Paintsville, Kentucky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Paintsville
City
Main Street in Paintsville decorated for Christmas 2024
Nickname(s):  "City Between the Lakes"
Location of Paintsville in Johnson County, Kentucky
Detailed map of Paintsville
Paintsville, Kentucky Location in Kentucky Show map of Kentucky Paintsville, Kentucky Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Johnson
Established	February 24, 1834
Incorporated	February 5, 1843
Named for	a nearby creek
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	17.75 sq mi (17.48 km2)
• Land	17.62 sq mi (17.14 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.35 km2)
Elevation	614 ft (187 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,312
• Estimate  (2022)	4,200
• Density	651.75/sq mi (251.64/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	41240
Area code(s)	606
FIPS code	21-58962
GNIS feature ID	0500128

Paintsville is a city in Johnson County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the main city and government center of its county. The city is located along Paint Creek. In 2020, about 4,312 people lived there. Paintsville is sometimes called "City Between the Lakes."

History of Paintsville

Paintsville has a long history, dating back to the late 1700s.

Early Beginnings and Naming

The area was first mentioned in 1780 as "Paint Lick Station." This name came from Native American art painted on trees near a local salt lick. Early white settlers saw these paintings when they arrived. The land was originally part of a large area owned by George Lewis. In 1812, Rev. Henery Dixon bought the trading post. He planned the town of Paint Lick Station in 1826.

The town was officially started in 1834 under that name. However, its post office was likely called "Paint Creek." In 1843, it became an official city named Paintsville. That same year, it was chosen as the main city for Johnson County.

Paintsville During the Civil War

During the Civil War, Johnson County tried to stay neutral. The local government made a rule that no Union or Confederate flags could be flown. But this rule was quickly changed. This happened when James A. Garfield, who was a colonel at the time, marched his soldiers into the city.

Becoming a Modern City

In the early 1900s, Paintsville started to grow into a modern city.

• In 1902, the city's first bank, First National, opened.
• By 1906, Paintsville had telephone service.
• Two years later, all of its streets were paved.
• In 1912, the city received electricity and natural gas.
• Public water service began in 1926, and the fire department was created.
• Library services were first provided by the Pack Horse Library Project.

Recent Changes and Growth

Since the 1990s, Paintsville's population has decreased. This was partly due to changes in the economy and fewer coal mining jobs. However, new businesses have opened, and more tourists are visiting. The city has been working to improve its downtown area. In 2009, Paintsville became a "wet" city again. This means stores within the city limits can sell alcoholic drinks.

Geography and Landscape

The Levisa Fork River in Paintsville

Paintsville is located where Paint Creek meets the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. This area is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The city covers about 5.3 square miles (13.7 square kilometers) of land.

City Layout and Shopping

Since 1976, Paintsville's main shopping area has moved. It shifted from Main Street to Mayo Plaza, located northwest of downtown. In the early 1990s, larger stores opened in Mayo Plaza. This made it hard for smaller, family-owned businesses downtown, and many closed. Today, downtown Paintsville is mostly a financial area.

In 2009, Paintsville received money to improve Main Street. The goal is to make it a popular shopping area again. Mayo Plaza has also grown a lot recently. A new Wal-Mart Supercenter, a Lowe's home improvement store, and many restaurants have opened there.

Climate and Weather

Paintsville has a humid subtropical climate. This means summers are hot and humid, with many storms. July is the warmest month, with an average high of 86°F (30°C). Winters are cold, but sometimes have mild periods. January is the coldest month, with an average low of 24°F (-4°C). The highest temperature ever recorded was 105°F (41°C) in 1988. The lowest was -26°F (-32°C) in 1994. May usually has the most rain, and October has the least.

Population and People

Court Street

In 2010, Paintsville had 3,459 people living there. There were 1,604 households and 856 families. Most of the people (99.3%) were White. The population was spread out in terms of age. About 20.5% were under 19, and 21.1% were 65 or older. The average age was 41.9 years.

The average income for a household in the city was about $25,259. For families, it was about $30,575. About 29.4% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 39.9% of those under 18.

Education in Paintsville

Paintsville High School

Paintsville has several schools, both public and private.

Paintsville Independent School District

The Paintsville Independent School District includes:

• Paintsville High School (for 7th–12th grades)
• Paintsville Elementary School

This district is known for its high college attendance rates. Since 2008, between 95% and 100% of its students have gone to college. In 2012, the district had one of the highest average ACT scores in Kentucky.

Johnson County Schools

The Johnson County Schools also has schools in Paintsville:

• Johnson Central High School
• Johnson County Middle School (Kentucky)
• Central Elementary School

Johnson County schools are also known for their strong academics. Johnson Central High School has won five international Future Problem Solving titles. The middle school has won 10 state titles in the Governor's Cup and three international Future Problem Solving titles.

