Martin 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 ...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,929. 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 ...

is Inez. The county was founded in 1870 and is named for Congressman

John Preston Martin John Preston Martin (October 11, 1811 – December 23, 1862) was a political figure in Kentucky in the early 19th century. He was born on October 11, 1811, near Jonesville, Lee County, Virginia. He moved to Prestonsburg, Floyd County, Kentuc ...

. Warfield, Kentucky, is the only non-

dry city A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of any kind of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Dozens of dry counties exist across ...

in the county.

History

Martin County was formed in 1870. The county was named after John Preston Martin. The first County Seat was located in Warfield KY. But it was moved to the current county seat of Inez (Eden at the time) Due to it being more centralized in the county. The Martin County Jail closed has a full service jail in 1988 and was a holdover facility until the late 90s. In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson visited Inez to start the war on poverty. He visited Tom Fletcher House in Unincorporated part of the county. A lot of the county for the longest time relied on the coal industry. But since the decline of the coal industry. County and state officials have tried to bring new industry to Martin County. Martin County currently has 3 industrial Parks. The largest one out of the 3 houses various industries most notably the Big Sandy Regional Airport and the United States Penitentiary Big Sandy. There is also plans on building a solar panel farm in the southern part of the county on abandoned mine land.

Administration

The current officials of Martin County * County Judge/Executive: Lon Lafferty MD * Magistrate District 1 : Cody Slone * Constable District 1 : Homer "Pickle" Mills * Magistrate District 2 : Kermit Howell * Constable District 2 : Randy Lafferty * Magistrate District 3 : Tracy Spence * Constable District 3 : Alex Fannin * Magistrate District 4 : Junior Hunt * Constable District 4 : Bradford Preece * Magistrate District 5 : Ronald Workman * Constable District 5 : Mitchell Bowen * County Attorney: Melissa Fannin Phelps * County Coroner: Chris Todd * County Jailer: Bill Preece * County Sheriff: John Kirk * Property Valuation Administrator: Bobby Hale * County Clerk: Susie Skyles * Circuit Court Clerk: Denise Gauze

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 (0.4%) is water. The county's eastern border is formed by the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River.

Adjacent counties

* Lawrence County (northwest) *

Wayne County, West Virginia Wayne County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,982. Its county seat is Wayne. The county was founded in 1842 and named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Wayne County ...

(northeast) *

Mingo County, West Virginia Mingo County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,568. Its county seat and largest city is Williamson. Created in 1895, Mingo is West Virginia's newest county, named for the historic Iro ...

(southeast) * Pike County (south) * Floyd County (southwest) * Johnson County (west)

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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 12,578 people, 4,776 households, and 3,620 families residing 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 RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 5,551 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 99.25%

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 ...

, 0.03%

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 ha ...

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 ...

, 0.06% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.06%

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 ...

, 0.01% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 4,776 households, out of which 39.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% 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 ...

living together, 12.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.05. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.10% under the age of 18; 9.50% from 18 to 24; 29.30% from 25 to 44; 23.30% from 45 to 64,; and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $18,279, and the median income for a family was $21,574. Males had a median income of $31,994 versus $18,011 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 $10,650. About 33.30% of families and 37.00% 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 ...

, including 45.10% of those under age 18 and 26.90% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

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 located 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, near Inez.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." They are 3 industrial parks located in Martin County. They are the Honey Branch Industrial Park, The Calloway Industrial Park and the John Callahan Industrial Park * Honey Branch Industrial Park is a industrial park that is ran by 4 different counties in the region. The major tenants are the Big Sandy Regional Airport. The

U.S. Penitentiary, Big Sandy. Core Energy Corporation, Consolidated Pipe and Supply, Boxvayna, Appleatcha Apple Orchard, CZAR Coal and Offices for Booth Energy and subsidies * Calloway Industrial Park is pretty much abandoned. There was a Dirt Race Track and a Machine Shop. Mostly just houses and 1 water tank * John B Callahan Industrial Park is home to C&S Vaults and the Martin County Board of Education Transportation Garage and Maintenance Department.

Coal companies in Martin County

* Alliance Resource PartnersAlliance Resource Partners, L.P. » Central Appalachia
* Excel Coal Corporation * Booth Energy * CZAR Energy

Education

The Martin County School System operates public schools. * Martin County High School * Martin County Area Technology Center * Martin County Middle School * Eden Elementary School * Inez Elementary School * Warfield Elementary School * Martin County Head Start There is one private Christian school located in Martin County * Sure Foundations Christian Academy There is one Private Vocational School located in Martin County * TEK Center

Communities

Beauty Beauty is commonly described as a feature of objects that makes these objects pleasurable to perceive. Such objects include landscapes, sunsets, humans and works of art. Beauty, together with art and taste, is the main subject of aesthetics, o ...

* Inez (county seat) * Job * Lovely * Laura *

Pilgrim A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the adherent of ...

Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Indigenous peoples and nations of North America. It traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. In pre-colonial times the head was made of stone, bone, or antler, and Eur ...

Warfield Warfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire and the borough of Bracknell Forest. History Warfield was originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement and is recorded in the Domesday Book as ''Warwelt'' ic The name is believ ...

References

External links

The Kentucky Highlands Project

Sandy Valley Transportation Services, Inc.
{{Coord, 37.80, -82.52, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-KY_source:UScensus1990 Kentucky counties Counties of Appalachia 1870 establishments in Kentucky Populated places established in 1870