# Lewis County, Kentucky

Lewis County is near the northeastern tip of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,080. Its county seat is Vanceburg.

## History

Kentucky was part of Virginia until 1792. The District of Kentucky began with three counties: Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln and Fayette. Part of Fayette County was split off as Bourbon County in 1785; a portion of Bourbon was split off in 1788 as Mason County; in 1806 Lewis County was split off from Mason and named for Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The county's elevation ranges from 485 to 1400 feet above sea level. Its heavily forested hills and hollows have produced some of the nation's best oak lumber. Lumbering was long the county's principal economic activity; today the largest categories of employment are health care and social assistance (814 persons), construction (680) and manufacturing (600).

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 495 square miles (1,280 km$^2$), of which 483 square miles (1,250 km$^2$) is land and 13 square miles (34 km$^2$) (2.5%) is water. The county's northern border with Ohio is formed by the Ohio River. Its border with the river is the longest of all the Kentucky counties.

### Adjacent counties

* Adams County, Ohio (north)
* Scioto County, Ohio (northeast)
* Greenup County (east)
* Carter County (southeast)
* Rowan County (south)
* Fleming County (southwest)
* Mason County (west)

### National protected area

* Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge (part)

## Demographics
### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,092 people, 5,422 households, and 4,050 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 per square mile (11/km$^2$). There were 6,173 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5.0/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 98.92% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.03% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 0.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,422 households, out of which 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $22,208, and the median income for a family was $26,109. Males had a median income of $25,522 versus $18,764 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,031. About 23.50% of families and 28.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.40% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over. Over forty percent of this county gets some kind of government benefit.

## Education

The residents of Lewis County are served by the Lewis County Schools. There are four elementary schools, a middle school for 7th and 8th graders, and an adjacent high school on KY 10, the AA Highway. The elementary schools are Lewis County Central in Vanceburg; Garrison Elementary, east of Vanceburg in the community of Garrison; Tollesboro Elementary, west of Vanceburg in the community of Tollesboro; and Laurel Elementary, southeast of Vanceburg. LCHS hwas a nationally distinguished school in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
Elementary Schools:
* Lewis County Central Elementary School, Vanceburg. Mascot-Lions, Colors-Royal blue, red, and white.
* Garrison Elementary School, Garrison. Mascot-Patriots, Colors-Red, black, and white.
* Tollesboro Elementary School, Tollesboro. Mascot-Wildcats, Colors-Royal blue, yellow, and white.
* Laurel Elementary School, Laurel. Mascot-Bombers, Colors-Kelly green and white.
Middle Schools:
* Lewis County Middle School, Vanceburg. Mascot-Lions, Colors-Royal blue, red, and white.
High Schools:
* Lewis County High School, Vanceburg. Mascot-Lions, Colors-Royal blue, red, and white.
Closed Schools:
* Tollesboro High School, Tollesboro. Closed in 1994 due to low enrollment and loss of state funding. This was an issue that caused controversy within the county as Tollesboro High and Lewis County High had a long-standing, bitter rivalry. Tollesboro officials and residents claimed that the closure of the school by the Lewis County Board of Education was not justified, and some went so far as to send their children to schools in surrounding counties, such as Mason and Fleming. However, with time, the controversy died down. The main Tollesboro school building and Field Hall, with a gymnasium, still stand just off of KY 57 near the intersection with old Highway 10. The building was for a short time used as the Tollesboro Christian Academy.
* Laurel High School, Laurel. The building burned in the late 1930s. It was made of local stone which was largely undamaged by the fire, so the exterior could have been reused, but the interior was burned beyond repair. Students in the Laurel area went to Lewis County High School. The building sat just off the intersection of KY 59 and highway 1068 (near Laurel Point). The remnants of the building are still visible today.

