Whitley County, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Whitley County
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Whitley County courthouse in Williamsburg
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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 |
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| State |  Kentucky |
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| Founded | January 17, 1818 | |
| Named for | William Whitley | |
| Seat | Williamsburg | |
| Largest city | Corbin | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 445 sq mi (1,150 km2) | |
| • Land | 438 sq mi (1,130 km2) | |
| • Water | 7.3 sq mi (19 km2) 1.6% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 36,712 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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36,825  |
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| • Density | 82.50/sq mi (31.85/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 5th | |
Whitley County is a county in the southeastern part of Kentucky, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 36,712 people lived here. The main town, called the county seat, is Williamsburg. However, the biggest city in the county is Corbin. The county's court system holds sessions in both Williamsburg and Corbin. Whitley County is also part of the larger London, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History of Whitley County
The land that is now Whitley County has a long history. It was first part of a very large area called Fincastle County, Virginia, back in 1772. Over the years, this big area was divided into smaller parts. In 1780, Virginia set aside land in Kentucky for soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
How Whitley County Was Formed
Kentucky County was split into three counties: Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln. Later, in 1799, part of Lincoln County became Knox County. Finally, on January 17, 1818, a section of Knox County was separated to create Whitley County. Much later, in 1912, some of Whitley County's land was used to form McCreary County.
Naming the County and Its Seat
Whitley County was named after William Whitley, a famous pioneer and fighter. He was known for fighting battles against Native American tribes in the area. He also helped protect the Wilderness Road, a path used by early settlers. William Whitley died fighting in the War of 1812 at the Battle of the Thames. The county seat, Williamsburg, is also named after Colonel Whitley. The first court meeting in Williamsburg was held at the home of Samuel Cox, one of the town's first residents.
Early Explorers and Growth
Thomas Walker was the first known European explorer to see the area of Whitley County. This was in 1750. During his trip, he named the Cumberland River after the Duke of Cumberland. When Whitley County was formed in 1818, about 500 people lived there. By 1860, the population had grown to 7,522.
A big change happened in 1883 when a railroad line reached Whitley County. This helped the county grow a lot. Industries like lumber mills and coal mines started to become very important. The original Whitley County courthouse burned down in 1931, but a new one was built with help from the government.
Coal Mining and Corbin
Because of its rough land, thick forests, and past conflicts with local Native American tribes, Whitley County grew slowly at first. However, the growth of the coal mining industry in the late 1800s brought many families to the county. This led to the creation of Corbin, which is still the largest city in Whitley County today.
Birthplace of KFC
Just north of Whitley County, in North Corbin, you can find the Sanders Cafe. This is where Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) began! It was started by Harland David Sanders, known as Colonel Sanders, in 1930.
Public Officials and Trust
From 2009 to 2011, a young journalist named Adam Sulfridge and his editor, Samantha Swindler, from the Times-Tribune newspaper, worked to show problems in the Whitley County Sheriff's Department. The sheriff at the time, Lawrence "Larry" Hodge, was elected in 2002. He was known as a tough crime fighter.
However, it was found that the sheriff had misused his position. He was accused of taking money and even stealing items that had been taken from criminals. In late 2010, a grand jury looked into these accusations. Sheriff Hodge was not re-elected. In 2011, he admitted to some of the wrongdoings and was sentenced to time in federal prison. Another person involved, a lawyer named Ronnie "Ron" W. Reynolds, also faced consequences. State auditors found that a large amount of money was missing from the sheriff's official accounts.
Geography of Whitley County
Whitley County covers about 445 square miles. Most of this area, about 438 square miles, is land, and about 7.3 square miles is water.
The county is located in the Cumberland Plateau region of southeastern Kentucky. This area is also part of the Eastern Coal Field, known for its coal. Because it's in the Cumberland Mountains, the land in Whitley County goes from about 723 feet to 2,220 feet above sea level. A large part of western Whitley County, about 38,000 acres, is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Cumberland Falls, which is in Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, is the biggest waterfall in Kentucky. Both the Daniel Boone National Forest and Cumberland Falls State Park are managed by the Kentucky State Parks system and are located in Whitley County. The county also has two important rivers: the Laurel River and the Cumberland River.
