Ashland is a home rule-class city in

Boyd County, Kentucky Boyd County is a County (United States), county located in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 48,261. The county seat is Catlettsburg, Kentucky, Cat ...

, United States. The most populous city in Boyd County, Ashland is located upon the southern bank of the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

at the state border with

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

and near

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

. The population was 21,625 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city of the

Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area The Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area is a metropolitan area in the Appalachian Plateau region of the United States. Referred to locally as the "Tri-state area, Tri-State area," and colloquially as "Kyova" (Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia), ...

, referred to locally as the "Tri-State area" and home to 376,155 residents in 2020. Ashland serves as an important economic and medical center for northeastern Kentucky.

History

Ashland dates back to the migration of the Poage family from the

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...

via the

Cumberland Gap The Cumberland Gap is a Mountain pass, pass in the Eastern United States, eastern United States through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, within the Appalachian Mountains and near the tripoint of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. At&n ...

in 1786. They erected a homestead along the

and named it Poage's Landing. Also called Poage Settlement, the community that developed around it remained an extended-family affair until the mid-19th century.''A History of Ashland, Kentucky, 1854–2004''. Ashland Bicentennial Committee. 2004. January 2, 2007. In 1854, the city name was changed to Ashland after

Henry Clay Henry Clay (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seventh Spea ...

's Ashland estate in Lexington and to reflect the city's growing industrial base. The city's early industrial growth was a result of

the Ohio The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its mouth on the Mississippi River in Cairo, ...

Valley's

pig iron Pig iron, also known as crude iron, is an intermediate good used by the iron industry in the production of steel. It is developed by smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. Pig iron has a high carbon content, typically 3.8–4.7%, along with si ...

industry and, particularly, the 1854 charter of the Kentucky Iron, Coal, and Manufacturing Company by 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 th ...

. The city was formally incorporated by the General Assembly two years later in 1856. In 1881, Ashland was the site of the

Ashland tragedy The Ashland tragedy is the name given to the violent murder of three teenagers, Robert and Fannie Gibbons and Emma Carico, in Ashland, Kentucky on December 23, 1881. Synopsis Robert and Fannie Gibbons and Emma Carico (otherwise known under her ste ...

which took the lives of three people. Major industrial employers in the first half of the 20th century included

Armco AK Steel Holdings Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in West Chester Township, Ohio. The company, whose name was derived from the initials of Armco, its predecessor company, and Kawasaki Steel Corporation, was acqui ...

, Ashland Oil and Refining Company, the C&O Railroad, Allied Chemical & Dye Company's Semet Solvay, and Mansbach Steel.

Geography

Ashland lies within the

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...

of the Western Allegheny Plateau. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.30%, is water.

Cityscape

Ashland's central business district extends from 12th Street to 18th Street, and from Carter Avenue to Greenup Avenue. It includes many historically preserved and notable buildings, such as the

Paramount Arts Center The Paramount Arts Center is a historic theater located in Ashland, Kentucky, in the United States. Listed as the Paramount Theatre on the National Register of Historic Places, this theater is an important part of theater in Kentucky. Histor ...

and the Ashland Bank Building, which serves as a reminder of what Ashland leaders hoped the city would become.

Climate

Ashland is in the

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

zone, and distinctly experiences all four seasons, with vivid fall foliage and occasional snow in winter. The average high is 88 °F in July, the warmest month, with the average lows of 19 °F occurring in January, the coolest month. The highest recorded temperature was 105 °F in July 1954. The lowest recorded temperature was −25 °F in January 1994. Average annual precipitation is , with the wettest month being July, averaging .

Demographics

As of 2021, there were 21,476 people, 8,859 households, and 6,192 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 10,763 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.6%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.6% Asian, 2.7% Hispanic or Latino, and 3.7% from two or more races. The most common ancestries were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

25.2%,

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

12.2%, Irish 8.2%, and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

1.2%. There were 9,675 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $45,414. Males had a median income of $35,362 versus $23,994 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $26,101. About 23% 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 28.3% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

American Rolling Mill Co. (ARMCO) opened its steel mill, Ashland Works, in 1922. The facility grew to cover along the Ohio River. It set world records in production, and eventually employed about 7,000 people. Local

scrap Scrap consists of recyclable materials, usually metals, left over from product manufacturing and consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap can have monetary value, especially recover ...

drives were held during World War II to support production at the plant.

