Pikeville, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pikeville, Kentucky
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Main Street in Pikeville
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| Nickname(s):
"The City That Moves Mountains"
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| Motto(s):
For Progress
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Location in Pike County and the commonwealth of Kentucky
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Kentucky | |
| County | Pike | |
| Established | 1824 | |
| Incorporated | 1848 | |
| Named for | Pike County, Kentucky | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council/Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 20.99 sq mi (54.36 km2) | |
| • Land | 20.99 sq mi (54.36 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | |
| Elevation | 791 ft (241 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,754 | |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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7,358 | |
| • Density | 369.41/sq mi (142.63/km2) | |
| U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Codes |
41501–41502
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| Area code(s) | 606 | |
| FIPS code | 21-60852 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404518 | |
Pikeville (pronounced PYKE-vil) is a city in Pike County, Kentucky, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the county government is located. In 2020, about 7,754 people lived there.
Pikeville is an important center for business, education, and fun in eastern Kentucky. It also serves parts of Virginia and West Virginia. The city is home to the University of Pikeville. It is also known for the Pikeville Cut-Through, which is a huge project that involved moving a lot of earth. It's the second-largest project of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
Contents
History of Pikeville
Pikeville started as a county seat. In 1822, officials first picked a spot called "Liberty." But people didn't like that location. So, in 1823, they chose a new place. This land was given by a farmer named Elijah Adkins.
The settlement was named Pike in 1824. This name changed to Piketon in 1829. The town officially became a city in 1848 under the name Piketon. Finally, in 1850, its name was changed to Pikeville.
Pikeville was part of the famous Hatfield–McCoy feud. The leader of the McCoy family, Randolph McCoy, is buried on a hill overlooking the town.
In 1965, Pikeville was recognized as an All-American City. This award celebrates cities that work together to solve problems.
The Pikeville Cut-Through Project
From 1973 to 1987, a huge project called the Pikeville Cut-Through was built. It is just west of downtown Pikeville. This project moved about 18 million cubic yards of soil and rock. It is one of the biggest engineering projects in the Western Hemisphere.
The cut-through helped reduce traffic in downtown Pikeville. It also stopped flooding by changing the path of the Levisa Fork River.
Recent Growth and Development
Pikeville has grown a lot since the 1990s. The University of Pikeville has added new programs. In 1997, it opened the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. This is a medical school. In 2016, it opened the Kentucky College of Optometry, which is a school for eye doctors.
In 2005, the Appalachian Wireless Arena opened. It's a large building downtown that can hold 7,000 people. It hosts concerts and other events.
Pikeville Medical Center has become a major hospital in the area. In 2014, it completed a large expansion. The hospital is also part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
A new shopping center called Pikeville Commons opened in 2014. In 2018, the city's government was named the KLC City Government of the Year. This award recognized Pikeville for making a big positive impact on its region.
Geography and Climate
Pikeville covers about 15.4 square miles of land. The city is located in the Appalachian Mountains. It sits along the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River.
The downtown area of Pikeville is in a narrow valley. The Pikeville Cut-Through helped reshape the land around the city.
Pikeville's Climate
Pikeville has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.
