Laurel County, Kentucky
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Laurel County, Kentucky | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Kentucky |
|
 Kentucky's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1826 |
|---|---|
| Seat | London |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
444 sq mi (1,149 km²) 436 sq mi (1,128 km²) 8 sq mi (12 km²), 1.82% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
52,715 121/sq mi (47/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Named for: Mountain laurel trees that are prominent in the area | |
Laurel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2007, the population was 56,979 Its county seat is London.[1] Laurel County is a limited dry county, meaning that sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except in certain areas as voted on by the residents of the area. In the case of Laurel County, by the drink alcohol sales is permitted only in restaurants in the city of London seating at least 100 diners and derive at least 70% of their total sales from food.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 444 square miles (1,149 km²), of which, 436 square miles (1,128 km²) of it is land and 8 square miles (21 km²) of it (1.82%) is water. Part of Laurel River Lake is in Laurel County.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Jackson County (northeast)
- Clay County (east)
- Knox County (southeast)
- Whitley County (south)
- McCreary County (southwest)
- Pulaski County (west)
- Rockcastle County (northwest)
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 2,206 |
|
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| 1840 | 3,079 | 39.6% | |
| 1850 | 4,145 | 34.6% | |
| 1860 | 5,488 | 32.4% | |
| 1870 | 6,016 | 9.6% | |
| 1880 | 9,131 | 51.8% | |
| 1890 | 13,747 | 50.6% | |
| 1900 | 17,592 | 28.0% | |
| 1910 | 19,872 | 13.0% | |
| 1920 | 19,814 | -0.3% | |
| 1930 | 21,109 | 6.5% | |
| 1940 | 25,640 | 21.5% | |
| 1950 | 25,797 | 0.6% | |
| 1960 | 24,901 | -3.5% | |
| 1970 | 27,386 | 10.0% | |
| 1980 | 38,982 | 42.3% | |
| 1990 | 43,438 | 11.4% | |
| 2000 | 52,715 | 21.4% | |
| Est. 2007 | 56,979 | 8.1% | |
| http://ukcc.uky.edu/~census/21125.txt | |||
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 52,715 people, 20,353 households, and 15,366 families residing in the county. The population density was 121 people per square mile (47/km²). There were 22,317 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.66% White, 0.63% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 0.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 20,353 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% 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 2.97.
The age distribution was 25.40% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,015, and the median income for a family was $31,318. Males had a median income of $27,965 versus $19,757 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,165. About 17.80% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.80% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] Incorporated
[edit] Unincorporated
[edit] Education
Two public school districts serve K-12 students in the county:
- Laurel County Public Schools — Operates one preschool, 11 elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools.
- East Bernstadt Independent Schools — Operates a single K-8 school. High school students in the district can choose either high school in the Laurel County district.
- Laurel County is known for neglecting to close schools, even when roads and weather conditions are very hazardous.
[edit] Trivia
Laurel County is home to Sanders Cafe, the restaurant where today's Kentucky Fried Chicken chain has its roots, located in the southern section of the county in the unincorporated community of North Corbin.
The World Chicken Festival is celebrated every year in Laurel County, drawing crowds of up to 250,000 people over the four-day festival.
Nationally bestselling author Silas House was raised and currently lives in Laurel County, at the small town of Lily.
2000 ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Darrell Scott, who has written hit songs for the Dixie Chicks, Travis Tritt, Brad Paisley, Patty Loveless, and many others, was born in London, the county seat of Laurel County.
Laurel County is home to the Battle of Wildcat Mountain, a pivotal yet little known battle during the Civil War that kept Confederate armies from advancing on Big Hill, a major stronghold during the war.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
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