ARMCO Steel AK Steel Holdings Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in West Chester Township, Ohio. The company, whose name was derived from the initials of Armco, its predecessor company, and Kawasaki Steel Corporation, was acqui ...

partnered with Kawasaki Steel Corporation in 1994. AK Steel eventually purchased Armco Steel Inc. At one time, Armco employed over 4,000 people at its West Works, Foundry, and Coke Plant. AK Steel employed under 1,000 after the closing of the Foundry and Coke Plant and the downsizing of its West Works. AK shut down completely in 2019.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events and fairs

*Festival of Trees *Poage Landing Days *Summer Motion *Winter Wonderland of Lights *Firkin Fest craft beer festival *My Old Kentucky Herf (Largest Cigar Festival in KY, OH and WV)

Historical structures and museums

The

, an

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

style movie theater built in 1930, is located on Winchester Avenue. The converted theater serves as an important venue for the arts in eastern Kentucky and the neighboring sections of

and

. It is well noted for its Festival of Trees event during the winter season. The Paramount is also devoted to teaching children the importance of the arts. Summer classes are offered for school-age children. Also along Winchester Avenue is the

Highlands Museum and Discovery Center The Highlands Museum and Discovery Center is a heritage center and science center located in Ashland, Kentucky, United States. The museum displays exhibits on local history and specialized science displays for children along with providing edu ...

. Among its numerous exhibits, one about Country Music Heritage pays tribute to the music artists from along U.S. Route 23 in Kentucky. Two locals,

The Judds The Judds were an American country music duo composed of lead vocalist-guitarist Wynonna Judd and her mother Naomi Judd on backup vocals. The duo signed to RCA Records in 1983 and released six studio albums between then and 1991. The Judds wer ...

from Ashland, and

Billy Ray Cyrus William Ray Cyrus ( ; born August 25, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Having released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, he is known for his hit single "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs cha ...

from nearby

Flatwoods Flatwoods, pineywoods, pine savannas and longleaf pine–wiregrass ecosystem are terms that refer to an ecological community in the southeastern coastal plain of North America. Flatwoods are an ecosystem maintained by wildfire or prescribed fir ...

, are included. The Pendleton Art Center, formed in 2005, is located within the downtown. The works produced include paintings, stained glass, carved gourds, and wood carvings by local artists. They are displayed at the Pendleton the first Friday and Saturday of every month and at other times by appointment. The Jesse Stuart Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the literary legacy of

Jesse Stuart Jesse Hilton Stuart (August 8, 1906 – February 17, 1984) was an American writer, school teacher, and school administrator who is known for his short stories, poetry, and novels as well as non-fiction autobiographical works set in central Appa ...

and other

Appalachia Appalachia ( ) is a geographic region located in the Appalachian Mountains#Regions, central and southern sections of the Appalachian Mountains in the east of North America. In the north, its boundaries stretch from the western Catskill Mountai ...

n writers, was at one time located within an earshot of the Pendleton Arts Center. Jesse Stuart, a well-known 20th-century author, was from nearby

Greenup, Kentucky Greenup is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Greenup County, Kentucky, United States, located at the confluence of the Little Sandy River with the Ohio River. The population was 1,095 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hunti ...

Parks and recreation

Ashland boasts a Central Park. In July 1976, a new park at the former Clyffeside Park was envisioned. Named after Commissioner Johnny Oliverio, it features several baseball diamonds, and is located along Winchester Avenue near 39th Street. In 2004, the AK Steel Sports Park was constructed along Blackburn Avenue in South Ashland. The sports-oriented park features several baseball diamonds, soccer fields and an incomplete skate park.

Government

Photograph of President William Jefferson Clinton addressing a crowd

Local government

Ashland is governed by a City Manager form of government."Ashland Police Department." Ashland Police Department. December 30, 200

The government switched from a council-manager to a city commissioner-manager form of government in 1950. The City Manager is the chief administrative officer for the city who reports to a Board of Commissioners. Department heads ranging from the Police to Public Works report to the City Manager. The interim City Manager is currently Tony Grubb. The Mayor of Ashland, Kentucky, Mayor of Ashland is elected for a four-year term and is not term-limited. The mayor presides over City Commission meetings, is a voting member of the City Commission and represents the city at major functions. The current mayor is Chuck D. Charles. Ashland's current City Commission members are Mayor Chuck Charles and Commissioners Marty Gute, Sonny Martin, Tim Renfroe and D.J Rymer. In 1925, a new city hall was erected at the corner of 17th Street and Greenup Avenue.

