Lewis County, Kentucky


Lewis County is near the northeastern tip of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,080. Its county seat is Vanceburg.
WWW lewischamber.com

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.
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, construction and manufacturing.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. 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.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 13,080. The median age was 42.1 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.9 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.2% from some other race, and 2.7% 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 5,239 households in the county, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 6,023 housing units, of which 13.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.9% were owner-occupied and 23.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.

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. There were 6,173 housing units at an average density of. 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.

Education

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:
  • Lewis County Central Elementary School, Vanceburg. Mascot-Lions, Colors-Royal blue, red, and white.
  • Garrison Elementary School, Garrison. Mascot-Patriots, Colors-Red, black, and white.
  • Tollesboro Elementary School, Tollesboro. Mascot-Wildcats, Colors-Royal blue, yellow, and white.
  • Laurel Elementary School, Laurel. Mascot-Bombers, Colors-Kelly green and white.
Middle Schools:
  • Lewis County Middle School, Vanceburg. Mascot-Lions, Colors-Royal blue, red, and white.
High Schools:
Closed Schools:
  • Tollesboro High School, Tollesboro. Closed in 1994 due to low enrollment and loss of state funding. This was an issue that caused controversy within the county as Tollesboro High and Lewis County High had a long-standing, bitter rivalry. Tollesboro officials and residents claimed that the closure of the school by the Lewis County Board of Education was not justified, and some went so far as to send their children to schools in surrounding counties, such as Mason and Fleming. However, with time, the controversy died down. The main Tollesboro school building and Field Hall, with a gymnasium, still stand just off of KY 57 near the intersection with old Highway 10. The building was for a short time used as the Tollesboro Christian Academy.
  • Laurel High School, Laurel. The building burned in the late 1930s. It was made of local stone which was largely undamaged by the fire, so the exterior could have been reused, but the interior was burned beyond repair. Students in the Laurel area went to Lewis County High School. The building sat just off the intersection of KY 59 and highway 1068. The remnants of the building are still visible today.

Politics

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. 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. 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.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

  • Alburn
  • Awe
  • Black Oak
  • Beechy Creek
  • Buena Vista
  • Burtonville
  • Cabin Creek
  • Camp Dix
  • Carrs
  • Charters
  • Clarksburg
  • Cottageville
  • Covedale
  • Crum
  • Emerson
  • Emerson Orcutts Grocery
  • Epworth
  • Esculapia Springs
  • Fearis
  • Firebrick
  • Fruit
  • Glenn
  • Glenn Springs
  • Gun Powder Gap
  • Harris
  • Head of Grassy
  • Heselton
  • Irwin
  • Jacktown
  • Kinniconick
  • Kirkville
  • Laurel
  • Libbie
  • Martin
  • McDowell Creek
  • McKenzie
  • Montgomery Creek
  • Nashtown
  • Noah
  • Oak Ridge
  • Pence
  • Petersville
  • Poplar Flat
  • Quicks Run
  • Randville
  • Records
  • Rexton
  • Ribolt
  • Rugless
  • Saint Paul
  • Salt Lick
  • Sand Hill
  • Stricklett
  • Sullivan
  • Tannery
  • Teutonia
  • Thor
  • Tollesboro
  • Trinity (Trinity Station)
  • Upper Bruce
  • Valley
  • Wadsworth

Notable people