Inez ( ) is a
home rule-class city in and the
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 ...
of
Martin County,
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 ...
, United States.
The population was 546 at the
2020 census.
Geography
Inez is located at (37.866431, -82.539058).
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 city has an area of , all land.
History
James Ward first settled the area about 1810; originally, it was named Arminta Ward's Bottom. J.M. Stepp renamed it Eden about the time it became the seat of government for
Martin County in 1873. As there was already a post office named
Eden, Kentucky
Eden or Eden Stretch is an unincorporated community located in Butler County, 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 Uppe ...
, the local postmaster was obliged to rename the town on June 23, 1874. The name is usually held to have been derived from that of Inez Frank, daughter of the
Louisa, Kentucky
Louisa is a home rule-class city located at the merger of the Levisa and Tug Forks into the Big Sandy River. It is located in Lawrence County, Kentucky, in the United States, and is the seat of its county. The population was 2,467 at the 2010 ...
postmaster in neighboring
Lawrence County.
[ Accessed April 8, 2010.]
Lincoln County Feud
The
Lincoln County Feud occurred in
Lincoln County, West Virginia
Lincoln County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,463. Its county seat is Hamlin. The county was created in 1867 and named for Abraham Lincoln.
Lincoln County is part of the Huntington ...
, during the 1880s. In October 1889, Milt Haley and Green McCoy, two West Virginia fugitives, were captured and subsequently held at the Martin County Jail. A West Virginia posse captured Haley and McCoy and lynched them at Green Shoal near
Harts, West Virginia
Harts is a census-designated place (CDP) at the mouth of Big Harts Creek in Lincoln County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Guyandotte River. As of the 2010 census, its population was 656. Harts is a part of the Huntington-Ashla ...
. In March 1995, songwriter and musician
John Hartford
John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive kno ...
and historian/author Brandon Kirk visited Inez as part of their research on the feud.
Presidential visit
President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
visited Inez in 1964, landing by helicopter with his party at an abandoned miniature golf course, to promote the
War on Poverty
The war on poverty is the unofficial name for legislation first introduced by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during his State of the Union address on January 8, 1964. This legislation was proposed by Johnson in response to a national p ...
. According to a 2014 NPR article, the poverty rate at the time was more than 60 percent.
Economy
Inez is home to several industrial employers primarily focused on the area's robust energy market. A multitude of coal, gas and oil exploration and affiliated services companies operate in the mineral-rich areas in and around Martin County. Outside the city is another major regional employer, the
Big Sandy facility of the
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
.
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 2000, there were 466 people, 212 households, and 132 families residing in the city. 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 710.5 people per square mile (272.6/km
2). There were 253 housing units at an average density of 385.7 per square mile (148.0/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.28%
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 on ...
, and 1.72% from two or more races.
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 ...
or
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 were 0.64% of the population.
There were 212 households, of which 30.7% had children under age 18 living with them, 44.8% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36. For every 100 females, there were 75.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 67.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,875, and the median income for a family was $25,938. Males had a median income of $41,875 versus $17,292 for females. The national median household income was $46,326 in 2006 while the median personal income (including only those above the age of 25) was $32,140. The city's
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 ...
was $14,183. About 37.0% of families and 35.3% 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 41.7% of those under 18 and 21.4% of those 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
operates the Inez Post Office.
The
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
U.S. Penitentiary, Big Sandy is near Inez, in
unincorporated Unincorporated may refer to:
* Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality
* Unincorporated entity, a type of organization
* Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...
Martin County.
[Institution Supplement]
" United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy. 2 (2/18). Retrieved on February 21, 2011. "USP Big Sandy is located at 1197 Airport Rd, Inez, Kentucky." and "Directions from Interstate 64: From the following areas: Ashland, KY, Huntington, WV, and the Ohio area, travel Interstate 64 to Kentucky Exit 191 to Route 23 South. Follow 23 South for approximately 38 miles until you reach Route 645. Turn left onto Route 645 South and travel approximately 11 miles until you reach Route 3. Turn right onto Route 3 and travel for approximately 10 miles until you reach Airport Road. Turn left onto Airport Road and follow signs to the institution."
Education
The
Martin County School System
The Martin County School System in a United States school district located in Martin County, Kentucky. The superintendent is Larry James. The district headquarters is in Inez.
Schools
Secondary schools:
*Martin County High School. This facili ...
serves Inez.
Sheldon Clark High School
Sheldon Clark High School (SCHS) was a state school, public high school in unincorporated area, unincorporated Martin County, Kentucky, USA, near Inez, Kentucky, Inez. It was a part of the Martin County School System.
It was named after Martin Co ...
is the former area high school, replaced by Martin County High School. Eden Elementary, Warfield Elementary, and Inez Elementary serve grades K-6 and Martin County Middle School (MCMS) grades 7–8. MCMS is also in Warfield.
Inez has a
lending library
A lending library is a library from which books and other media are lent out. The major classifications are endowed libraries, institutional libraries (the most diverse), public libraries, and subscription libraries. It may also refer to a librar ...
, a branch of the Martin County Public Library.
Notable residents
*Capt. A. Allen, who drilled the first gas well in the Burning Springs region of West Virginia in 1866.
*
Josey Montana McCoy
Josey Montana McCoy is an American actor.
Biography
McCoy grew up in the small Appalachian town of Inez, Kentucky. His summers were spent on an outdoor stage near his home called Jenny Wiley Theatre where he fell in love with performing. He g ...
, actor
References
External links
City of Inez, Kentucky
{{authority control
Cities in Martin County, Kentucky
County seats in Kentucky
Populated places established in 1942
1942 establishments in Kentucky
Cities in Kentucky