Federal representation

The

Federal Bureau of Prisons The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Justice that is responsible for all List of United States federal prisons, federal prisons ...

operates the

Federal Correctional Institution, Ashland The Federal Correctional Institution, Ashland (FCI Ashland) is a low-security United States federal prison for male inmates in the unincorporated area of Summit in Boyd County, Kentucky, approximately outside the city of Ashland. It is operated ...

Summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used only for ...

, unincorporated Boyd County,Admissions & Orientation (A&O) Handbook
" Federal Correctional Institution, Ashland. 1 (1/51). Retrieved on February 1, 2011. "The Federal Correctional Institution of Ashland, Kentucky, is located five miles southwest of Ashland in Summit, Kentucky." southwest of central Ashland. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates the Ashland Post Office and the Unity Contract Station. The

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky (in case citations, E.D. Ky.) is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises approximately the Eastern half of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The United States Cour ...

maintains courtroom and office facilities in the Carl D. Perkins United States Courthouse & Federal Building in downtown Ashland.

Education

All public schools within city limits are operated by the

Ashland Independent School District The Ashland Independent School District is a school district based in Boyd County, Kentucky. The district serves the area within the city limits of Ashland, Kentucky. Administration Board of education Regular meetings of the board are held on ...

. Public schools outside of city limits are operated by the Boyd County School District and the Fairview Independent School District. Some portions of the city limits are in the Boyd and Fairview school districts. Ashland has five public elementary schools, Hager Elementary, Oakview Elementary, Crabbe Elementary School, Poage Elementary and Charles Russell Elementary. Hatcher Elementary closed its doors in Spring 2010. Its students and much of its resources were consolidated with the other elementary schools in Fall 2010.
Mike, James. "Goodbye to Hatcher." ''The Independent''. May 30, 2010. Access date: June 5, 2010. The former Hatcher Elementary building now serves as the Ashland Independent Schools Central Office. There is one public middle school, Ashland Middle School, formerly known as George M. Verity Middle School and Putnam Junior High School. The campus is home to Putnam Stadium which serves as the home field for Ashland Tomcats high school and middle school football. One public high school serves the city of Ashland: Paul G. Blazer High School, named after philanthropist and founder of

Ashland Inc. Ashland, Inc., is an American chemical company headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. The company was founded in the city of Ashland, Kentucky, in 1924, where it was headquartered before moving to Wilmington in 1994. The company has five wholly o ...

, Paul G. Blazer. The high school is home to the Ashland Tomcats and Kittens athletic teams. The Ashland Tomcats football program has achieved 11 state championships. The Ashland Tomcats (boys') basketball program has accomplished 1 national championship, 4 state championships, 32 regional championships, and 55 district championships. The Ashland Tomcats and Kittens (girls') soccer teams play at the Ashland Soccer Complex at the high school. The school's marching band competes in the AAA class of th
Kentucky Music Educators Association
KMEA). The marching band is commonly called "The Pride of Blazer" for its excellent performance in many KMEA marching band competitions. Westwood, an unincorporated community just outside the Ashland city limits, is served by the Fairview Independent School District. The district operates Fairview High School, grades 6–12, and Fairview Elementary School, grades K-5. The Boyd County Public Schools serves the rural part of Ashland and the remainder of Boyd County. It has four elementary schools, those being Ponderosa Elementary, Cannonsburg Elementary, Catlettsburg Elementary and Summit Elementary. Boyd County Middle School serves grades 6–8, while Boyd County High School serves grades 9–12. The two private schools serving the Ashland area are th
Holy Family School
and the Rose Hill Christian School. Holy Family is affiliated with Holy Family Catholic Church and currently offers K–12 education. Rose Hill is affiliated with the Rose Hill Baptist Church and also offers K–12. Post-secondary educational opportunities include

Ashland Community and Technical College Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) is a Public college, public community college in Ashland, Kentucky. It is an open-admissions college and part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. It was founded in 1938 to allow ...

, which has multiple campuses within the city.

