Floyd County, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Kentucky
. It was formed in 1800. As of 2000, the population was 42,441. Its county seat
is Prestonsburg
. The county is named for Colonel
John Floyd
(1750–1783).
passed legislation to form Floyd County as the 40th county of Kentucky. The county was made from parts of Fleming
, Montgomery
, and Mason County, Kentucky
. The legislation became effective on June 1, 1800. The county was named for James John Floyd
. The county seat was Preston's Station, later renamed Prestonsburg. The first court house burned down on April 8, 1808, destroying all the early records, so the earliest records of government activity come from the year 1808. Prestonsburg was used as a Confederate
stronghold during the Civil War
and two battles took place nearby: the Battle of Ivy Mountain
on November 8, 1861 and the Battle of Middle Creek
on January 10, 1862. Both were Union victories.
of 2000, there were 42,441 people, 16,881 households, and 12,272 families residing in the county. The population density
was 108 /sqmi. There were 18,551 housing units at an average density of 47 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.73% White
, 1.29% Black
or African American
, 0.12% Native American
, 0.24% Asian
, 0.08% Pacific Islander
, 0.12% from other races
, and 0.42% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. The Kentucky Melungeon
s live primarily in Floyd and Magoffin counties, especially in a valley known as Big Lick in Floyd County.
There were 16,881 households out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples
living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $21,168, and the median income for a family was $25,717. Males had a median income of $30,242 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $12,442. About 26.90% of families and 30.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.80% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.
over 65% in both 1992 and 1996 while George W. Bush
never received more than 38% of the county's vote. That stated, in 2008 it went for the Republican candidate for the first time in at least 48 years. As part of Kentucky's 5th congressional district
it has been represented by Republican Hal Rogers
since 1981.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. It was formed in 1800. As of 2000, the population was 42,441. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Prestonsburg
Prestonsburg, Kentucky
Prestonsburg is a city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Kentucky, United States. It lies in the eastern part of the state, along the banks of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. It was founded in 1797 by Col. John Preston—for whom it was named—along with Solomon Stratton, Matthias...
. The county is named for Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
John Floyd
James John Floyd
James John Floyd , better known as John Floyd, was a pioneer of the Midwestern United States around the Louisville, Kentucky area where he worked as a surveyor for land development and as a military figure. Floyd was an early settler of St. Matthews, Kentucky and helped lay out Louisville...
(1750–1783).
History
On December 13, 1799, the Kentucky General AssemblyKentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
passed legislation to form Floyd County as the 40th county of Kentucky. The county was made from parts of Fleming
Fleming County, Kentucky
Fleming County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1798. As of 2000, the population was 13,792. Its county seat is Flemingsburg. The county is named for Colonel John Fleming. It's a prohibition or dry county...
, Montgomery
Montgomery County, Kentucky
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 26,499. Its county seat is Mount Sterling. With regard to the sale of alcohol, it is classified as a moist county—a county in which alcohol sales are prohibited , but containing a "wet" city where package...
, and Mason County, Kentucky
Mason County, Kentucky
Mason County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,800. Its county seat is Maysville. The county is named for George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights"...
. The legislation became effective on June 1, 1800. The county was named for James John Floyd
James John Floyd
James John Floyd , better known as John Floyd, was a pioneer of the Midwestern United States around the Louisville, Kentucky area where he worked as a surveyor for land development and as a military figure. Floyd was an early settler of St. Matthews, Kentucky and helped lay out Louisville...
. The county seat was Preston's Station, later renamed Prestonsburg. The first court house burned down on April 8, 1808, destroying all the early records, so the earliest records of government activity come from the year 1808. Prestonsburg was used as a Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
stronghold during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and two battles took place nearby: the Battle of Ivy Mountain
Battle of Ivy Mountain
The Battle of Ivy Mountain, also known as Ivy Creek or Ivy Narrows, was an early battle of the American Civil War, fought in Floyd County, Kentucky, on November 8 and November 9, 1861....
on November 8, 1861 and the Battle of Middle Creek
Battle of Middle Creek
The Battle of Middle Creek was an engagement fought January 10, 1862, in Eastern Kentucky during the American Civil War. The battle, along with the Battle of Mill Springs, positioned the Union armies to invade Middle Tennessee....
on January 10, 1862. Both were Union victories.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 395.46 square miles (1,024.2 km²), of which 394.29 square miles (1,021.2 km²) (or 99.70%) is land and 1.16 square miles (3 km²) (or 0.29%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Johnson CountyJohnson County, KentuckyJohnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1843. As of 2000, the population was 23,445. Its county seat is Paintsville...
(north) - Martin CountyMartin County, KentuckyMartin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 12,929. Its county seat is Inez. The county is named for Congressman John Preston Martin...
(northeast) - Pike CountyPike County, KentuckyPike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 65,024. Its county seat is Pikeville. 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...
