Floyd County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,942. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Prestonsburg. The county, founded in 1800, is named for

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

John Floyd (1750–1783).

History

On December 13, 1799, the

Kentucky General Assembly The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It comprises the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets annually in ...

passed legislation to form Floyd County as the 40th county of Kentucky.Kleber, John E. ''The Kentucky Encyclodpedia'' (University Press of Kentucky), p. 330 The county was made from parts of Fleming, Montgomery, and

Mason County, Kentucky Mason County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Its county seat is Maysville. The county was created from Bourbon County, Virginia in 1788 and named for George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention ...

. The legislation became effective on June 1, 1800. The county was named for

James John Floyd James John Floyd (1750–1783) was an early settler of St. Matthews, Kentucky and helped lay out Louisville. In Kentucky he served as a Colonel of the Kentucky Militia in which he participated in raids with George Rogers Clark and later became one ...

, a pioneer surveyor who helped lay out the city of Louisville. The county seat was Preston's Station, later renamed Prestonsburg. The first court house burned down on April 8, 1808, destroying all the early records, so the earliest records of government activity do not date prior to 1808. Prestonsburg was used as a

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

stronghold during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

and two battles took place nearby, the

Battle of Ivy Mountain The Big Sandy Expedition was an early campaign of the American Civil War in Kentucky that began in mid-September 1861 when Union Army, Union Brigadier general (United States), Brig. Gen. William "Bull" Nelson received orders to organize a new bri ...

on November 8, 1861, and the

Battle of Middle Creek The Battle of Middle Creek was an engagement fought January 10, 1862, in Eastern Kentucky during the American Civil War. It was the only battle personally commanded by future president James A. Garfield, then a colonel in the Union Army. B ...

on January 10, 1862. Both were Union victories. On February 28, 1958, the county was the site of one of the deadliest bus accidents in U.S. history, leaving 27 people dead. On June 30, 2022, a mass shooting targeting police officers occurred in

Allen Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Unive ...

, a city in Floyd County. Three police officers and a police dog were killed, and four other people were injured. The alleged shooter, 49-year-old Lance Storz, was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder of a police officer.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Johnson County (north) * Martin County (northeast) * Pike County (east) * Knott County (southwest) * Magoffin County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 39,451 people living in the county. 98.2% were

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.2%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% of some other race and 0.6% of two or more races. 0.6% were

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...

(of any race). As of the

of 2000, there were 42,441 people, 16,881 households, and 12,272 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 18,551 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.73%

, 1.29%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.12% Native American, 0.24%

, 0.08%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.12% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.42% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. The Kentucky

Melungeon Melungeons ( ) are an ethnicity from the Southeastern United States who descend from Europeans, Native American, and sub-Saharan Africans brought to America as indentured servants and later as slaves. Historically, the Melungeons were associated ...

s live primarily in Floyd and Magoffin counties. These families once lived in certain pockets or clusters within Floyd County, some continue to do this. However, most of these Melungeon families have now spread out or moved away, and so they cannot be defined by one valley, ridge, hollow, watershed, area, etc. However, some of their known historic residences were: The upper waters of both the Right and Left Forks of Beaver Creek, as well as its smaller streams, branches, and forks; extending into Knott County as well. There were 16,881 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males. The median income for a household in the county was $21,168, and the median income for a family was $25,717. Males had a median income of $30,242 versus $20,569 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $12,442. About 26.90% of families and 30.30% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 39.80% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The county's public schools are operated by the

Floyd County School District The Floyd County School District was founded in 1888 and is a public school district in Floyd County, Georgia, Floyd County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. Its headquarters has a Rome, Georgia, Rome postal address but lies outside ...

Economy

Coal companies in Floyd County

* Blackhawk Mining * James River Coal Company * Frasure Creek Mining

Politics

Floyd County is traditionally a Democratic county. The county gave

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

over 65% in both 1992 and 1996 while

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

never received more than 38% of the county's vote. Like the rest of the state outside of Jefferson County (

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

) and Fayette County ( Lexington), the county eventually shifted to the Republican Party, but became one of the last counties in Kentucky to make that transition. In 2008 its votes went to the Republican Party's presidential candidate for the first time in the county's history. The county has trended strongly Republican in the past two Presidential elections, giving

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

72.5% of its vote in 2016, only slightly less than traditional totals in long-standing rock-ribbed Republican Kentucky counties like Jackson County and

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Fl ...

