Pulaski County, Kentucky

Pulaski County
County
Pulaski County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°06′N84°35′W / 37.1°N 84.58°W / 37.1; -84.58
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1798
Named for	Kazimierz Pułaski
Seat	Somerset
Largest city	Somerset
Area
• Total	677 sq mi (1,750 km2)
• Land	658 sq mi (1,700 km2)
• Water	19 sq mi (50 km2)  2.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	65,034
• Estimate  (2023)	66,191
• Density	96/sq mi (37/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	5th
Website	pcgovt.com

Pulaski County is a county in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,034. ^[1] Its county seat is Somerset. ^[2] The county was founded in December 1798 from land given by Lincoln and Green Counties and named for Polish patriot Count Casimir Pulaski. ^{[3] [4] [5]} Pulaski County comprises the Somerset, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area. Somerset's population is just over 11,000, but the Micropolitan Area for Somerset/Pulaski County is over 65,000.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 677 square miles (1,750 km²), of which 658 square miles (1,700 km²) is land and 19 square miles (49 km²) (2.8%) is water. ^[6] It is the third-largest county by area in Kentucky.

Adjacent counties

• Lincoln County (north)
• Rockcastle County (northeast)
• Laurel County (east)
• McCreary County (southeast)
• Wayne County (southwest)
• Russell County (west/CST Border)
• Casey County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1800	3,161		—
1810	6,897		118.2%
1820	7,597		10.1%
1830	9,500		25.0%
1840	9,620		1.3%
1850	14,195		47.6%
1860	17,201		21.2%
1870	17,670		2.7%
1880	21,318		20.6%
1890	25,731		20.7%
1900	31,293		21.6%
1910	35,986		15.0%
1920	34,010		−5.5%
1930	35,640		4.8%
1940	39,863		11.8%
1950	38,452		−3.5%
1960	34,403		−10.5%
1970	35,234		2.4%
1980	45,803		30.0%
1990	49,489		8.0%
2000	56,217		13.6%
2010	63,063		12.2%
2020	65,034		3.1%
2023 (est.)	66,191	[7]	1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790–1960 [9] 1900–1990 [10] 1990–2000 [11] 2010–2020 [1]

As of the census ^[12] of 2000, there were 56,217 people, 22,719 households, and 16,334 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 per square mile (33/km²). There were 27,181 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.48% White, 1.07% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 22,719 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,370, and the median income for a family was $32,350. Males had a median income of $27,398 versus $19,236 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,352. About 14.80% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.90% of those under age 18 and 16.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

As is typical of the Unionist bloc of south-central Kentucky comprising the eastern Pennyroyal Plateau and the western part of the Eastern Coalfield, Pulaski County has been deep red Republican ever since the Civil War. The solitary Democrat to carry Pulaski County since that time has been Woodrow Wilson in 1912 — and Wilson did so only when the Republican Party was deadlocked between the conservative incumbent Taft and the progressive Theodore Roosevelt — Wilson took just 34.68 percent of the county's vote and won Pulaski only by 195 votes over Roosevelt and 249 over Taft. ^[13]

With the exception of the cities of Burnside and Somerset, Pulaski County is a dry county.

United States presidential election results for Pulaski County, Kentucky ^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	26,051	82.12%	5,351	16.87%	323	1.02%
2020	25,442	80.62%	5,666	17.95%	449	1.42%
2016	22,902	81.67%	4,208	15.01%	931	3.32%
2012	20,714	79.66%	4,976	19.14%	313	1.20%
2008	19,862	77.09%	5,590	21.70%	314	1.22%
2004	19,535	76.56%	5,829	22.84%	152	0.60%
2000	15,845	73.56%	5,415	25.14%	281	1.30%
1996	11,945	63.44%	5,340	28.36%	1,544	8.20%
1992	11,423	58.84%	5,465	28.15%	2,526	13.01%
1988	13,482	73.50%	4,788	26.10%	72	0.39%
1984	14,434	76.40%	4,384	23.20%	75	0.40%
1980	12,970	65.11%	6,570	32.98%	379	1.90%
1976	9,226	61.17%	5,752	38.14%	105	0.70%
1972	10,602	76.99%	3,080	22.37%	88	0.64%
1968	8,290	64.26%	2,823	21.88%	1,788	13.86%
1964	7,383	55.60%	5,840	43.98%	55	0.41%
1960	11,899	79.35%	3,097	20.65%	0	0.00%
1956	10,636	72.99%	3,899	26.76%	37	0.25%
1952	9,651	70.41%	4,032	29.42%	24	0.18%
1948	7,549	64.93%	3,844	33.06%	234	2.01%
1944	8,318	67.47%	3,934	31.91%	76	0.62%
1940	8,533	63.36%	4,896	36.35%	39	0.29%
1936	7,570	61.51%	4,711	38.28%	25	0.20%
1932	6,905	58.22%	4,931	41.57%	25	0.21%
1928	9,348	78.84%	2,494	21.03%	15	0.13%
1924	6,435	62.66%	3,158	30.75%	676	6.58%
1920	7,262	65.67%	3,749	33.90%	48	0.43%
1916	4,136	61.35%	2,531	37.54%	75	1.11%
1912	1,731	31.01%	1,980	35.47%	1,871	33.52%

Education

K-12

Three public school districts serve the county:

• Pulaski County School District
  • The largest of the three districts, it serves the county outside the independent school districts of Somerset and Science Hill, with numerous elementary and middle schools feeding into Pulaski County High School and Southwestern Pulaski County High School.
• Somerset Independent School District
  • Serves the city of Somerset with an elementary school (Hopkins Elementary), a middle school (Meece Middle) and a high school (Somerset High).
• Science Hill Independent School District
  • Serves the city of Science Hill, with a single K-8 school. Students graduating from Science Hill can choose to attend either Pulaski County, Southwestern or Somerset High School.