Other Schools and Colleges

• Our Lady of the Mountains School is a private Catholic school.
• Big Sandy Community and Technical College has a campus in Paintsville. It offers two-year degrees in many different subjects.
• Paintsville also has a lending library, the Johnson County Public Library.

Culture and Fun in Paintsville

Paintsville offers many cultural events, museums, and places for recreation.

Festivals and Events

• The Kentucky Apple Festival has been held every year since 1962. It takes place on the first full weekend in October. The festival includes live music, carnival rides, a pageant, competitions, a parade, and a car show.
• The Awaken Conference is a yearly Christian concert event. Thousands of people come to the city for it every July.
• Paintsville also hosts a Spring Fling on Main Street in May.

Museums and Historical Sites

Paintsville has several interesting places to visit that share its history and culture.

• The U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum tells the stories of country music stars. These artists grew up near U.S. 23 in Eastern Kentucky. Famous singers like Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle, and Hylo Brown are featured.
• The historic Mayo Mansion was built for John C. C. Mayo between 1905 and 1912. Today, it is home to Our Lady of the Mountains School.
• The Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church was designed by Italian builders. It has beautiful stained glass windows and a pipe organ given by Andrew Carnegie. The first service was held in 1909.
• The Mountain Homeplace is a living history museum. It is located inside Paintsville Lake State Park. This museum shows what a farming community was like in the mid-1800s. It has a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, a church, a cabin, and a barn. These buildings were moved here in the 1980s to save them from being covered by the planned Paintsville Lake. The museum opened in 1995. Tour guides in old-fashioned clothes show how people used to live and work. They demonstrate skills like making horseshoes and quilting. The museum is open from April 1 to December 31.
• The In the Pines Amphitheater was built in the early 2000s. It looks like the old theaters of Ancient Greece. This 700-seat outdoor venue hosts events like the Red Bud Gospel Sing.

Recreation and Sports

• The Paintsville Country Club has an 18-hole golf course. It opened in 1929, making it one of the oldest golf courses in Eastern Kentucky. The country club building was built in 1930 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• The Paintsville Recreation Center has a volleyball court, a basketball court, a walking track, and a playground. There is also a small community garden.

Local Media

• The Paintsville Herald is a local newspaper. It is printed twice a week, on Wednesday and Friday. It serves Paintsville and the nearby areas.
• Paintsville also has several radio stations that play different types of music and news.

Healthcare Services

Paintsville ARH Hospital is a hospital that provides many healthcare services to the region. It has an emergency room, a special birthing room, and modern surgical services. This includes a robotic system for advanced surgeries.

Transportation Options

Paintsville is connected by several roads and has access to airports.

Roads and Highways

• U.S. Route 23 acts as a bypass around Paintsville. This four-lane highway connects Paintsville to Interstate 64 to the north. It also links to U.S. Route 119 and Kentucky Route 80 to the south.
• U.S. Route 460 connects Paintsville to the Mountain Parkway in Salyersville.
• Kentucky Route 40 runs through Paintsville as Euclid Avenue and Third Street. It connects the city to Inez and is another way to get to Salyersville.
• Kentucky Route 321, also known as South Mayo Trail, is the city's main business road. It goes through Mayo Plaza.

Air Travel

• The Big Sandy Regional Airport is located southeast of Paintsville in Martin County. This airport is used for general aviation, meaning private planes. Its main runway is 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) long.
• The closest airport with commercial flights is Tri-State Airport. It is about 55 miles (88 kilometers) northeast in Ceredo, West Virginia.

Notable People from Paintsville

Many interesting people have come from Paintsville or have strong ties to the city.

• Willie Blair: A baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball.
• Tyler Childers: A popular country, bluegrass, and rock musician.
• Jim Ford: A singer-songwriter born in Paintsville.
• Jim Fyffe: A sportscaster and radio talk-show host.
• Crystal Gayle: A famous country music singer. She was born in Paintsville in 1951. Her older sister, Loretta Lynn, was born nearby.
• Andrew Jackson Kirk: A U.S. Representative from Kentucky.
• Johnnie LeMaster: A Major League Baseball player for teams like the San Francisco Giants. He lives in Paintsville.
• John C. C. Mayo: An important businessman and entrepreneur.
• Wendell H. Meade: A Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was born in Paintsville.
• John Pelphrey: A famous basketball player from the University of Kentucky. He was also a college basketball coach.
• Venus Ramey: Miss America 1944. She grew up in Paintsville.
• Ovie Scurlock: A former jockey in horse racing, born in Paintsville.
• Benjamin F. Stapleton: A former Mayor of Denver, Colorado. He was born in Paintsville.
• Chris Stapleton: A Grammy-winning country, bluegrass, and rock musician. He attended Johnson Central High School in Paintsville.
• Richard Scott Thomas: A dancer and educator who co-founded the New York School of Ballet. He was born in Paintsville. He is the father of actor Richard Earl Thomas, known for The Waltons.