Morehead State University Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky, United States. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-yea ...

also has a satellite campus located in Ashland. The main branch of the Boyd County

Public Library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

is located in Ashland.

Media

Newspapers

Ashland is home to two newspapers: ''The Independent'' and ''The Greater Ashland Beacon''. '' The Daily Independent'' is a five-day morning

daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

which covers the city and the surrounding metropolitan area. In addition, it offers national, state and regional news/sports coverage via reprints of Associated Press and

CNHI CNHI, LLC (formerly Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.) is an American publisher of newspapers and advertising-related publications throughout the United States. The company was formed in 1997 by Ralph Martin,

wire reports and columns. The newspaper is often called "The Independent" or the "Ashland Daily Independent" by locals, as these were its former names. One of the paper's claims to fame is the first printings of a supposed image of Jesus in the clouds of

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

in 1951. Ashland's other newspaper is ''The Greater Ashland Beacon''. It is a free weekly circular published in full color every Tuesday. "The Beacon", as it is known by locals, is "hyper-local," meaning it is exclusively dedicated to covering the community. Highlights include, but are not limited to, local events, sports results, outdoor recreation and personal interest articles and columns penned by freelance Ashland-area journalists and quasi-celebrities.

Radio

Television

Ashland residents receive their network television primarily from stations in Huntington and

Charleston, West Virginia Charleston () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in West Virginia, most populous city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Kanawha County, West Virginia, Kanawha County and ...

. In addition, WKYT, the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

affiliate in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

, is shown on

cable TV Cable television is a system of delivering television broadcast programming, programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This ...

in Ashland when its programming is different from Charleston's CBS affiliate

WOWK WOWK-TV (channel 13) is a television station licensed to Huntington, West Virginia, United States, serving the Charleston–Huntington market as an affiliate of CBS. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on Quarrier Stre ...

. There are also two television stations licensed to Ashland itself. Those are:

Infrastructure

Transportation

Air

Located just northwest of the city in Worthington is the Ashland Regional Airport. This airport is used for general aviation. The then-named ''Ashland-Boyd County Airport'' opened in 1953 and featured a . runway with a . clearance.

Tri-State Airport Tri-State Airport (Milton J. Ferguson Field) is a public airport in Wayne County, West Virginia, United States, three miles south of Huntington, West Virginia, near Ceredo, West Virginia, Ceredo and Kenova, West Virginia, Kenova. Owned by the T ...

, located in nearby

Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell County, West Virginia, Cabell and Wayne County, West Virginia, Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The County seat, seat of Cabell County, the city is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, O ...

, provides commercial aviation services for the city.

Rail

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

serves Ashland with the three-days-a-week ''Cardinal'', connecting

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

Charlottesville, VA Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in Virginia, United States. It is the seat of government of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen ...

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

, and

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. Westbound trains are scheduled to stop Sunday, Wednesday, Friday in the late evening. Eastbound the stops are early morning Wednesday, Friday, Sunday. The Amtrak station is located at the Ashland Transportation Center, formerly the

Chesapeake and Ohio Railway The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis Potter Huntington, it reached from Virginia's capital city of Rich ...

freight depot, located on 15th Street near the

. It does not have an Amtrak ticket counter or QuikTrak ticket machine, but E-tickets can be obtained from either Amtrak's

website A website (also written as a web site) is any web page whose content is identified by a common domain name and is published on at least one web server. Websites are typically dedicated to a particular topic or purpose, such as news, educatio ...

mobile app A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a smartphone, phone, tablet computer, tablet, or smartwatch, watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop appli ...

. The former C&O passenger depot, at 11th Street and Carter Avenue, had been completed in 1925 but abandoned in the 1970s in favor of a downsized depot in nearby Catlettsburg. The rail lines to the building have since been removed. Today the building itself serves as the downtown branch of

PNC Bank The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is an American bank holding company and financial services corporation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its banking subsidiary, PNC Bank, operates in 27 U.S. state, states and the District of Columbia, ...

. Passenger rail service was moved from Catlettsburg to the Ashland Transportation Center in March 1998.