| Climate data for Pikeville, Kentucky | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
93 (34) |
90 (32) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
107 (42) |
104 (40) |
98 (37) |
88 (31) |
82 (28) |
107 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44 (7) |
50 (10) |
60 (16) |
71 (22) |
79 (26) |
86 (30) |
89 (32) |
89 (32) |
82 (28) |
71 (22) |
59 (15) |
49 (9) |
69 (21) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24 (−4) |
25 (−4) |
33 (1) |
40 (4) |
50 (10) |
60 (16) |
65 (18) |
63 (17) |
57 (14) |
43 (6) |
34 (1) |
28 (−2) |
44 (6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −18 (−28) |
−7 (−22) |
−4 (−20) |
21 (−6) |
30 (−1) |
37 (3) |
45 (7) |
42 (6) |
33 (1) |
17 (−8) |
6 (−14) |
−10 (−23) |
−18 (−28) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.72 (94) |
3.25 (83) |
3.85 (98) |
3.66 (93) |
3.96 (101) |
4.09 (104) |
4.20 (107) |
4.20 (107) |
3.27 (83) |
2.89 (73) |
3.10 (79) |
3.58 (91) |
43.77 (1,112) |
| Source: The Weather Channel. | |||||||||||||
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 140 | — | |
| 1880 | 246 | 75.7% | |
| 1890 | 456 | 85.4% | |
| 1900 | 508 | 11.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,280 | 152.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,110 | 64.8% | |
| 1930 | 3,376 | 60.0% | |
| 1940 | 4,185 | 24.0% | |
| 1950 | 5,154 | 23.2% | |
| 1960 | 4,754 | −7.8% | |
| 1970 | 5,205 | 9.5% | |
| 1980 | 4,756 | −8.6% | |
| 1990 | 6,324 | 33.0% | |
| 2000 | 6,295 | −0.5% | |
| 2010 | 6,903 | 9.7% | |
| 2020 | 7,754 | 12.3% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 7,358 | 6.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, Pikeville had 7,754 residents. Most people living in the city were White (93.8%). There were also Black residents (2.9%), Asian residents (1.3%), and people from two or more races (1.5%). About 2.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, the average household had about 2.14 people. The average family had about 2.88 people. About 22.2% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 36 years.
Arts and Culture
Hillbilly Days Festival
One of Pikeville's most famous events is Hillbilly Days. This festival happens every year in mid-April. It celebrates the unique culture of the Appalachian region. Local Shriners started the event in 1976 to raise money for the Shriners Children's Hospital.
Today, Hillbilly Days is the second-largest festival in Kentucky. Artists and craftspeople show and sell their work. Musicians play on six different stages downtown. People even dress up in "hillbilly" outfits for fun. The money raised helps children in need. The festival honors the area's history and culture in a fun way.
Entertainment Venues
The Appalachian Wireless Arena is a big entertainment spot in downtown Pikeville. It opened in 2005 and can seat 7,000 people. It hosts many concerts and shows.
The Pikeville Concert Association also brings cultural events to the area. These often take place at the University of Pikeville's Booth Auditorium.
The Appalachian Center for the Arts is a theater downtown. It has 200 seats and hosts professional shows.
Local Attractions
The Hatfield and McCoy River Trails opened in 2014. These trails are on the Levisa Fork River.
Alltech, a company from Lexington, built the Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery. It opened downtown in 2018. Its name is inspired by the Hatfield–McCoy feud. Visitors can learn about brewing and distilling, and hear stories about the famous feud.
Library Services
Pikeville has a public library. It is a branch of the Pike County Public Library. In the past, in the late 1930s and early 1940s, a special pack horse library delivered books to people in the area.
Education in Pikeville
Pikeville is part of the Pike County Public School System. This system includes several elementary schools and high schools.
The University of Pikeville is a private four-year college. It is connected with the Presbyterian Church (USA). It is one of the smaller colleges in the U.S. to have an osteopathic medicine program. This medical school, the University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, opened in 1996. It is one of only three medical schools in Kentucky.
Pikeville also has campuses for Big Sandy Community and Technical College and National College.
In 2022, Galen College of Nursing partnered with Pikeville Medical Center. They plan to open a nursing school campus in downtown Pikeville. Galen College of Nursing is one of the largest nursing educators in the country.
Sister Cities
Pikeville has special partnerships with other cities around the world:
Ankang, Shaanxi, China
Dundalk, Ireland
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Notable People from Pikeville
Many interesting people have come from Pikeville, including:
- Woody Blackburn, a professional golfer
- Robert Damron, another professional golfer
- Murray Garvin, a college basketball coach
- Ryan Hall, a popular YouTuber
- Patty Loveless, a famous country music singer
- Randolph (Randall) McCoy, a key figure in the Hatfield-McCoy Feud
- Mark Reynolds, a baseball player
- John Paul Riddle, who helped start Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
- Effie Waller Smith, a poet
- Dwight Yoakam, a country singer, songwriter, and actor
See also
In Spanish: Pikeville (Kentucky) para niños