Geographic Features
- Cumberland Falls
- Cumberland Plateau
- Cumberland River
- Jellico Mountain
- Laurel River
- Laurel River Lake
Neighboring Counties
Whitley County shares borders with several other counties:
- Laurel County - to the north
- Knox County - to the northeast
- Bell County - to the east
- Claiborne County, Tennessee - to the southeast
- Campbell County, Tennessee - to the south
- McCreary County - to the west
Protected Natural Areas
- Daniel Boone National Forest (part of it is in Whitley County)
Transportation in Whitley County
Main Roads
- Interstate 75
- U.S. Route 25W
- Kentucky Route 11
- Kentucky Route 26
- Kentucky Route 90
- Kentucky Route 92
- Kentucky Route 312
- Kentucky Route 904
Airport
- KBYL, Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport
People of Whitley County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,340 | — | |
| 1830 | 3,806 | 62.6% | |
| 1840 | 4,673 | 22.8% | |
| 1850 | 7,447 | 59.4% | |
| 1860 | 7,762 | 4.2% | |
| 1870 | 8,278 | 6.6% | |
| 1880 | 12,000 | 45.0% | |
| 1890 | 17,590 | 46.6% | |
| 1900 | 25,015 | 42.2% | |
| 1910 | 31,982 | 27.9% | |
| 1920 | 27,749 | −13.2% | |
| 1930 | 29,730 | 7.1% | |
| 1940 | 33,186 | 11.6% | |
| 1950 | 31,940 | −3.8% | |
| 1960 | 25,815 | −19.2% | |
| 1970 | 24,145 | −6.5% | |
| 1980 | 33,396 | 38.3% | |
| 1990 | 33,326 | −0.2% | |
| 2000 | 35,865 | 7.6% | |
| 2010 | 35,637 | −0.6% | |
| 2020 | 36,712 | 3.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 36,825 | 3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
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In 2000, there were about 35,865 people living in Whitley County. Most people were White (98.37%). There were also smaller groups of Black, Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 0.69% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The county had 13,780 households. About 33.70% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.52 people. The median age in the county was 35 years old. This means half the people were younger than 35 and half were older.
The average income for a household in the county was about $22,075 per year. For families, it was about $27,871. About 26.40% of the people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included 34.10% of those under 18 and 19.00% of those 65 or older.
Economy of Whitley County
The economy of Whitley County has always depended a lot on its natural resources. This mainly means coal and timber from the county's mountains and forests. Because the land is so rugged, farming has not been as important here. However, some areas do grow crops like tobacco and corn.
Education in Whitley County
Schools for Kids (K-12)
Whitley County has three public school districts:
- Whitley County School District: This is the biggest district. It serves students in the county outside of the cities of Corbin and Williamsburg.
- Williamsburg Independent School District: This district serves the city of Williamsburg. It has one school for all grades, from kindergarten to 12th grade.
- Corbin Independent School District: This district serves the entire city of Corbin. It is special because its boundaries go across county lines into neighboring counties.
Colleges and Universities
- The University of the Cumberlands (which used to be called Cumberland College) is in Williamsburg. It is the largest private university in Kentucky. Its main campus is the only university campus in Whitley County. The school's sports teams play at the NAIA level, offering college sports events for the community.
- Eastern Kentucky University also has a branch campus in the Corbin part of Whitley County, near Woodbine.
Communities in Whitley County
Cities
- Corbin (partly in Knox and Laurel counties)
- Williamsburg (the county seat)
Census-Designated Places (CDPs)
These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.
- Emlyn
- Pleasant View
- Rockholds
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city or CDP.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Whitley (Kentucky) para niños