(east) - Knott CountyKnott County, KentuckyKnott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1884. As of 2000, the population was 17,649. Its county seat is Hindman. The county is named for James Proctor Knott, Governor of Kentucky . It is a prohibition or dry county. Notable inhabitants include U.S....
(southwest) - Magoffin CountyMagoffin County, KentuckyMagoffin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky which was formed from parts of Floyd, Johnson, and Morgan Counties and officially created on 22 February 1860. As of 2000, the population was 13,332. Its county seat is Salyersville...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 42,441 people, 16,881 households, and 12,272 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 108 /sqmi. There were 18,551 housing units at an average density of 47 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.73% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.29% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.24% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.08% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.42% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. The Kentucky Melungeon
Melungeon
Melungeon is a term traditionally applied to one of a number of "tri-racial isolate" groups of the Southeastern United States, mainly in the Cumberland Gap area of central Appalachia, which includes portions of East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and East Kentucky. Tri-racial describes populations...
s live primarily in Floyd and Magoffin counties, especially in a valley known as Big Lick in Floyd County.
There were 16,881 households out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $21,168, and the median income for a family was $25,717. Males had a median income of $30,242 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $12,442. About 26.90% of families and 30.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.80% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
|
Martin, Kentucky As of the census of 2000, there were 633 people, 295 households, and 166 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,357.5 people per square mile . There were 339 housing units at an average density of 727.0 per square mile... Prestonsburg, Kentucky Prestonsburg is a city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Kentucky, United States. It lies in the eastern part of the state, along the banks of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. It was founded in 1797 by Col. John Preston—for whom it was named—along with Solomon Stratton, Matthias... |
Wayland, Kentucky As of the census of 2000, there were 298 people, 118 households, and 86 families residing in the city. The population density was 430.6 people per square mile . There were 133 housing units at an average density of 192.2 per square mile... Wheelwright, Kentucky As of the census of 2000, there were 1,042 people, 203 households, and 146 families residing in the city. The population density was 598.0 people per square mile . There were 236 housing units at an average density of 135.4 per square mile... |
David, Kentucky David is an unincorporated community in Floyd County, Kentucky, United States along County Route 404. Located in the Appalachian Mountains, it lies approximately 100 miles southeast of Lexington. The town was named for David L. Francis, President of Princess Elkhorn Coal Company which originally... Drift, Kentucky Drift, Kentucky is an unincorporated community in Floyd County, Kentucky, United States. As of the census of 2000, there were 569 people residing in the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for Drifts ZIP code .... |
Presidential elections
Floyd County is traditionally a Democratic county. The county gave Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
over 65% in both 1992 and 1996 while George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
never received more than 38% of the county's vote. That stated, in 2008 it went for the Republican candidate for the first time in at least 48 years. As part of Kentucky's 5th congressional district
Kentucky's 5th congressional district
Kentucky's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in the heart of Appalachia in Southeastern Kentucky, the rural district is one of the most impoverished districts in the nation and, as of the 2010 U.S. Census, it has the largest percentage of...
it has been represented by Republican Hal Rogers
Hal Rogers
Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and early career:...
since 1981.
See also
- Big Sandy Area Development DistrictBig Sandy Area Development DistrictThe Big Sandy Area Development District is a regional planning and development organization that focuses on economic and community development; community services; aging and disability services; and housing services for a five county region in Eastern Kentucky. The five counties served within the...
- East Kentucky Science CenterEast Kentucky Science CenterThe East Kentucky Science Center is a private, non-profit science center and planetarium located on the main campus of Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonsburg, Kentucky...
- Eula HallEula HallEula Hall, is a prominent Appalachian activist and healthcare pioneer who founded the Mud Creek Clinic in Grethel in Floyd County, Kentucky.-Biography:...
- James John FloydJames John FloydJames John Floyd , better known as John Floyd, was a pioneer of the Midwestern United States around the Louisville, Kentucky area where he worked as a surveyor for land development and as a military figure. Floyd was an early settler of St. Matthews, Kentucky and helped lay out Louisville...
- Samuel May HouseSamuel May HouseThe Samuel May House is a Federal style residence located at 690 Northlake Drive in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. It built in 1817 by Samuel May, a Kentucky state representative and a Kentucky state senator from Floyd County...
- Mountain Arts CenterMountain Arts CenterThe Mountain Arts Center is a performing arts venue located at 50 Hal Rogers Drive in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. The center was established in October 1996 and became home to the Kentucky Opry...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Floyd County, KentuckyNational Register of Historic Places listings in Floyd County, KentuckyThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Floyd County, Kentucky. It is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Floyd County, Kentucky, United States...
Notable native
- Bette Henritze, stage, film and TV actress, was born on May 23, 1924 at Betsy Lane.
- Alex Lester, a total awesome person in general that can do it all including the pentathalon, solving math problems, and sving the world before bed time