There are also several private schools in the county, including Somerset Christian School.

Colleges and universities

Campbellsville University-Somerset, Noe Education Center is a regional center for Campbellsville University located in Campbellsville, KY. The Somerset Noe Education Center offers a variety of degree and certificate programs. CU-Somerset prides itself on being flexible and affordable for students from across the nation.

Somerset Community College is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. The college offers academic, general education, and technical curricula leading to certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. The college's Somerset Campus is located on Monticello Street in Somerset, across the street from the Center for Rural Development.

Transportation

Through Pulaski County run U.S. Highway South 27 from north to south and Highway East and West 80. Through the city limits of Somerset, Highway 27 stems into a three-lane road with u-turn and left turn options at each stoplight. Many food chains, local businesses and commerce centers are strewn along the highway, due to accessibility and consistent traffic throughout the area. Outside the Somerset city limits, the highway becomes a four-lane road until it becomes a two-lane highway through downtown Burnside just south of Somerset.

Intersecting these highways are many junctions and bypasses that have been paved in order to allow quick and easy traffic flow through the county, revolving around the circumscribed Kentucky Route 914 around the outskirts of Somerset, in which transporters can enter through or exit from the city from any direction easily. These series of roads mimic the infrastructure of larger cities such as Interstate 465 in Indianapolis, Indiana and New Circle Road in Lexington, Kentucky. Many of these roads were paved in the 2000s. Despite the grand area of the county, the accessibility from one end to the other is smooth and expedited.

Lake Cumberland Regional Airport is located in Pulaski County, on the southern end of Somerset's US 27 business district. The airport is owned by the city of Somerset and Pulaski County. It also serves the area around Lake Cumberland. It is mostly used for general aviation, and from late 2008 until February 2010, was served by one commercial airline, Locair. Currently, the $3 million federally funded passenger terminal is not in use.

The airport was renamed in 2008; it was formerly known as Somerset-Pulaski County Airport or J.T. Wilson Field.[3]

Communities

Cities

• Burnside
• Eubank
• Ferguson
• Science Hill
• Somerset (county seat)

Unincorporated places

• Acorn
• Alcalde
• Antioch
• Bandy
• Barnesburg
• Bee Lick
• Blue John
• Bronston
• Burnetta
• Cains Store
• Clarence
• Coin
• Dabney
• Delmer
• Elihu
• Estesburg
• Etna
• Faubush
• Goochtown
• Hargis
• Haynes Knob
• Ingle
• Jacksonville
• Keno
• King Bee
• Mangum
• Meece
• Mount Victory
• Nancy
• Norfleet
• Norwood
• Oak Hill
• Omega
• Pointer
• Public
• Pulaski
• Ringgold
• Shafter
• Shopville
• Slate Branch
• Sloans Valley
• Squib
• Stab
• Tateville
• Valley Oak
• Welborn
• White Lilly
• Woodstock

Notable residents

• Harriette Simpson Arnow (1908–1986), author of Eastern Kentucky novels and histories. She and her husband Harold Arnow farmed near Burnside in the late 1930s and early 1940s. ^[15]
• Silas Adams, (1839–1896), born in Pulaski County, lawyer and member of the United States House of Representatives ^[16]
• John Sherman Cooper, (1901–1991), born in Pulaski County. Lawyer, member Kentucky House of Representatives, Pulaski County Judge, United Nations delegate, member United States Senate, U.S. Ambassador to India and Nepal, first U.S. Ambassador to the German Democratic Republic (i.e. East Germany), member Warren Commission.
• Jack Daws, (1970–), born in Pulaski County. Conceptual artist.
• Daniel Dutton, (1959–), born in Pulaski County. Contemporary artist, musician, and story teller.
• Vermont Garrison, (1915–1994), career United States Air Force officer and "triple ace"
• Jack I. Gregory, (1931–) is a former general in the United States Air Force and the former commander in chief of the Pacific Air Forces.
• Reggie Hanson, (1968–), former NBA player for the Boston Celtics
• Free Frank McWorter, (1777–1854), enslaved resident of Pulaski country, managed a saltpeter mine so effectively that he bought freedom for himself and his family, and emigrated to Illinois.
• Rose Will Monroe, or Rosie the Riveter, (1920–1997) born in Pulaski County and moved to Michigan during World War II, where she helped build B-24s and B-29s for the war effort.
• Edwin P. Morrow, (1877–1935), Kentucky Governor, 1919–1923.
• Venus Ramey, (1924–2017), Miss America, 1944
• Lloyd B. Ramsey, (1918–2016), Major General United States Army, Commander 23rd Infantry Division (United States) (1969–1970), United States Army Provost Marshal General (1970–1974)
• Hal Rogers, (1937–), U.S. Congressman from Kentucky
• Brent Woods, (1855–1906), Sergeant, United States Army, Medal of Honor recipient.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Pulaski County, Kentucky

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. http://www.kyenc.org/entry/p/PULAS01.html ^{[ bare URL ]}
4. The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. p. 36.
5. Collins, Lewis (1882). Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2. Collins & Company. p. 26.
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 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 19, 2014.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 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 19, 2014.
12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
13. "Presidential Election of 1912 – Map by Counties (.xlsx file for €15)". Géoelections. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
15. • The Arnow Farm, Keno, Kentucky, in pictures then and now
16. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

External links

• Pulaski County official website
• Somerset-Pulaski Co. Chamber of Commerce

37°04′N84°21′W / 37.06°N 84.35°W / 37.06; -84.35