Grayson County, Kentucky Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Grayson County
U.S. county
Grayson County courthouse in Leitchfield
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1810
Named for	William Grayson
Seat	Leitchfield
Largest city	Leitchfield
Area
• Total	511 sq mi (1,320 km²)
• Land	497 sq mi (1,290 km²)
• Water	14 sq mi (40 km²) 2.8%%
Population (2020)
• Total	26,420
• Estimate (2023)	26,825
• Density	51.70/sq mi (19.962/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd

Grayson County is a county in the state of Kentucky, USA. In 2020, about 26,420 people lived here. Its main town, or county seat, is Leitchfield. The county was created in 1810. It was named after William Grayson, a hero from the American Revolutionary War. He was also an important politician from Virginia. For a long time, Grayson County did not allow alcohol sales. But in 2016, Leitchfield voted to allow alcohol sales.

History of Grayson County
Geography and Nature
- Neighboring Counties
Population Information
Fun Events and Places to Visit
Towns and Communities
Transportation
See also

History of Grayson County

Grayson County was formed in 1810. It was made from parts of Hardin and Ohio counties. The county got its name from William Grayson. He was a colonel in the American Revolutionary War. He later became a U.S. Senator from Virginia.

The county's main courthouse has been destroyed by fire three times. Confederate soldiers burned it in 1864 during the Civil War. It burned down again in 1896 and 1936.

Geography and Nature

Grayson County covers about 511 square miles. Most of this area is land (497 square miles). About 14 square miles (2.8%) is water.

The county is part of Kentucky's Western Coal Field region. Only the western part of the county has coal. The rest of the county has similar rock types. Some of these rocks contain tar or rock asphalt.

Grayson County is home to two large lakes. These are Rough River Lake and Nolin River Lake. They are popular spots for tourists. Many local businesses use "Twin Lakes" in their names. This shows how important the lakes are to the area.

Neighboring Counties

Breckinridge County (north)
Hardin County (northeast)
Hart County (southeast)
Edmonson County (south)
Butler County (southwest)
Ohio County (west)

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	4,055	—
1830	3,880	−4.3%
1840	4,461	15.0%
1850	6,837	53.3%
1860	7,982	16.7%
1870	11,580	45.1%
1880	15,784	36.3%
1890	18,688	18.4%
1900	19,878	6.4%
1910	19,958	0.4%
1920	19,927	−0.2%
1930	17,055	−14.4%
1940	17,562	3.0%
1950	17,063	−2.8%
1960	15,834	−7.2%
1970	16,445	3.9%
1980	20,854	26.8%
1990	21,050	0.9%
2000	24,053	14.3%
2010	25,746	7.0%
2020	26,420	2.6%
2023 (est.)	26,825	4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

In 2000, there were 24,053 people living in Grayson County. There were about 9,596 households. Most people (98.26%) were White. About 0.77% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 24.40% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 38 years. This means half the people were younger than 38, and half were older.

Fun Events and Places to Visit

Grayson County has many interesting places and events.

The Historic Jack Thomas House is a museum. It tells the story of Grayson County's past. You can also find old family records there. It is open on weekdays for tours and research.

Every July, Leitchfield hosts the Twin Lakes National Fiddlers Contest. Many skilled fiddlers come from different states to play. Also in July, the city has the Freedom Festival. This event includes music, fireworks, and a carnival.

In late August and early September, the Grayson County Fair takes place. It has music, a carnival, and exciting shows. These include a Truck and Tractor Pull and a Demolition Derby. The fair ends with a parade in Leitchfield.

In September, the city of Clarkson celebrates the annual Honeyfest. This festival starts with a parade. It features floats about bees and honey. The Honeyfest celebrates Clarkson's Walter T. Kelley Beehive Factory. This factory makes beehives.

The city of Caneyville holds its annual Caneyville Fair in early October.

Besides the lakes, there is the historic Pine Knob Theatre. It is in the community of Pine Knob. There are also three golf courses, including the 18-hole Lafayette Golf Course.