Leslie County, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leslie County
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Leslie County courthouse in Hyden
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Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
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 Kentucky's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Kentucky |
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| Founded | 1878 | |
| Named for | Preston Leslie | |
| Seat | Hyden | |
| Largest city | Hyden | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 404 sq mi (1,050 km2) | |
| • Land | 401 sq mi (1,040 km2) | |
| • Water | 3.6 sq mi (9 km2) 0.9% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 10,513 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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9,864  |
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| • Density | 26.02/sq mi (10.047/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 5th | |
Leslie County is a county found in the state of Kentucky in the United States. Its main town and largest city is Hyden. In 2020, about 10,513 people lived there.
The county was created in 1878. It was made from parts of Clay, Harlan, and Perry counties. It was named after Preston Leslie, who was the governor of Kentucky from 1871 to 1875.
Contents
History
Leslie County was formed in 1878. It was named after Governor Preston Leslie. The county seat, Hyden, got its name from John Hyden. He was a state senator and helped create the county.
In December 1970, a serious accident happened at the Finley Mine on Hurricane Creek. This event, known as the Hurricane Creek mine disaster, sadly led to the deaths of 38 miners. After the accident, investigations looked into how to make mines safer.
In July 1978, Richard Nixon, a former U.S. President, visited Leslie County. He came for the opening of a new recreation center named after him.
Geography
Leslie County covers about 404 square miles. Most of this area, about 401 square miles, is land. The rest, about 3.6 square miles, is water.
Neighboring Counties
- Perry County (to the northeast)
- Harlan County (to the southeast)
- Bell County (to the southwest)
- Clay County (to the west)
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 3,740 | — | |
| 1890 | 3,964 | 6.0% | |
| 1900 | 6,753 | 70.4% | |
| 1910 | 8,976 | 32.9% | |
| 1920 | 10,097 | 12.5% | |
| 1930 | 10,765 | 6.6% | |
| 1940 | 14,981 | 39.2% | |
| 1950 | 15,537 | 3.7% | |
| 1960 | 10,941 | −29.6% | |
| 1970 | 11,623 | 6.2% | |
| 1980 | 14,882 | 28.0% | |
| 1990 | 13,642 | −8.3% | |
| 2000 | 12,401 | −9.1% | |
| 2010 | 11,310 | −8.8% | |
| 2020 | 10,513 | −7.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 9,864 | −12.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2021 |
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In 2000, there were 12,401 people living in Leslie County. The population included many families and individuals. About 24.6% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 36 years.
Economy
Coal Companies
- James River Coal Company
Transportation
Public transportation is available through LKLP Community Action Partnership. They offer rides by request and have scheduled services from Hyden to Hazard.
Communities
City
- Hyden (the county seat)
Other Communities
- Asher
- Bear Branch
- Big Rock
- Causey
- Chappell
- Cinda
- Confluence
- Cutshin
- Essie
- Frew
- [[Grassy, Kentucky (Leslie County)
- Hals Fork, Kentucky
- Hare
- Hell for Certain
- Helton
- Hoskinston
- Kaliopi
- Middlefork
- Mozelle
- Roark
- Sizerock
- Smilax
- Stinnett
- Thousandsticks
- Toulouse
- Warbranch
- Wendover
- Wooton
- Yeaddis
Notable People
- Elmer Begley, a former secretary of state of Kentucky
- Roger Bowling, a songwriter
- Hugh X. Lewis, a country music singer-songwriter
- William Lewis, a former U.S. Representative
- Bobby Osborne, a bluegrass musician
- Sonny Osborne, a bluegrass musician
- Willie Sandlin, a soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery in World War I
