| Pike County, Kentucky | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Kentucky |
|
 Kentucky's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1822 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Pikeville |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
789 sq mi (2,044 km²) 788 sq mi (2,041 km²) 1 sq mi (3 km²), 0.15% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
68,736 87/sq mi (34/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website: www.pikecountychamber.org | |
 Pike County courthouse in Pikeville, Kentucky
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Pike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 68,736. Its county seat is Pikeville.[1] Pike is Kentucky's largest county in terms of land area. Pike County is the 11th largest county in Kentucky in terms of population preceded by Bullitt County and followed by Christian County. Pikeville is the 3rd largest banking center in the commonwealth and an estimated 100,000 people per day travel through the city.
With regard to the sale of alcohol, it is classified as a moist county—a county in which alcohol sales are prohibited (a dry county), but containing a "wet" city, in this case Pikeville, where package alcohol sales are allowed.[2]
Contents |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 789 square miles (2,044 km2), of which 788 square miles (2,041 km2) is land and 1 square mile (3 km2) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Martin County (north)
- Mingo County, West Virginia (east)
- Buchanan County, Virginia (southeast)
- Dickenson County, Virginia & Wise County, Virginia (south)
- Letcher County & Knott County (southwest)
- Floyd County (west)
Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 2,677 |
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| 1840 | 3,567 | 33.2% | |
| 1850 | 5,365 | 50.4% | |
| 1860 | 7,384 | 37.6% | |
| 1870 | 9,562 | 29.5% | |
| 1880 | 13,001 | 36.0% | |
| 1890 | 17,378 | 33.7% | |
| 1900 | 22,686 | 30.5% | |
| 1910 | 31,679 | 39.6% | |
| 1920 | 49,477 | 56.2% | |
| 1930 | 63,267 | 27.9% | |
| 1940 | 71,122 | 12.4% | |
| 1950 | 81,154 | 14.1% | |
| 1960 | 68,264 | −15.9% | |
| 1970 | 61,059 | −10.6% | |
| 1980 | 81,123 | 32.9% | |
| 1990 | 72,583 | −10.5% | |
| 2000 | 68,736 | −5.3% | |
| Est. 2008 | 65,331 | −5.0% | |
| http://ukcc.uky.edu/~census/21195.txt | |||
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 68,736 people, 27,612 households, and 20,377 families residing in the county. The population density was 87 per square mile (34 /km2). There were 30,923 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile (15 /km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.35% White, 0.45% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 27,612 households out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age distribution was 23.70% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $23,930, and the median income for a family was $29,302. Males had a median income of $32,332 versus $19,229 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,005. About 20.60% of families and 23.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.20% of those under age 18 and 16.10% of those age 65 or over.
Pike County is also the county in Kentucky with the largest percentage of members of the Clean Government Movement. After the Blue Takeover of 2006, the Clean Government Movement became the chief instrument of change in the coal mining towns of Eastern Kentucky.[citation needed]
History
Pike County was founded on December 19, 1821. The county was named for General Zebulon Pike, the explorer who discovered Pikes Peak. Between 1860 and 1891 the Hatfield-McCoy feud raged in Pike and in bordering Mingo County, West Virginia.
Pike County is also home to Paul E. Patton, former governor of Kentucky.
Pike County has trademarked itself as America's Energy CapitalTM, because of its vast coal and natural gas reserves. Pike County is one of the nation's leading coal and natural gas producers. In April 2007, Pike County announced the first-in-the-nation comprehensive energy strategy which was developed in partnership with the Southern States Energy Board in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Appalachian News Express, published in Pikeville, is preserved on microfilm by the University of Kentucky Libraries. The microfilm holdings are listed in a master negative database on the UK Libraries Preservation and Digital Programs website. [1]
Cities, towns and communities
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Education
Colleges
- Pikeville College, Pikeville
Public High Schools
Pike County Schools
- Belfry High School, Belfry (postal address in South Williamson)
- East Ridge High School, Lick Creek
- Phelps High School, Phelps
- Pike County Central High School, Pikeville
- Shelby Valley High School, Pikeville
Pikeville Independent Schools
- Pikeville High School, Pikeville
Office of Pike County Judge Executive
The office of Pike County Judge Executive is one of Kentucky's most powerful local offices and served as a launching pad for the governorship of Paul E. Patton (1995-2003).
Pike County Judge/Executives Since 1942
- 1942-1946 Hi Pauley (R)
- 1946-1948 J.W. Pruitt (D)
- 1948-1965 Ervin S. Pruitt (D)
- 1965-1970 Bill Pauley (R)
- 1970-1974 Wayne T. Rutherford (D)
- 1974-1978 Wayne T. Rutherford (D)
- 1978-1982 Wayne T. Rutherford (D)
- 1982-1986 Paul E. Patton (D)
- 1986-1990 Paul E. Patton (D)
- 1990-1991 Paul E. Patton (D)
- 1991-1992 Stirl Eddie Harris (D)
- 1992-1994 Wayne T. Rutherford (D)
- 1994-1999 Donna Damron (D)
- 1999-2003 Karen F. Gibson (R)
- 2003-2007 William M. Deskins (D)
- 2007- Wayne T. Rutherford (D)*
* Marks a record 5th term for Democrat Wayne T. Rutherford after defeating William M. Deskins in the Primary and Stirl Eddie Harris (R) in the General Election
Interesting facts
- Pikeville annually leads the nation in per capita consumption of Pepsi-Cola.
- Pike County is famous for the Hatfield-McCoy feud, an Appalachian vendetta that lasted from the Civil War to the 1890s.
See also
- Pikeville, Kentucky
- Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center
- Pikeville College
- Breaks Interstate Park
- Fishtrap Lake State Park
- East Kentucky Miners
- Pikeville Cut-Through
- Jefferson National Forest
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Wet & Dry Counties in Kentucky" (PDF). Kentucky Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control. http://www.abc.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/88403470-8A7E-410C-9816-8B520F7649C8/0/WetDryList.pdf. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
- Pike County Bowl
- East KY Expo Center
- Pike County Schools
- Pikeville Independent Schools
- BelfryKy.com
- The Kentucky Highlands Project
- [2]
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