Breathitt County, Kentucky

Breathitt County, Kentucky
Breathitt County is a county in the eastern Appalachian portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,718. Its county seat is Jackson. The county was formed in 1839 and was named for John Breathitt, who was Governor of Kentucky from 1832 to 1834. Breathitt County was a prohibition or dry county, until a public vote in July 2016 that allowed alcohol sales.
History
The area now encompassed by Kentucky's Breathitt County was first bounded in 1772, when all of what is now the state of Kentucky was in the frontier county of Fincastle County, Virginia. Fincastle was divided in 1776, with the western portion named Kentucky County, Virginia. In 1780, Virginia set aside all land in Kentucky County for soldiers who had served in the Revolutionary War. In 1780, Kentucky County was divided into 3 counties, Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln. Lincoln County was divided in 1799, with part becoming Knox County. In 1807, the Legislature partitioned the upper part of Knox to create Clay County. On February 6, 1839, a portion of Clay (along with portions of Estill and Perry Counties) was partitioned off to create Breathitt County. It was named for Governor John Breathitt.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.
The North and Middle Forks of the Kentucky River pass through the county as the main water drainages.
Adjacent counties
Wolfe County - northwest
Magoffin County - northeast
Knott County - east
Perry County - southeast
Owsley County - southwest
Lee County - west
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,100 people, 6,170 households, and 4,541 families in the county. The population density was . There were 6,812 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.69% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,170 households, out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 14.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.00.
The county population contained 25.50% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $19,155, and the median income for a family was $23,721. Males had a median income of $26,208 versus $20,613 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,044. About 28.10% of families and 33.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.90% of those under age 18 and 26.80% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Economy
Coal companies
Arch Coal
US Coal
Education
Jackson Independent Schools
Jackson Independent Schools is a school district that educates students inside and outside the city limits of Jackson, Kentucky.
Jackson City School – a single K-12 facility.
Breathitt County Schools
Breathitt County Schools is another school district with an array of schools within the city limits of Jackson, Kentucky and throughout the county.
Sebastian Elementary School – Jackson, Kentucky (Opened 1970)
Highland-Turner Elementary School – Canoe, Kentucky (Opened 1992)
Rousseau Elementary School (Closed 2013) – Rousseau, Kentucky
Marie Roberts-Caney Elementary School – Lost Creek, Kentucky (Expanded School Opened 1996)
Breathitt County High School – Jackson, Kentucky (New School Opened 1982)
Private schools
Mount Carmel School – Vancleve, Kentucky
Oakdale Christian Academy – Jackson, Kentucky
Riverside Christian School – Lost Creek, Kentucky
Higher education
Lees College Campus of Hazard Community and Technical College (part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System) – Jackson, Kentucky
Kentucky Mountain Bible College – Vancleve, Kentucky
Breathitt Area Technology Center
The Breathitt Area Technology Center serves both the Jackson Independent and the Breathitt County school districts. It is located in Jackson on the campus of Breathitt County High School. The school is operated by the state of Kentucky. While most of the funding comes from the state, much of the equipment is purchased with federal Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act funds, which are aimed at advancing technical education.
The school is focused on technical education, offering these technical programs:
Automotive Technology
Construction Technology
Electrical Technology
Health Sciences
Office Technology
UK Robinson Station
The community of Quicksand is the location for the University of Kentucky Robinson Station. This agriculture research facility is a pivotal asset in Breathitt County, furthering the scientific studies in the areas of agriculture and forestry.
Health care
Breathitt County Family Health Center, Jackson, Kentucky
Breathitt County health care providers were featured in a November 23, 2013 article in The Washington Post: "In Rural Kentucky, Health-Care Takes Back Seat as the Long-Uninsured Line Up". As of 2014 the county had the highest morbidity rate in the state of Kentucky.
Communities
Altro
Bays
Caney
Canoe
Chenowee
Clayhole
Cockrell Fork (on line between Breathitt and Perry Counties)
Crockettsville
Elkatawa
Evanston
Fishtrap
Flintville
Frozen/Frozen Creek
Fugates Fork
Haddix
Hardshell Caney
Hayes Branch
Jackson (county seat)
Leatherwood
Lost Creek
Morris Fork
Ned
Nix Branch
Noble
Noctor
Oakdale
Portsmouth
Quicksand
River Caney
Riverside
Rose Branch
Rousseau
Rowdy
Saldee
Sebastians Branch
Shoulder Blade/Shoulderblade
Smith Branch
South Fork
Stevenson
Troublesome Creek
Turners Creek
Vancleve
War Creek
Watts
Whick
Wilstacy
Wolf Coal
Nature Viewing
In the community of Southfork, there is a local elk viewing area where elk and feral horses can be seen.
Notable people
Kim Davis, the Rowan County clerk known for her refusal to comply with a federal court order directing her to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, was born in Breathitt County.
Jeffrey Reddick, writer for the Final Destination franchise, was born in Jackson.
Sturgill Simpson, country music artist/singer was born in Jackson, the county seat of Breathitt County and spent much of his childhood there.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Breathitt County, Kentucky
Robinson Forest
References
Further reading
T.R.C. Hutton, Bloody Breathitt: Politics and Violence in the Appalachian South. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2013.
External links
The Kentucky Highlands Project
The Breathitt County Museum – Provides a wealth of information on the rich history of Breathitt County.
UK Robinson Station
http://www.breathittcounty.com – hundreds of photos and articles about Breathitt County
Breathitt County Public Schools
Breathitt Area Technology Center
Breathitt County History & Ancestry
1839 establishments in Kentucky
Populated places established in 1839
Kentucky counties
Counties of Appalachia