Pike County, Kentucky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pike County
U.S. county
Pike County courthouse in Pikeville
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	December 19, 1821
Named for	Zebulon Pike
Seat	Pikeville
Largest city	Pikeville
Area
• Total	789 sq mi (2,040 km2)
• Land	787 sq mi (2,040 km2)
• Water	1.8 sq mi (5 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	58,669
• Estimate  (2023)	55,973
• Density	74.36/sq mi (28.710/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	5th

Pike County is a county located in the eastern part of Kentucky, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 58,669 people lived here. The main city and government center is Pikeville. Pike County was started in 1821. It's a place where most of the county doesn't allow alcohol sales, but some cities like Pikeville, Elkhorn City, and Coal Run Village do.

History of Pike County

Pike County is the easternmost county in Kentucky. It is also the largest county in Kentucky by land area. It ranks as the 11th most populated county in the state.

Pike County was created on December 19, 1821. It was formed from a part of Floyd County. The county is named after General Zebulon Pike. He was an explorer who discovered Pikes Peak. General Pike became a national hero after he died in the War of 1812.

From 1860 to 1891, the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud took place here. This feud was a long-running dispute between two families. It happened in Pike County and nearby Mingo County, West Virginia. On May 6, 1893, Pikeville officially became a city. It also became the county seat, which is the main government center.

Pike County is also the home of Paul E. Patton. He was a former governor of Kentucky.

Geography and Location

Pike County covers an area of about 789 square miles (2,040 km²). Most of this area, 787 square miles (2,040 km²), is land. Only a small part, about 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), is water. This makes it the largest county in Kentucky by land area.

The main towns and cities where people live include Pikeville and its surrounding areas. Other important places are Elkhorn City and South Williamson.

Major Roads in Pike County

Pike County has many important roads. There are about 486 miles of classified roads.

U.S. Route 23 passes through the Pikeville Cut-Through, the second largest earthmoving project in the Western Hemisphere.

One major road is U.S. Route 23. It goes through the Pikeville Cut-Through. This cut-through is a huge engineering project. It is the second largest earthmoving project in the Western Hemisphere.

Neighboring Counties

Pike County shares borders with several other counties:

Population Data

Economy and Industry

A coal breaker in Pike County in 1938

A mountaintop removal mine just off of U.S. Route 23 in 2010

Pike County has large amounts of fossil fuels. These include coal and natural gas. It is one of the top places in the country for producing coal and natural gas. In April 2007, Pike County announced a new energy plan. This plan was made with the Southern States Energy Board.

As of 2013, Pike County was Kentucky's second-biggest coal producer. Only Union County produced more. The Eastern Kentucky Coalfield produces almost 3/4 of all coal in the state. Over 150 million tons of coal are produced each year in Kentucky.

Local Businesses and Growth

Tourism is also a major component of the economy in Pike County. In 2012, nearly 300,000 people visited the Breaks Interstate Park on the Kentucky-Virginia border.

There are over 1,400 businesses in Pikeville. From 2005 to 2011, downtown Pikeville grew a lot. The Eastern Kentucky Expo Center was built in 2005. It can hold 7,000 people. Many events like concerts and shows happen there. The Pikeville Concert Association also brings events to the University of Pikeville's Booth Auditorium.

In 2010, the Pikeville Medical Center got a large loan. They used it to build an 11-story office building and a parking garage. This project was finished in 2014.

The University of Pikeville started building a nine-story building in 2011. This "Coal Building" houses the University's School of Osteopathic Medicine.

In 2011, the Jenny Wiley Theatre group announced a new indoor theater. This 200-seat professional theater opened in downtown Pikeville in 2014.

Healthcare Services

Hospitals in Pike County

• Pikeville Medical Center, Pikeville, Kentucky
• Appalachian Regional Healthcare, South Williamson, Kentucky

Education and Schools

University of Pikeville

Pike County has many schools and colleges.

Colleges in Pike County

• University of Pikeville (UPike), Pikeville, Kentucky
• Big Sandy Community and Technical College Pikeville Campus
• Galen College of Nursing Pikeville Campus

Pike County Public Schools

The Pike County School System has 25 schools. These include high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools.

High Schools

• Belfry High School, Belfry, Kentucky
• East Ridge High School, Lick Creek, Kentucky
• Phelps High School, Phelps, Kentucky
• Pike County Central High School, Pikeville, Kentucky
• Shelby Valley High School, Pikeville, Kentucky

Middle and Elementary Schools

These schools feed into the high schools:

• Belfry High School System
  • Belfry Middle School
    • Bevins Elementary
    • Belfry Elementary
• East Ridge High School System
  • Elkhorn City Elementary School
  • Feds Creek Elementary School
  • Millard Elementary School
• Phelps High School System
  • Phelps Elementary School
• Pike County Central High School System
  • Johns Creek Elementary School
  • Kimper Elementary School
  • Mullins School
• Shelby Valley High School System
  • Dorton School
  • Valley Elementary School

Northpoint Academy is a program for high school students. It helps students who have dropped out to get back on track. Students join this program voluntarily.

Pikeville Independent Schools

• High School
  • Pikeville High School, Pikeville
• Elementary School
  • Pikeville Elementary School

Private Schools

• St. Francis of Assisi Pikeville, Kentucky
• Christ Central Pikeville, Kentucky

Sports Teams

Pike County has been home to several sports teams.

Baseball Teams

Pikeville has had a few minor league baseball teams. In 1982, the Pikeville Brewers played in the city. They were part of the Appalachian League. They were connected to the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1983, the team changed its name to the Pikeville Cubs. They then became connected to the Chicago Cubs. In 2010, Pikeville Independent's baseball team reached the final four in the state tournament.

Basketball Teams

In 2007, the East Kentucky Miners basketball team came to Pike County. They played at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center until 2010. In 2010, another team, the East Kentucky Energy, started playing in Pikeville. In 2010, Shelby Valley High School won the state championship for men's basketball. In 2011, the UPike Men's Basketball team won the national championship.

Football Teams

In 2010, there were plans for an Indoor Arena Football team called the Pike County Crusaders. They were supposed to play at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center, but it didn't happen. In 2011, the East Kentucky Drillers, another Indoor Arena Football team, came to the Expo Center. In 2012, the team changed its name to the Kentucky Drillers.

Communities in Pike County

Cities

• Coal Run Village
• Elkhorn City
• Pikeville (county seat)

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but not officially incorporated as cities:

Other Unincorporated Places

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or census-designated places:

Famous People from Pike County

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Pike (Kentucky) para niños