Salyersville, Kentucky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Salyersville, Kentucky
City
Downtown Salyersville
Nickname(s):  "The Gateway to Appalachia"
Location in Magoffin County, Kentucky
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Magoffin
Established	1860
Incorporated	March 2, 1867
Named for	Samuel Salyer, a lawmaker who sponsored the establishment of Magoffin Co.
Area
• Total	2.49 sq mi (6.45 km2)
• Land	2.47 sq mi (6.39 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	853 ft (260 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,591
• Estimate  (2022)	1,546
• Density	644.39/sq mi (248.85/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	41465
Area code(s)	606
FIPS code	21-68232
GNIS feature ID	0502868

Salyersville (pronounced SAL-yerz-vil) is a city in Magoffin County, Kentucky, in the United States. It's located on the Licking River. Salyersville is known as the "county seat," which means it's the main town where the county government offices are.

As of the 2020 census, about 1,591 people lived in Salyersville. The city is a "home rule-class city," meaning it has the power to manage its own local affairs.

A Look Back: Salyersville's History

How Salyersville Began

Around 1800, a group of settlers, including Archibald Prater and Ebenezer Hanna, built a fort on a hill. This fort overlooked a bend in the Licking River. The community was first called "Prater's Fort."

By 1839, when it got its first post office, the name had changed to "Licking Station." Later, in 1849, the post office moved. The community was then renamed "Adamsville" after a local landowner, Uncle William Adams. He owned farmland and ran a hotel, a gristmill (for grinding grain), a tannery (for making leather), and a blacksmith shop.

In 1860, Magoffin County was created from parts of nearby counties. Billy Adams gave land for a new county seat. The community was renamed "Salyersville" to thank State Representative Samuel Salyer. He was the one who helped create the new county. The post office name changed the next year.

During the Civil War, Salyersville faced tough times. Some residents supported the Confederacy, even though there were not many enslaved people in the area. In 1864, Union soldiers won a battle against Confederate forces in Salyersville.

In 1871, Adams gave more land for a courthouse. It was finished in 1890 but sadly burned down in 1957.

Salyersville in the 1900s

Salyersville's first high school, the Magoffin County Institute, opened in 1908. A.C. Harlowe founded it.

The Great Depression in the 1930s was very hard on Salyersville. Many people were farmers or laborers, and crop prices dropped a lot. Nearby mining and logging businesses also closed or slowed down. In 1939, the Licking River flooded downtown Salyersville, causing much damage.

On March 2, 2012, a mile-wide EF3 tornado caused significant damage in Salyersville.

In 1963, the Mountain Parkway was finished. This road helped more tourists visit the area. Heritage tourism, which focuses on the history and culture of a place, helped Salyersville's economy. The first annual Magoffin County Founder's Day Festival was held in 1978.

In 1997, Salyersville became a release site for elk as part of Kentucky's elk restoration project. Elk were brought back to the mountain wilderness areas.

Salyersville in the 2000s

In 2002, the second Magoffin County courthouse was taken down. A new Justice Center was built in its place, opening in 2004. The new building looks similar to the original courthouse.

On March 2, 2012, a powerful tornado hit Salyersville. It caused a lot of damage to homes and businesses. Luckily, no deaths were reported. The tornado was rated an EF3, which means it was very strong. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear visited the town the next day to see the damage.

Exploring Salyersville: Geography and Climate

Salyersville is located in the middle of Magoffin County. It sits in the valley of the Licking River. Other smaller rivers, like the State Road Fork and Burning Fork, join the Licking River here. The Licking River eventually flows into the Ohio River.

Major roads like U.S. Route 460 pass through Salyersville. This highway connects Salyersville to other towns like West Liberty and Paintsville. Kentucky Route 7 and Kentucky Route 40 also run through the city.

The city of Salyersville covers about 2.49 square miles (6.45 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Salyersville's Weather

Salyersville has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has relatively warm temperatures and rain spread out throughout the year. The weather is described as Cfa by the Köppen Climate System.

Who Lives in Salyersville: Population Facts

As of the census in 2000, there were 1,604 people living in Salyersville. There were 646 households, and 414 of these were families. The population density was about 758 people per square mile.