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Lewis County, Kentucky :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 4,997 | 87.34% | 666 | 11.64% | 58 | 1.01% |
| 2020 | 4,986 | 84.75% | 823 | 13.99% | 74 | 1.26% |
| 2016 | 4,363 | 82.35% | 785 | 14.82% | 150 | 2.83% |
| 2012 | 3,326 | 69.74% | 1,342 | 28.14% | 101 | 2.12% |
| 2008 | 3,213 | 67.06% | 1,510 | 31.52% | 68 | 1.42% |
| 2004 | 3,778 | 68.89% | 1,667 | 30.40% | 39 | 0.71% |
| 2000 | 3,217 | 70.42% | 1,293 | 28.31% | 58 | 1.27% |
| 1996 | 2,365 | 54.12% | 1,415 | 32.38% | 590 | 13.50% |
| 1992 | 2,493 | 50.84% | 1,713 | 34.93% | 698 | 14.23% |
| 1988 | 3,108 | 66.18% | 1,568 | 33.39% | 20 | 0.43% |
| 1984 | 3,445 | 69.64% | 1,484 | 30.00% | 18 | 0.36% |
| 1980 | 2,802 | 63.78% | 1,543 | 35.12% | 48 | 1.09% |
| 1976 | 2,383 | 55.01% | 1,929 | 44.53% | 20 | 0.46% |
| 1972 | 3,124 | 71.57% | 1,200 | 27.49% | 41 | 0.94% |
| 1968 | 2,760 | 64.83% | 1,017 | 23.89% | 480 | 11.28% |
| 1964 | 2,300 | 50.58% | 2,230 | 49.04% | 17 | 0.37% |
| 1960 | 3,816 | 69.41% | 1,682 | 30.59% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,333 | 67.65% | 1,585 | 32.17% | 9 | 0.18% |
| 1952 | 3,317 | 67.86% | 1,556 | 31.83% | 15 | 0.31% |
| 1948 | 2,708 | 64.68% | 1,449 | 34.61% | 30 | 0.72% |
| 1944 | 3,275 | 69.43% | 1,434 | 30.40% | 8 | 0.17% |
| 1940 | 3,371 | 64.22% | 1,878 | 35.78% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 3,255 | 61.92% | 1,985 | 37.76% | 17 | 0.32% |
| 1932 | 3,212 | 55.88% | 2,488 | 43.28% | 48 | 0.84% |
| 1928 | 4,077 | 78.36% | 1,120 | 21.53% | 6 | 0.12% |
| 1924 | 3,067 | 65.13% | 1,447 | 30.73% | 195 | 4.14% |
| 1920 | 4,186 | 71.84% | 1,550 | 26.60% | 91 | 1.56% |
| 1916 | 2,324 | 62.66% | 1,276 | 34.40% | 109 | 2.94% |
| 1912 | 1,185 | 34.52% | 1,017 | 29.62% | 1,231 | 35.86% |
| 1908 | 2,549 | 65.26% | 1,268 | 32.46% | 89 | 2.28% |
| 1904 | 2,374 | 62.74% | 1,286 | 33.99% | 124 | 3.28% |
| 1900 | 2,311 | 60.01% | 1,482 | 38.48% | 58 | 1.51% |
| 1896 | 2,348 | 61.29% | 1,433 | 37.41% | 50 | 1.31% |
| 1892 | 1,531 | 53.36% | 1,044 | 36.39% | 294 | 10.25% |
| 1888 | 1,880 | 57.02% | 1,379 | 41.83% | 38 | 1.15% |
| 1884 | 1,498 | 55.94% | 1,152 | 43.02% | 28 | 1.05% |
| 1880 | 1,388 | 54.28% | 1,075 | 42.04% | 94 | 3.68% |
| 1876 | 1,134 | 49.72% | 1,147 | 50.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1872 | 952 | 59.65% | 644 | 40.35% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1868 | 983 | 55.16% | 799 | 44.84% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 645 | 62.26% | 391 | 37.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 31 | 2.79% | 73 | 6.57% | 1,007 | 90.64% |
| 1856 | 0 | 0.00% | 631 | 51.85% | 586 | 48.15% |
| 1852 | 400 | 44.05% | 503 | 55.40% | 5 | 0.55% |
| 1848 | 521 | 47.93% | 566 | 52.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1844 | 506 | 48.24% | 543 | 51.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1840 | 523 | 61.97% | 321 | 38.03% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1836 | 345 | 53.32% | 302 | 46.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
Lewis County is one of the most Republican counties in Kentucky. The last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election was Samuel J. Tilden in 1876. In a state that allowed slavery but did not secede from the Union, the Lewis County Courthouse has the only non-cemetery Union monument south of the Mason-Dixon Line that was erected by public subscription. The county is home to U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican who was elected county judge-executive in 2010 and to Congress in 2012.

