Lewis County, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lewis County
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Lewis County courthouse in Vanceburg
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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 |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | December 2, 1806 |
| Named for | Meriwether Lewis |
| Seat | Vanceburg |
| Largest city | Vanceburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 495 sq mi (1,280 km2) |
| • Land | 483 sq mi (1,250 km2) |
| • Water | 13 sq mi (30 km2) 2.5% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,080 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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12,973  |
| • Density | 26.42/sq mi (10.202/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Lewis County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. In 2020, about 13,080 people lived here. Its main town, or county seat, is Vanceburg.
Contents
History of Lewis County
The land that is now Kentucky was once part of Virginia. After the American Revolutionary War, this area became Kentucky County. In 1780, Virginia divided it into three smaller areas.
Kentucky became its own state in 1792. Over time, these first counties were divided even more. Lewis County was created in 1806 from a part of Mason County. It was named after Meriwether Lewis, a famous explorer.
Lewis County has many hills and thick forests. Because of this, cutting down trees for wood has always been a main job here. The county is known for producing some of the best oak wood in the country. The land in Lewis County ranges from about 485 to 1400 feet above sea level.
Lewis County Geography
Lewis County covers about 495 square miles. Most of this area, about 483 square miles, is land. The remaining 13 square miles are water. This means about 2.5% of the county is water.
The northern edge of Lewis County is the Ohio River. This river forms the border with Ohio. Lewis County has the longest border along the Ohio River compared to all other Kentucky counties.
Neighboring Counties
Lewis County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Adams County, Ohio (to the north)
- Scioto County, Ohio (to the northeast)
- Greenup County (to the east)
- Carter County (to the southeast)
- Rowan County (to the south)
- Fleming County (to the southwest)
- Mason County (to the west)
Protected Natural Areas
A small part of the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge is located in Lewis County. This refuge helps protect wildlife and their homes along the Ohio River.
Lewis County Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 2,357 | — | |
| 1820 | 3,973 | 68.6% | |
| 1830 | 5,229 | 31.6% | |
| 1840 | 6,306 | 20.6% | |
| 1850 | 7,202 | 14.2% | |
| 1860 | 8,361 | 16.1% | |
| 1870 | 9,115 | 9.0% | |
| 1880 | 13,154 | 44.3% | |
| 1890 | 14,803 | 12.5% | |
| 1900 | 17,868 | 20.7% | |
| 1910 | 16,887 | −5.5% | |
| 1920 | 15,829 | −6.3% | |
| 1930 | 14,315 | −9.6% | |
| 1940 | 15,686 | 9.6% | |
| 1950 | 13,520 | −13.8% | |
| 1960 | 13,115 | −3.0% | |
| 1970 | 12,355 | −5.8% | |
| 1980 | 14,545 | 17.7% | |
| 1990 | 13,029 | −10.4% | |
| 2000 | 14,092 | 8.2% | |
| 2010 | 13,870 | −1.6% | |
| 2020 | 13,080 | −5.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 12,973 | −6.5% | |
Education in Lewis County
Students in Lewis County go to schools run by the Lewis County Schools district. The county has four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
Elementary Schools
- Lewis County Central Elementary School, Vanceburg. Their mascot is the Lions, and their colors are royal blue, red, and white.
- Garrison Elementary School, Garrison. Their mascot is the Patriots, and their colors are red, black, and white.
- Tollesboro Elementary School, Tollesboro. Their mascot is the Wildcats, and their colors are royal blue, yellow, and white.
- Laurel Elementary School, Laurel. Their mascot is the Bombers, and their colors are kelly green and white.
Middle and High Schools
After 6th grade, all students attend Lewis County Middle School, Vanceburg. This school is for 7th and 8th graders. Their mascot is the Lions, and their colors are royal blue, red, and white.
After middle school, students go to Lewis County High School. This school serves grades 9-12. It was recognized as a top school in 2015, 2016, and 2018. The high school and middle school are located west of Vanceburg on KY 10.
Past Schools
- Tollesboro High School, Tollesboro. This school closed in 1994 because not enough students were enrolled. Students then moved to Lewis County High School. This caused some disagreements at the time, as the two schools had a strong rivalry. The old school buildings are still standing today.
- Laurel High School, Laurel. The building for Laurel High School burned down in the late 1930s. Students from that area then started attending Lewis County High School. You can still see parts of the old building today.
Lewis County Communities
Lewis County has several towns and communities.
Cities
Census-designated place
- Garrison (A place that is like a town but not officially incorporated as a city.)
Other Unincorporated Places
- Alburn
- Awe
- Black Oak
- Beechy Creek
- Buena Vista
- Burtonville
- Cabin Creek
- Camp Dix
- Carrs
- Charters
- Clarksburg (Was the county seat from 1809–1863)
- Cottageville
- Covedale
- Crum
- Emerson
- Epworth
- Esculapia Springs
- Fearis
- Firebrick
- Fruit
- Glenn
- Glenn Springs
- Gun Powder Gap
- Harris
- Head of Grassy
- Heselton
- Irwin
- Jacktown
- Kinniconick
- Kirkville
- Laurel
- Libbie
- Martin
- McDowell Creek
- McKenzie
- Montgomery Creek
- Nashtown
- Noah
- Oak Ridge
- Pence
- Petersville
- Poplar Flat (Was the county seat from 1806–1809)
- Quicks Run
- Randville
- Records
- Rexton
- Ribolt
- Rugless
- Saint Paul
- Salt Lick
- Sand Hill
- Stricklett
- Sullivan
- Tannery
- Teutonia
- Thor
- Tollesboro
- Trinity (Trinity Station)
- Upper Bruce
- Valley
- Wadsworth
Notable People from Lewis County
Many interesting people have come from Lewis County:
- James Baird (1873–1953) – He played football at the University of Michigan. Later, as a civil engineer, his company built famous buildings like the Lincoln Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Charles A. Baird (1870–1944) – He was the first Athletic Director at the University of Michigan. He hired the famous coach Fielding H. Yost and oversaw the building of Ferry Field. He was James Baird's older brother.
- Thomas Marshall (1793–1853) – A general in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War.
- Alma Bridwell White – She founded the "Pillar of Fire Church".
- Thomas Massie – He is currently a Congressman for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District.
- Ralph Davis – He played basketball for the University of Cincinnati. He was part of two teams that reached the NCAA Final Four. He later played professional basketball for the Cincinnati Royals.
- Faith Esham (born 1948) – A famous opera singer and performer. She has been a Voice Professor at Westminster Choir College since 2000.
- Thomas H. Paynter – He served as a United States Senator from 1907 to 1913.
- George M. Thomas (American politician) (1828–1914) – He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Kentucky. He also served in the Kentucky House of Representatives and as a judge.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lewis (Kentucky) para niños
