Letcher County, Kentucky


Letcher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,548. Its county seat is Whitesburg. It was created in 1842 from Harlan and Perry counties, and named for Robert P. Letcher, Governor of Kentucky from 1840 to 1844.

History

Settlement and early history

The area now known as Letcher County was first settled in the early–1800s by the Caudill, Dixon, Stamper, Collier, Lewis, Whitaker, Wright, Craft, Brown, Halcomb, Holbrook, and Bentley families. These early families were later joined by the Maggard, Banks, Day, Fields, Morgan, Blair, Breeding, Frazier, Baker, Hogg, Combs, and Mullins families. The first permanent settlement in the county was settled in 1803, at the mouth of Pert Creek, in modern-day Whitesburg. In 1804, George Ison II and his family settled in the area of Linefork. Later, Benjamin Webb brought a group of settlers from Maryland, and settled at the mouth of Boone Fork in modern-day Kona, but later moved down towards the mouth of Bottom Fork in modern-day Mayking. Most communities and geographic features in the area were named after these early pioneer families. Most of these early communities were economically supported by timber logging.

Formation

In 1842, the residents of modern-day Letcher County petitioned the state legislature for a new county, as at that time they belonged to Harlan, Perry, and Pike counties. The legislature met in January 1842, and decided to form the new county. The county was formed, as Kentucky's 95th county, from portions of Harlan, Perry, and Pike counties, and named for Robert P. Letcher, who was the governor of Kentucky at that time. Its county seat, Whitesburg, was called Summit City before becoming the county seat. The city was renamed from Summit City to Whitesburg in 1842, in honor of John D. White, who introduced the county's enactment bill in the Kentucky General Assembly. The state government commissioned members of the general assembly to draw the boundaries for the new county. These men were Nathaniel Collins, Stephen Hiram Hogg, Benjamin Adams, and Benjamin Webb. In 1858, 60 square miles from Perry County were added to the county's original 340 square miles. In April 1884, a ten-mile section from Pike County was added, and a month later, Letcher County contributed 80 square miles toward the creation of Knott County.

History of the courthouse

At first, residents could not agree where the county seat would be located. Some residents wanted the seat to be in Mayking, others wanted the seat to be in Camp Branch or Indian Bottom. The debate was settled when Stephen Hiram Hogg donated his land in Whitesburg for the building of the courthouse. The first court session was held in a log cabin owned by Mose Adams at the Adams settlement, which was located two-miles up the North Fork Kentucky River from Whitesburg. John A. Caudill was hired to build the new courthouse and completed it in 1844.
The first courthouse built by Caudill was built of logs, and had plank trimming. It was demolished in 1897 due to its failing condition and Lemuel R. Perry was commissioned to construct a replacement. The new courthouse was built of bricks, and had a large cupola, with a bell inside to call the jury into session. This new courthouse was heated by stoves and fireplaces until an addition was built in the late–1930s, by the Works Progress Administration. By the 1960s, the courthouse was deemed too small, and prisoners in the jail on the top floor would often escape by pushing apart the bars, climbing out the window, and sliding down a rope of bedsheets. The Area Redevelopment Administration provided funding to build a new one.
William Banton Moore, an architect from Louisville, was hired to design the new courthouse. Ramsey and Clubb, a construction company from Shelbyville, Kentucky, was hired to build it. It was completed in 1965, and a dedication ceremony was held with governor Bert Combs in attendance. The new courthouse had a contemporary design with blue and beige panels. It also had a jail located on the top floor and a public library at the bottom. The construction of the new courthouse cost about US$650,000. Many locals were dissatisfied with the new courthouse, thinking it looked like a gas station.
By the 1990s, the courthouse was in disrepair, and state officials were threatening to close the top floor. Local government officials were able to obtain federal funding, and the building was remodeled in 1998. The jail, which was located at the top floor of the building, was moved to the bottom floor, and a statue honoring veterans was moved to the front of the building in the new version of the Letcher County courthouse.