### Elected officials

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025 :
| U.S. House | Thomas Massie (R) | KY 4 |
| Ky. Senate | Robin L. Webb (D) | 18 |
| Ky. House | Patrick Flannery (R) | 96 |

## Communities
### Cities

* Concord
* Vanceburg (County Seat)

### Census-designated place

* Garrison

### Other unincorporated places

* Alburn
* Awe
* Black Oak
* Beechy Creek
* Buena Vista
* Burtonville
* Cabin Creek
* Camp Dix
* Carrs
* Charters
* Clarksburg (County Seat 1809–1863)
* Cottageville
* Covedale
* Crum
* Emerson
* Epworth
* Esculapia Springs
* Fearis
* Firebrick
* Fruit
* Glenn
* Glenn Springs (Earlier known as McCormick's Spring)
* Gun Powder Gap
* Harris
* Head of Grassy
* Heselton
* Irwin
* Jacktown
* Kinniconick
* Kirkville
* Laurel
* Libbie
* Martin
* McDowell Creek
* McKenzie
* Montgomery Creek
* Nashtown
* Noah
* Oak Ridge
* Pence
* Petersville
* Poplar Flat (County Seat 1806–1809)
* Quicks Run
* Randville
* Records
* Rexton
* Ribolt
* Rugless
* Saint Paul
* Salt Lick
* Sand Hill
* Stricklett
* Sullivan
* Tannery
* Teutonia
* Thor
* Tollesboro
* Trinity (Trinity Station)
* Upper Bruce
* Valley
* Wadsworth

## Notable people

* James Baird (1873–1953) - Quarterback at the University of Michigan 1892–1895. After graduation served as an Assistant Coach for the football program from 1897 to 1898. Later as a Civil Engineer, his construction company executed the building of prominent buildings such as the Lincoln Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
* Charles A. Baird (1870–1944) - University of Michigan's first Athletic Director from 1898 to 1909. Hired legendary coach Fielding H. Yost. Oversaw construction of Ferry Field. Older brother of James Baird.
* Thomas Marshall (1793–1853) – United States Army general of the Mexican–American War.
* The founder of "Pillar of Fire Church" and KKK advocate Alma Bridwell White was born there.
* Thomas Massie, U.S. representatve, Kentucky's 4th Congressional District
* Ralph Davis, (Ralph E. Davis Jr.) University of Cincinnati Basketball. Started on two NCAA Final Four teams for the Bearcats. Went on to play professional basketball in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the Cincinnati Royals, a Pre-NBA merger franchise which is now the Sacramento Kings.
* Faith Esham, (b. 1948) Famous opera performer and recitalist. Voice Professor at Westminster Choir College of Rider University since 2000.
* Thomas H. Paynter, United States Senator 1907–1913
* George M. Thomas (American politician), (November 23, 1828 – January 7, 1914) Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 9th district: In office March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889. Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives: In office 1859–1863, 1872–1873. Commonwealth's Attorney for the tenth judicial district 1862–1868. Was elected Lewis county judge in 1868. Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky in 1871. Circuit Judge of the fourteenth judicial district from 1874 to 1880 and United States District Attorney from 1881 to 1885. Elected as a Republican to the Fiftieth Congress (March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889). Was appointed Solicitor of Internal Revenue by President William McKinley on May 20, 1897, and served until May 31, 1901.