About 27.9% of households had children under 18. Many households were married couples living together (49.4%). The average household had 2.22 people.

The population included people of different ages:

• 20.8% were under 18
• 9.2% were 18 to 24
• 26.1% were 25 to 44
• 24.1% were 45 to 64
• 19.8% were 65 or older

The median age in the city was 41 years old.

How Salyersville Makes Money: Economy

In the past, Coal mining was a big part of Salyersville's economy. However, the last coal mine in Magoffin County closed in 2019.

Today, major employers include Logan Machinery, which opened in 2016. Many people from Salyersville also work in nearby cities like Georgetown and Lexington. The biggest employer within the city is the school system.

Fun in Salyersville: Arts and Culture

Festivals and Events

• Founder's Day - This is an annual county festival that celebrates the history and families of Magoffin County. People with family roots in eastern Kentucky often come to learn about their genealogy (family history).
  • The festival has contests for young people in subjects like math, spelling, essay writing, and art.
  • There are also pageants for boys and girls of different ages, and for young women.
  • Other fun activities include a parade, drama and fashion shows, pet shows, and different dance performances like clogging.

• Street Dance - Each year, downtown Salyersville hosts a public square dance. The streets around the courthouse are closed off for this fun event, which lasts late into the night.
• Independence Day Festival - This celebration for Independence Day includes a parade and pageants.

Museums to Visit

• Pioneer Village - This is a special place with 15 original log cabins located near downtown Salyersville. The Magoffin County Historical Society has worked to restore and preserve these cabins.
  • Pioneer Village is a living history museum. Staff members create displays and show how early crafts were made.
  • Many cabins date back to the early 1800s. When a cabin is donated, it is carefully taken apart, moved, and then rebuilt in Pioneer Village.

Monuments and Historical Markers

Several marble monuments are found downtown near Pioneer Village. These include the "Founder's Pyramid" and memorials for the Civil War and veterans. There are also historical markers around the area that tell stories about Salyersville's past:

• Civil War Action - This marker tells about a battle near Puncheon Creek in 1864.
• County Named, 1860 - This marker in downtown Salyersville explains how Magoffin County got its name from Governor Beriah Magoffin.
• First Settlement - This marker at the city limits describes how the town was first settled by European Americans.
• Wm. "Uncle Billie" Adams - This marker downtown shares a short story about one of the city's founders.

Parks and Recreation

• Ramey Memorial Park - This park is a great place for outdoor activities. It has:
  • Picnic shelters and picnic tables
  • A playground for kids
  • A walking track
  • Basketball courts and tennis courts
  • Baseball fields
  • A swimming pool (open in summer)

The park also has a steel bridge that crosses the Licking River, connecting it to the historic Pioneer Village and a monument honoring war veterans.

Learning in Salyersville: Education

The Magoffin County Board of Education runs Salyersville's public schools. These include:

• Magoffin County High School (their mascot is the Hornets!)
• Herald Whitaker Middle School
• North Magoffin Elementary
• Salyersville Elementary School
• South Magoffin Elementary

The Magoffin County Career and Technical Center teaches students important job skills. These include welding, electrical work, carpentry, law enforcement, agriculture, and medical services.

Salyersville also has a lending library, the Magoffin County Public Library, where you can borrow books and other materials.

Staying Connected: Media in Salyersville

Salyersville has two local weekly newspapers: The Salyersville Independent and the Trading Post. The Salyersville Independent was started in 1921 and prints over 4,000 copies every Thursday.

Cable TV and high-speed Internet access are provided by companies like Rick Howard Cable, Frank Howard Cable, and Foothills Cooperative. Frank Howard Cable and Rick Howard Cable also have local TV channels called MCTV and MCSTV. MCTV broadcasts a daily local news show called "Your News Today."

Salyersville has its own radio station, WRLV Pure Country 106.5. You can also listen to stations from nearby counties.

Famous Faces from Salyersville

• John Blanton - An American politician who was born in Salyersville.
• Rebecca Lynn Howard - A country singer-songwriter.
• Buell Kazee - A bluegrass singer and minister.