results for Lewis County, Kentucky [15] [16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
2024 4,99787.34%66611.64%581.01%
2020 4,98684.75%82313.99%741.26%
2016 4,36382.35%78514.82%1502.83%
2012 3,32669.74%1,34228.14%1012.12%
2008 3,21367.06%1,51031.52%681.42%
2004 3,77868.89%1,66730.40%390.71%
2000 3,21770.42%1,29328.31%581.27%
1996 2,36554.12%1,41532.38%59013.50%
1992 2,49350.84%1,71334.93%69814.23%
1988 3,10866.18%1,56833.39%200.43%
1984 3,44569.64%1,48430.00%180.36%
1980 2,80263.78%1,54335.12%481.09%
1976 2,38355.01%1,92944.53%200.46%
1972 3,12471.57%1,20027.49%410.94%
1968 2,76064.83%1,01723.89%48011.28%
1964 2,30050.58%2,23049.04%170.37%
1960 3,81669.41%1,68230.59%00.00%
1956 3,33367.65%1,58532.17%90.18%
1952 3,31767.86%1,55631.83%150.31%
1948 2,70864.68%1,44934.61%300.72%
1944 3,27569.43%1,43430.40%80.17%
1940 3,37164.22%1,87835.78%00.00%
1936 3,25561.92%1,98537.76%170.32%
1932 3,21255.88%2,48843.28%480.84%
1928 4,07778.36%1,12021.53%60.12%
1924 3,06765.13%1,44730.73%1954.14%
1920 4,18671.84%1,55026.60%911.56%
1916 2,32462.66%1,27634.40%1092.94%
1912 1,18534.52%1,01729.62%1,23135.86%
1908 2,54965.26%1,26832.46%892.28%
1904 2,37462.74%1,28633.99%1243.28%
1900 2,31160.01%1,48238.48%581.51%
1896 2,34861.29%1,43337.41%501.31%
1892 1,53153.36%1,04436.39%29410.25%
1888 1,88057.02%1,37941.83%381.15%
1884 1,49855.94%1,15243.02%281.05%
1880 1,38854.28%1,07542.04%943.68%
1876 1,13449.72%1,14750.28%00.00%
1872 95259.65%64440.35%00.00%
1868 98355.16%79944.84%00.00%
1864 64562.26%39137.74%00.00%
1860 312.79%736.57%1,00790.64%
1856 00.00%63151.85%58648.15%
1852 40044.05%50355.40%50.55%
1848 52147.93%56652.07%00.00%
1844 50648.24%54351.76%00.00%
1840 52361.97%32138.03%00.00%
1836 34553.32%30246.68%00.00%

Lewis County is one of the most Republican counties in Kentucky. The last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election was Samuel J. Tilden in 1876. [17] In a state that allowed slavery but did not secede from the Union, the Lewis County Courthouse has the only non-cemetery Union monument south of the Mason-Dixon Line that was erected by public subscription. [18] The county is home to U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican who was elected county judge-executive in 2010 and to Congress in 2012.

Elected officials

Elected officials as of May 30, 2025 [19] [20] [21]
U.S. House Thomas Massie (R) KY4
Ky. Senate Robin L. Webb (R) 18
Ky. House Patrick Flannery (R) 96

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Lewis County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 2000. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  4. The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Vol. 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. p. 36.
  5. Collins, Lewis (1877). History of Kentucky. Library Reprints, Incorporated. p. 464. ISBN   9780722249208.{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  6. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/lewis-county-ky/.
  7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  8. Commonwealth of Kentucky Lewis County
  9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  13. "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.
  14. The Geography of Government Benefits
  15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  16. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 1,063 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 168 votes.
  17. County Voting Map
  18. https://history.ky.gov/markers/union-memorial
  19. "Senate Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly . Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  20. "House Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly . Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  21. Horn, Austin (May 30, 2025). "Robin Webb, last Eastern Kentucky Democrat in state Senate, switches parties". The Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved May 30, 2025.

38°32′N83°23′W / 38.53°N 83.39°W / 38.53; -83.39