Buckhorn Lake, located south of
Buckhorn, Kentucky
Buckhorn is a home rule-class city in Perry County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 162 at the 2010 census. It is centered on the Buckhorn Presbyterian Church, a log structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and northwest of
Hazard, Kentucky
Hazard is a home rule-class city in, and the county seat of, Perry County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,263 at the 2020 Census.
History
Local landowner Elijah Combs Sr. laid out the town in 1824 as the planned seat of the n ...
off
Kentucky Route 28, is a
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
created by the
in 1967 by impounding the Middle Fork of the
Kentucky River
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 13, 2011 in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. The river and its tri ...
.
The lake was flooded over top of a small township called Bowlingtown.
Buckhorn Lake is an impoundment of the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River. Buckhorn Dam is an earthen dam, high and in length at its crest, with a maximum capacity of and normal storage of . The origin of the lake's name is uncertain. Some claim the name is taken from the discovery of a
buck's horn at a nearby
salt lick. Others claim that it is named for a buck killed by Jerry Smith, the area's first settler.
Buckhorn Lake is home to a sizable population of
muskie, making it an attractive destination for fishermen.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Buckhorn Lake has a
humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
History
Construction of the dam began in 1956, just upstream of a very small village known as Bowlingtown. The residents of Bowlingtown were forced to move from their homes and given very little compensation for the land that was bought out by the Army Corps of Engineers.
The most any family received was ten cents per acre of property, with no value being added for buildings, businesses or farms. Citizens of Bowlingtown were not happy with the project, but ultimately had no voice in the matter. Despite their best efforts the lake was created anyway. Among the citizens there was significant controversy surrounding the project, none more so than the family cemeteries that were forcibly dug up and moved without notifying the families of the deceased. Most families did not know their loved ones had been moved until years later. The individual cemeteries were combined into one that is nearly inaccessible for half the year.
Attractions
Buckhorn Lake is home to Buckhorn Lake state park. The state lodge has the Bowlingtown History Museum, Bowlingtown Country Kitchen, swimming pool, and miniature golf course.
An island in the middle of the lake has a cemetery where former residents of Bowlingtown are still laid to rest.
See also
*
Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park
Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park is a state park located in the northwest corner of Perry County, Kentucky. The park itself encompasses , while Buckhorn Lake, a mountain reservoir lake which serves as its major feature and which was created by ...
References
External links
Buckhorn Lake- US Army Corps of Engineers official site
1967 establishments in Kentucky
Reservoirs in Kentucky
Protected areas of Leslie County, Kentucky
Protected areas of Perry County, Kentucky
Daniel Boone National Forest
Dams in Kentucky
United States Army Corps of Engineers dams
Bodies of water of Leslie County, Kentucky
Bodies of water of Perry County, Kentucky
Protected areas established in 1967
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