Jackson County, Kentucky facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Jackson County
U.S. county
Jackson County courthouse in McKee
Motto(s): Where the Mountains and the Bluegrass Blend
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1858
Named for	Andrew Jackson
Seat	McKee
Largest community	Annville
Area
• Total	347 sq mi (900 km²)
• Land	345 sq mi (890 km²)
• Water	1.3 sq mi (3 km²) 0.4%%
Population (2020)
• Total	12,955
• Estimate (2023)	13,104
• Density	37.33/sq mi (14.415/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	40447, 40402, 40434, 40481, 40486

Jackson County is a place in Kentucky, a state in the United States. It's like a smaller region within the state. In 2020, about 12,955 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is McKee. The county was created in 1858 and named after Andrew Jackson, who was the seventh President of the United States.

A big part of Jackson County (about one-fourth) is inside the Daniel Boone National Forest. This means it has lots of mountains, wildlife, and history, just like other parts of Appalachia in eastern Kentucky. You can find many fun places here, like Flat Lick Falls and campgrounds. It's also home to a part of the famous Sheltowee Trace Trail.

Jackson County is where Grand Ole Opry star David "Stringbean" Akeman was born. It's also the spot where a small battle from the Civil War happened, called the Battle of Big Hill. This battle led to a bigger one nearby, the Battle of Richmond.

Fun Outdoor Places

Jackson County has many cool spots for outdoor fun.

National Forest Campgrounds

S-Tree Campground: This campground is on a ridge above Horse Lick Creek near McKee. It has a picnic area with a historic shelter built in the 1930s. Many people who ride off-highway vehicles use this campground. They can easily get to the Sheltowee Trace Trail and Renfro Loop Trail from here.
Turkey Foot Campground: You'll find this campground along War Fork Creek. The creek is stocked with trout, so it's a great place to fish. All the campsites are surrounded by trees. There's also a playfield with a horseshoe pit. You can explore the Turkey Foot Loop Trail and the Sheltowee Trace Trail from here.

Flat Lick Falls Park

Flat Lick Falls is a beautiful park in southern Jackson County. It has places for camping, picnic shelters, and restrooms. The park covers over 86 acres of woods and cliffs. Flat Lick Creek runs through the park, ending in a 28-foot waterfall that drops into a large pool. You can walk along paths to see the falls up close. There's even a paved path to a viewing platform that's easy for wheelchairs to access.

Flat Lick Falls

Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail

The Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail is a very long trail, over 300 miles! It was created in 1979. The trail goes through the Daniel Boone National Forest and stretches from northern Kentucky all the way to Tennessee. Its name comes from a Shawnee word meaning "Big Turtle." This was the name given to Daniel Boone in 1779. About 35 miles of the Sheltowee Trace Trail are in Jackson County. You can hike, ride horses, and mountain bike on this trail. Some parts even allow all-terrain vehicles.

Local Parks

Jackson County also has several local parks for everyone to enjoy:

Bond Memorial Park
Jack Gabbard Park
McKee City Park
Gray Hawk Community Park
Sand Gap Community Park
Worthington Park
Jackson Energy Farm/Recreational Fields

Lakes and Reservoirs

You can find these water bodies in Jackson County:

Beulah Lake
Owsley Fork Reservoir
McKee Reservoir

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Daniel Boone National Forest is in Jackson County. There's also the Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area, which helps protect local wildlife.

County Geography

Jackson County is located where the Cumberland Plateau and Eastern Kentucky Coalfields meet the Kentucky Bluegrass region. This mix of landscapes is why the county's motto is "where the mountains and the bluegrass blend." The land here ranges from about 600 to 1600 feet above sea level. The Middle Fork of the Rockcastle River starts in the southern part of the county. You can also find interesting karst landscapes (like caves) in the northern part, such as Wind Cave.

Main Roads

US Route 421: This road goes north and south through the county. It connects Jackson County to cities like Richmond and Berea to the north. To the south, it connects to Manchester. Within Jackson County, it links communities like Sandgap, McKee, and Tyner.
KY Route 30: This is a newer highway that runs east and west through the southern part of the county. It passes through Annville and Tyner. It connects the county to major highways and cities like London and Booneville.
KY Route 290: This road connects US Route 421 in McKee to KY Route 3630 in Annville.
KY Route 3630 (Old KY Route 30)

Neighboring Counties

Jackson County shares borders with these counties:

Estill County (north)
Lee County (northeast)
Owsley County (east)
Clay County (southeast)
Laurel County (southwest)
Rockcastle County (west)
Madison County (northwest)

Fun Events

Jackson County hosts several exciting events each year.

Jackson County Fair & Homecoming

This event happens every year on the Friday and Saturday before Labor Day. It includes a show, craft displays, live music, clogging, and a parade. There are also many vendors and food trucks.

Sheltowee Trace Artisans Fair

Artists from Kentucky and beyond come to this fair. They teach, show, and sell their handmade crafts. This event takes place during the first weekend in May.

Battle of Big Hill Reenactment

This event takes place on the third weekend of August. It's held at the Jackson Energy Farm. The reenactment usually lasts two days. It includes games, talks about history, and a special tea party. There's also food and music from the Civil War era. In the evening, couples can enjoy a Civil War Ball with square dancing.

Stringbean Music Festival

Many people know David "Stringbean" Akemon from the old TV show "Hee-Haw." But in Jackson County, he was known as a family member and friend. Even though he was famous, "Stringbean" often came back home. In 1996, a large statue of Stringbean was revealed in his honor. Since then, the festival has grown a lot. Now, two festivals are held each year, one in June and one in October. Both feature well-known bluegrass music performers and local arts and crafts.

Local Economy

The Jackson County Industrial Development Authority helps with growing businesses in the county. They manage three industrial parks. These parks are in Annville, McKee, and Sandgap.

Some of the main employers in Jackson County include:

Jackson County Public Schools
People's Rural Telephone Cooperative (PRTC)
Jackson Energy Cooperative
Bear Precision Coatings
DTS Industries
JC Tech Industries
The Allen Company (Clover Bottom Limestone Quarry)
Phillips Diversified Manufacturing
Senture
Teleworks USA

Community Life

Towns and Communities

City:

* McKee (This is the main town, or county seat.)

Census-designated place:

* Annville (This is the largest community in the county.)

Unincorporated places: These are smaller communities without their own local government.

* Gray Hawk * Sand Gap * Tyner

Education

Jackson County has several schools for public education:

McKee Elementary School
Sand Gap Elementary School
Tyner Elementary School
Jackson County Middle School
Jackson County High School
Jackson County Area Technology Center

There is also a private school:

Annville Christian Academy (for students from kindergarten to 12th grade)

The county also has a lending library, the Jackson County Public Library. It's located in downtown McKee.

Famous People from Jackson County

David "Stringbean" Akeman (1915–1973): A well-known country music star.
Andrew N. Johnson (1876–1959): He was nominated for Vice President of the United States in 1944 for the Prohibition Party.
Freddie Langdon (1922–1988): A world champion fiddler.