Bus

Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge and Simeon Willis Memorial Bridge

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. is an American operator of Intercity bus service, intercity bus services. Greyhound operates the largest intercity bus network in the United States, and also operates charter and Amtrak Thruway services, as well as interci ...

is the main provider of intercity bus transportation out of Ashland. It operates out of the Ashland Transportation Center, along with the Ashland Bus System that provides five local bus routes. Mor'Trans, Licking Valley Community Action, Sandy Valley Transportation Services and Northeast Kentucky Community Action Agency provide connections to Ashland from surrounding counties.

Roads

Ashland is served by

US 23 U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south a ...

and

US 60 U.S. Route 60 is a major east–west United States highway, traveling from southwestern Arizona to the Atlantic Ocean coast in Virginia. The highway's eastern terminus is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where it is known as General Booth Bouleva ...

, several state routes, and is in close proximity to

US 52 U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States Numbered Highway System, U.S. Highway in the central United States, Central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even ...

and

Interstate 64 Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at Interstate 70, I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and U.S. Route 61, US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern ter ...

. The state routes include: * KY 5 never enters the city limits of Ashland, however does serve a sizable area surrounding the city. * KY 168 crosses through the south Ashland region and is referred to as Blackburn Avenue and South Belmont Street. * KY 766 Connects US 60 and 13th Street with KY 5 * KY 1012 is known as Boy Scout Road. * KY 1134

Law enforcement

In the late 19th century, what is now the Ashland Police Department was organized when the town was still known as Poage's Landing. The first executive officer was a town

marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

, who was soon replaced by a professional police department. The city of Ashland currently has 49 sworn officers, three civilian employees who function as administrative support and six parapolice who handle tasks that do not require the services of a sworn officer.

Healthcare

UK King's Daughters, formerly known as King's Daughters Medical Center, is the fourth largest hospital in Kentucky The 465-bed facility, which was purchased by the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...

in December 2022, is the city's largest employer at over 4,000 employees."About KDMC." King's Daughters Medical Center. December 31, 2006 . It offers numerous inpatient and outpatient services for the region. In addition to UK King's Daughters, another hospital, the Ashland Tuberculosis Hospital, was located on a hill above U.S. Route 60 in the Western Hills section of the city and opened in 1950."A history of Ashland, Kentucky, 1786–1954." Ashland Centennial Committee. 1954. January 2, 2007. It featured 100 beds and served 18 eastern Kentucky counties. It has long since been closed due to the discovery of antibiotics that successfully treat tuberculosis, eliminating its necessity. The facility has since been used as a state office building and is now owned by Safe Harbor, a secure domestic violence shelter and advocacy center.

Notable people

Noah Adams Noah Adams is an American broadcast journalist and author, known primarily since 1987 from National Public Radio. Career A former co-host of the daily ''All Things Considered'' program, Adams is currently the contributing correspondent at ...

, broadcast journalist and author *

Allison Anders Allison Anders (born November 16, 1954) is an American independent film director whose films include '' Gas Food Lodging'', '' Mi Vida Loca'' and '' Grace of My Heart''. Anders has collaborated with fellow UCLA School of Theater, Film and Telev ...

, filmmaker and director *

Claria Horn Boom Claria Denise Horn Boom (born 1969) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. She is a member of the United St ...

, U.S. federal judge *

, country music singer, born and raised in

Flatwoods, Kentucky Flatwoods is a home rule-class city in Greenup County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 7,325 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city in Greenup County. Flatwoods is a part of the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area. Loca ...

, just outside Ashland *

Trace Cyrus Trace Dempsey Cyrus (born Neil Timothy Helson; February 24, 1989) is an American musician. The son of country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus and brother of recording artists Miley Cyrus and Noah Cyrus, he was the backing vocalist and guitarist of ...

, musician * Mark Fosson, musician/songwriter *

Leigh French Leigh French (born July 14, 1945) is an American actress. Early life French was born in Ashland, Kentucky. Career In her early career as a regular on ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'' of the late-1960s, French portrayed a hippie named Gol ...

, actress *

Jillian Hall Jillian Hall (born September 6, 1980) is a retired American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in WWE. After debuting in 1998, Hall worked on the independent circuit under the name Macaela Mercedes. ...

WWE Diva Throughout its history, women have served in various onscreen roles in the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. In the 1990s, WWE (then known as the World Wrestling Federation) introduced the term Diva to refer to its female performers ...