. Floyd County is part of

Kentucky's 5th congressional district Kentucky's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in the heart of Appalachia in Southeastern Kentucky, the rural district is the second most impoverished district in the nation and, as of ...

, which has been represented by Republican Hal Rogers since 1981.

Communities

Cities

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austr ...

* Prestonsburg (county seat) * Wayland *

Wheelwright A wheelwright is a craftsman who builds or repairs wooden wheels. The word is the combination of "wheel" and the word "wright", (which comes from the Old English word "''wryhta''", meaning a worker or shaper of wood) as in shipwright and arkwr ...

Census-designated places

* Auxier * Betsy Layne * Dwale * Maytown * McDowell

Other unincorporated places

* Alphoretta *

Banner A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Als ...

* Beaver * Blue Moon * Blue River * Bonanza * Burton * Bypro *

Cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on co ...

* Dana *

David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

* Dema (part) *

Drift Drift or Drifts may refer to: Geography * Drift or ford (crossing) of a river * Drift, Kentucky, unincorporated community in the United States * In Cornwall, England: ** Drift, Cornwall, village ** Drift Reservoir, associated with the village ...

Eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...

* Emma * Estill * Garrett * Glo * Grethel *

Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...

Harold Harold may refer to: People * Harold (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Harold (surname), surname in the English language * András Arató, known in meme culture as "Hide the Pain Harold" Arts a ...

* Hi Hat *

Hippo The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant ...

* Hueysville * Ivel * Jacks Creek * Jump Station * Lackey *

Langley Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perfor ...

* Ligon *

Melvin Melvin is a masculine given name and surname, likely a variant of Melville and a descendant of the French surname de Maleuin and the later Melwin. It may alternatively be spelled as Melvyn or, in Welsh, Melfyn and the name Melivinia or Melva may ...

Midas Midas (; grc-gre, Μίδας) was the name of a king in Phrygia with whom several myths became associated, as well as two later members of the Phrygian royal house. The most famous King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ...

* Minnie *

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

Printer Printer may refer to: Technology * Printer (publishing), a person or a company * Printer (computing), a hardware device * Optical printer for motion picture films People * Nariman Printer (fl. c. 1940), Indian journalist and activist * James ...

Pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...

* Risner * Stanville * Teaberry *

Tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

* Warco * Watergap * Weeksbury *

Wonder Wonder most commonly refers to: * Wonder (emotion), an emotion comparable to surprise that people feel when perceiving something rare or unexpected Wonder may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * The Wonders, a fictional band ...

* Woods

Notable natives

Kelly Coleman Kelly "King" Coleman (September 21, 1938 – June 16, 2019) was an American professional basketball player. Coleman was a record scorer at Kentucky Wesleyan College and Wayland High School (Kentucky). Coleman was the #11 overall pick of the New ...

Wayland, Kentucky. High school, collegiate and professional basketball player. * Bette Henritze, stage, film and TV actress, was born on May 23, 1924, at Betsy Layne.Floyd County record of the birth of Bette J. Henritze
/ref> *

Kenny Rice Kenny Rice (born July 28, 1956) is an American sportscaster known nationally for his horse racing reporting with NBC and MMA coverage for HDNet. Biography Kenny Rice was born July 28, 1956 in McDowell, Floyd County, Kentucky. He grew up in the t ...

, Sportscaster. Born in McDowell, raised in

. *

Boyd Holbrook Robert Boyd Holbrook (born September 1, 1981) is an American actor. He has starred in the Netflix series ''Narcos'' (2015-2017) as DEA agent Steve Murphy and '' The Sandman'' (2022-) as the Corinthian, as well as in the History miniseries '' Ha ...

, actor and model, raised in Prestonsburg.

References

External links

Floyd County Times

Floyd County Chamber of Commerce website

The Kentucky Highlands Project

Sandy Valley Transportation Services, Inc.
{{authority control Kentucky counties Counties of Appalachia 1800 establishments in Kentucky Populated places established in 1800