Hazard, Kentucky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hazard, Kentucky
City
Main Street in Hazard
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Queen City of the Mountains
Location of Hazard in Perry County, Kentucky
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Perry
Incorporated	April 30, 1884
Named for	Cdre. Oliver Hazard Perry
Area
• Total	7.60 sq mi (19.68 km2)
• Land	7.45 sq mi (19.30 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.38 km2)  0%
Elevation	928 ft (283 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,263
• Estimate  (2022)	4,999
• Density	706.44/sq mi (272.76/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	41701–41702
Area code	606
FIPS code	21-35362
GNIS feature ID	0512617
Website	www.hazardky.gov

Hazard is a city in Perry County, Kentucky, United States. It is also the main city, or county seat, of Perry County. In 2020, about 5,263 people lived there.

History of Hazard

Children of coal miners crossing a footbridge in Hazard, Kentucky, July 1940.

A local landowner named Elijah Combs Sr. planned the town in 1824. He wanted it to be the main city for the new Perry County. Both the town and the county were named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. He was a brave naval commander in the War of 1812, famous for a big battle in 1813.

At first, the post office was called Perry Court House. But in 1854, its name was officially changed to Hazard. The state government officially made Hazard a city in 1884.

For a long time, mountains made it hard to get to Hazard. The only way in was a long trip down the North Fork of the Kentucky River. Or you could take a two-week journey over the mountains. But in 1912, the railroad finally arrived! This connected Hazard to the outside world and brought a lot of growth and money to the town. However, this good time ended when the Great Depression started.

The famous folk singer Tom Paxton wrote a song called "High Sheriff of Hazard." He wrote it about a coal miner's strike that happened in 1964.

In 1981, some actors from the TV show The Dukes of Hazzard visited the city. This included Catherine Bach, James Best, and Sorrell Booke. Later, the main stars, Tom Wopat and John Schneider, also came to Hazard.

After many years of fewer people living there, Hazard has recently grown a lot. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of residents increased by almost 20%. In 1999, President Bill Clinton visited Hazard. It was the first stop on his tour of communities that needed help. Later, in 2008, Hillary Clinton also visited Hazard for a political event.

Did you know that one of Hazard's ZIP codes is 41702? As of 2024, there are exactly 41,702 ZIP codes in the entire United States!

Geography of Hazard

Hazard is located at 37°15′21″N 83°11′37″W / 37.25583°N 83.19361°W / 37.25583; -83.19361. The United States Census Bureau says the city covers about 7.0 square miles (18.1 square kilometers) of land.

Climate in Hazard

The weather in Hazard has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate. It means the area gets a good amount of rain all year, and it doesn't get too cold in winter.

People of Hazard

In 2021, there were 5,263 people living in Hazard. The city had 2,046 households. Most of the people living in Hazard were White (78.4%). About 16.57% were African American, and 2.07% were Asian. A small number of people were from other backgrounds.

Education in Hazard

Hazard has several schools and colleges:

• Galen College of Nursing
• Hazard Community and Technical College
• Hazard Independent Schools – This school district serves the city. It has one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school.
  • Hazard High School
• Perry County Schools – This district has six elementary schools, one K–12 school, one high school, and one alternative school.
• Hazard Christian Academy

The city also has a lending library called the Perry County Public Library.

Media in Hazard

The Mother Goose House in Hazard, Kentucky

Hazard has its own TV and radio stations, as well as local newspapers.

Television Stations

• WYMT-TV
• WKHA

Radio Stations

Main Street

• WSGS
• WKIC
• WZQQ
• WJMD
• WEKH
• WQXY
• WLZD-LP

Newspapers

• Hazard Herald
• Perry County Advocate

Famous People from Hazard

Many interesting people have come from Hazard, Kentucky:

• Red Allen, a Bluegrass singer
• Baddiewinkle, a popular person on the Internet
• J. Dudley Goodlette, a politician and lawyer
• Louann Brizendine, a doctor who studies the brain and a professor
• Joe Craft, a businessman who gives a lot to charity
• Rebecca Gayheart, an actress
• Daniel Mongiardo, a doctor and former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
• Brandon Smith, a businessman and politician
• Sam Smith, a basketball player
• Mary Lou Turner, a country music singer

See also

In Spanish: Hazard (Kentucky) para niños