Mabel Hite Mabel Hite (May 30, 1883 – October 22, 1912) was a vaudeville comedian and Musical theatre, musical comedy actress. Life and career Hite was born in Ashland, Kentucky, on May 30, 1883, the daughter of Lewis and Elsie Hite. Her family relocate ...

, vaudeville and musical comedy performer * Chris Jennings, running back for NFL's

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...

, country music duo of mother

Naomi Naomi or Naomie may refer to: People and biblical figures * Naomi (given name), a given name and a list of people with the name * Naomi (biblical figure), Ruth's mother-in-law in the Old Testament Book of Ruth * Naomi (Romanian singer) (born 1977 ...

and daughter Wynonna * Steve Kazee, Broadway and film actor *

Sonny Landham William M. "Sonny" Landham III (February 11, 1941 – August 17, 2017) was an American actor. He portrayed Billy Bear in ''48 Hrs.'' (1982), tracker Billy Sole in ''Predator (film), Predator'' (1987), and 'Chink' Weber in Lock Up (1989 film), '' ...

, actor and former Kentucky gubernatorial candidate * Michele Mahone, entertainment reporter, NINE Network, Australia * Venus Ramey, first red-haired

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 18 and 28. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is judged on competition segments with scoring percentages: ''Priva ...

in 1944 *

Charlie Reliford Charles Harold Reliford (born September 19, 1956) is an American baseball executive in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a Supervisor of Umpires, a role he took in 2009. From 1989 to 2009, he was a Major League Baseball umpire, originally in the Na ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French , , and , : (as evidenced in cricke ...

Julie Reeves Julie Reeves (born June 18, 1974) is an American country music recording artist and radio personality. She has had three hit singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart with two of those singles charting in the Top 40. Reeves was form ...

, country music singer * Jay Rhodemyre, former

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934 – November 19, 2017) was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some cult members committed a Manson ...

, leader of the Manson Family, killer * Don Robinson, former

pitcher *

Robert Smedley Robert Smedley (born June 25, 1963) is an American retired professional wrestler and author, better known by his ring name Bobby Blaze. He gained the majority of his in-ring success performing for Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW) from 1993 to 1995, ...

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for

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and

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as Bobby Blaze *

Jean Bell Thomas Jean Bell Thomas (November 14, 1881 – December 7, 1982) was an American photographer and folk festival promoter, who specialized in the music, crafts, and language patterns of the Appalachian region of the United States. Early life She was bor ...

, proprietress of American Folk Song Festival in Ashland area 1930 - 1972 *

Alberta Vaughn Alberta Vaughn (June 27, 1904 – April 26, 1992) was an American actress in silent motion pictures and early Western film, Western sound films. She appeared in some 130 motion pictures. Early years Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Vaughn was th ...

, actress * Brandon Webb, pitcher for

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, 2006 National League

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winner *

Keith Whitley Jackie Keith Whitley (July 1, 1954 – May 9, 1989) was an American country music and bluegrass singer and songwriter. During his career, he released only two albums, but charted 12 singles on the ''Billboard'' country charts, and seven more af ...

, country music singer *

Chuck Woolery Charles Herbert Woolery (March 16, 1941 – November 23, 2024) was an American television host, actor, and musician. He had long-running tenures hosting several game shows. Woolery was the original host of the original daytime '' Wheel of Fortun ...

, game show host *

Steve Francis Steven D'Shawn Francis (born February 21, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected with the second overall pick of the 1999 NBA draft and was named co-NBA Rookie of the Year (along with Elton Brand) in his fi ...

, Hall of Fame Dirt Track Driver

In popular culture

* Ashland, Kentucky is mentioned at the beginning of Part 4 Chapter 2 in ''

On the Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagoni ...

'' by

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian ...

. * Ashland, Kentucky is mentioned as the location of the Rebel-Georgian Coalition camp in the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

television series ''

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

'' Episode 1.17 "The Longest Day" first aired May 13, 2013.

References

* Historical populations from ''A history of Ashland, Kentucky, 1786-1954'', Ashland Centennial Committee, 1954, and ''Ashland City Directory'', 1985.

External links

City of Ashland official website

Ashland Alliance
(Chamber of Commerce)
Ashland Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

{{authority control Cities in Boyd County, Kentucky Eastern Kentucky Coalfield Populated places established in 1854 Kentucky populated places on the Ohio River Coal towns in Kentucky 1854 establishments in Kentucky Cities in Kentucky