Coal

Due to its rugged terrain, Letcher County is one of the most remote counties in Kentucky, and until the arrival of coal mining, its population never peaked above 10,000. In the early 1900s, coal mining began in the county. This caused an economic boom as many small communities grew to large coal towns supported by coal companies. By 1940, the county's population had grown to over 40,000. Between 1990 and 2014, Letcher County produced over of coal.

Modern period

's 1963 book, Night Comes to the Cumberlands: A Biography of a Depressed Area, brought the county to national attention. The CBS documentary Christmas in Appalachia hosted by Charles Kuralt also brought the nation's attention to Letcher County as citizens sent clothes and gifts in response to the conditions of those featured.
On March 9, 1976, in the community of Oven Fork, an explosion caused by coal dust and gasses occurred at the Scotia Mine, resulting in the deaths of 15 miners. Two days later another explosion occurred, killing 11 more miners. Investigators concluded that the explosions were caused by methane gases that were ignited by a spark caused by a battery-powered device. The accidents are often considered two of the worst mining disasters in U.S. history. The two explosions led to the passage of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
In July–August 2022, floods came through Eastern Kentucky. A total of 45 people died, three of those deaths occurred in Letcher County. As a result of the floods, many people were left homeless.
On September 19, 2024, then-County Sheriff Shawn Michael Stines was arrested for shooting and killing District Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers.

Geography

Letcher County is located in the far southeast of Kentucky. Most of its border is defined by mountains. The 125-mile long Pine Mountain divides the county, and defines part of the county's border with Harlan County and Virginia. To the south, Black Mountain marks its border with Virginia.
The county's terrain is defined by rugged mountains and blanketed by forests. Jefferson National Forest covers a significant portion of the county. The county's highest point is Black Mountain, located in the southeastern corner of the county, with an elevation of 3,700 feet.
The northern part of the county is drained by Rockhouse Creek, which empties into the North Fork Kentucky River near Blackey, Kentucky. The central portion of the county is drained by the North Fork Kentucky River, which flows from its start at the Kentucky–Virginia border, to where it meets the South Fork Kentucky River in Lee County, Kentucky, to form the Kentucky River. The southern part of the county is drained by the Poor Fork, which flows from its start on Pine Mountain, to Baxter in Harlan County, Kentucky, where it meets Martin's Fork to form the Cumberland River. The western portion of the county is drained by Elkhorn Creek, which flows from its start near Jenkins, Kentucky, to its confluence with Russell Fork in Pike County, Kentucky.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Fishpond Lake

Fishpond Lake is a man-made body of water near Jenkins, in Payne Gap, Kentucky. It was formed in 1961 by the impoundment of Fishpond Branch. At its deepest it is 79 feet and averages around 33 feet. The lake is home to several species of fish including rainbow trout, channel catfish, and flathead catfish. It is the only large body of water in Letcher County.

Pioneer Horse Trail controversy

In an effort to bring tourists to Letcher County and to revitalize the local economy, the Pioneer Horse Trail was constructed on Pine Mountain. The trail, part of an "adventure tourism" initiative spearheaded by then Governor Steve Beshear, Beshear's wife Jane, and Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo, was completed in 2009.File:View from Pine Mountain.jpg|right|thumb|
200px|View from Pine Mountain near Whitesburg, Kentucky.However, controversy arose about whether the environment would be harmed during construction. In the summer of 2008, the Letcher County Fiscal Court had signed an agreement with state officials stating that the county would do an environmental impact study before construction would begin. Documents obtained by the Lexington Herald-Leader under Kentucky's Open Records Act showed that construction actually began before the study was to take place. County-owned bulldozers started clearing trees in part of a wildlife management area in which heavy equipment was not permitted. Environmental groups asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine if any species on the threatened or endangered list were harmed.

Adjacent counties

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,548. The median age was 43.6 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.8 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 96.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.2% from some other race, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 0.6% of the population.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 9,047 households in the county, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 10,520 housing units, of which 14.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.2% were owner-occupied and 24.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.3%.