Whitley County, Kentucky

Whitley County
County
Whitley County courthouse in Williamsburg
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°46′N 84°09′W / 36.76°N 84.15°W / 36.76; -84.15
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	January 17, 1818
Named for	William Whitley
Seat	Williamsburg
Largest city	Corbin
Area
• Total	445 sq mi (1,150 km2)
• Land	438 sq mi (1,130 km2)
• Water	7.3 sq mi (19 km2)  1.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	36,712
• Estimate  (2023)	36,825
• Density	82/sq mi (32/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	5th
Website	www.whitleycountyfiscalcourt.com

Whitley County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,712.^[1] Its county seat is at Williamsburg,^[2] though the largest city is Corbin, and the county's District Court (a trial court of limited jurisdiction) sits in both cities. Whitley County is included in the London, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The area now encompassed by Kentucky's Whitley County was first bounded in 1772, when all of what is now the state of Kentucky was in the frontier county of Fincastle County, Virginia. Fincastle was divided in 1776, with the western portion named Kentucky County, Virginia. In 1780, Virginia set aside all land in Kentucky County for soldiers who had served in the Revolutionary War. Kentucky County was divided into 3 counties, Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln. Lincoln County was divided in 1799, with part of becoming Knox County. On January 17, 1818, the Legislature removed the southwest portion of Knox to create a separate subdivision, named Whitley County. ^[3] In 1912, some of the previous Whitley area was partitioned off to create McCreary County.^[4]

The new county was given the name of Whitley in honor of William Whitley, noted pioneer and Indian fighter. In the years prior to 1818, many skirmishes were fought between Indians and hunters and trappers in the area. Colonel William Whitley,^[5] is famous locally for fighting many of these battles within the area, safeguarding the Wilderness Road, as well as for his service in the War of 1812, where he was killed at the Battle of the Thames. The county seat, Williamsburg, is also named for Colonel Whitley, with the first court held at the home of the town's earliest resident, Samuel Cox.^[6]

Thomas Walker was the first known white man to see Whitley County. His expedition began in 1750. During his passage he named the Cumberland River, after the Duke of Cumberland.^[4] The estimated population of Whitley County in 1818 was 500. It had increased to 7,522 by 1860; that number includes 186 slaves. Extension of a railroad spur into Whitley County (1883) provided significant impetus to its continued growth. Industry began to flourish - primarily lumber mills and coal mines. The Whitley County courthouse burned in 1931. It was replaced with federal funding.^[4]

Its rugged terrain, densely forested woodlands, and a history of conflict with local Indian tribes all combined to make for a very slow rate of growth in Whitley County. The development of the coal mining industry in the area towards the late 1800s spurred on population growth as poor families from neighboring states rushed into the county and led to the formation of Corbin, still the largest city in Whitley County.

North Corbin, just north of Whitley County is home to Sanders Cafe, which is the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was founded there by Harland David Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, in 1930.

The current elected officials of Whitley County are:^[7]

In congress Whitley county is served by Hal Rogers of the 5th congressional district.

Whitley County is a historically Republican county, and part of the pro-union bloc of southern Kentucky.^[8] Although it does not match the nearby counties of Clay, Leslie, Jackson, Owsley, Monroe and the newer McCreary (all originally formed from Whitley) in having never voted Democratic,^[9] the only Democrats who have carried the county were Woodrow Wilson in 1912 (when the Republican Party was bitterly divided) and Lyndon Baines Johnson over Barry Goldwater in 1964, with Goldwater losing by three votes.

United States presidential election results for Whitley County, Kentucky^[10]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	12,687	84.16%	2,236	14.83%	151	1.00%
2020	12,567	81.84%	2,552	16.62%	237	1.54%
2016	11,312	82.13%	2,067	15.01%	395	2.87%
2012	10,232	78.27%	2,683	20.52%	157	1.20%
2008	10,015	73.08%	3,484	25.42%	205	1.50%
2004	9,559	70.14%	3,985	29.24%	85	0.62%
2000	7,502	63.72%	4,101	34.83%	171	1.45%
1996	5,402	50.58%	4,174	39.08%	1,104	10.34%
1992	5,998	49.30%	4,600	37.81%	1,569	12.90%
1988	7,337	65.58%	3,794	33.91%	57	0.51%
1984	7,851	68.17%	3,575	31.04%	90	0.78%
1980	7,007	63.26%	3,889	35.11%	181	1.63%
1976	6,100	58.70%	4,212	40.53%	80	0.77%
1972	6,788	74.91%	2,199	24.27%	75	0.83%
1968	5,639	59.74%	2,134	22.61%	1,666	17.65%
1964	4,779	49.79%	4,782	49.82%	38	0.40%
1960	7,553	71.84%	2,961	28.16%	0	0.00%
1956	7,759	74.33%	2,656	25.45%	23	0.22%
1952	7,030	70.22%	2,958	29.55%	23	0.23%
1948	5,611	64.03%	2,932	33.46%	220	2.51%
1944	6,378	73.05%	2,352	26.94%	1	0.01%
1940	6,502	61.36%	4,078	38.49%	16	0.15%
1936	5,733	64.27%	3,175	35.59%	12	0.13%
1932	6,186	62.99%	3,576	36.42%	58	0.59%
1928	8,060	83.26%	1,610	16.63%	10	0.10%
1924	4,716	68.38%	1,413	20.49%	768	11.14%
1920	7,235	82.04%	1,556	17.64%	28	0.32%
1916	3,919	76.27%	1,171	22.79%	48	0.93%
1912	723	22.89%	1,388	43.94%	1,048	33.18%

From 2009 to 2011, young journalist Adam Sulfridge and his editor Samantha Swindler of the Times-Tribune (Corbin, KY) worked to expose corruption in the Whitley County Sheriff's Department. Then-Sheriff Lawrence "Larry" Hodge (R) was first elected in 2002. Sheriff Hodge built his reputation as a tough crime fighter, but most residents did not know the Sheriff accepted money in exchange for allowing defendants to walk free. Sheriff Hodge also stole seized firearms and drug evidence, according to the Times-Tribune and affidavits filed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.^[11]

On November 8, 2010 (while he was still Sheriff), a Whitley County grand jury returned a 21-count indictment against Hodge. He remained Sheriff until the end of 2010, as he was defeated in the Republican Party primary earlier in the year (May) in a landslide by Colan Harrell, who won in the general election in November. In the late spring of 2011, Hodge appeared in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in London and pleaded to an 'information.' That summer, Hodge was sentenced to 15.5 years in federal prison for drug trafficking, money laundering and extorting persons arrested by his department (with Williamsburg attorney Ronnie "Ron" W. Reynolds, who was sentenced to three years in federal prison for his part in the crimes). Kentucky state auditors determined at least $200,000 had been stolen or was otherwise missing from Sheriff Hodge's official accounts.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 445 square miles (1,150 km²), of which 438 square miles (1,130 km²) is land and 7.3 square miles (19 km²) (1.6%) is water.^[12]

Whitley County is located within the Cumberland Plateau of southeastern Kentucky, which is greatly overlapped by the broad Eastern Coal Field region of the state. Because of its location in the midst of Cumberland Mountains, elevations in the county range from 723 to 2,220 feet (220 to 677 m) above sea level.^[13] 38,000 acres (150 km²) of western Whitley County are preserved within the Daniel Boone National Forest. Cumberland Falls, in Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, is the largest waterfall in Kentucky. Both Daniel Boone Forest and Cumberland Falls State Park are operated by the Kentucky State Parks system, also located in the county. The county contains two regionally significant waterways, the Laurel and Cumberland rivers.

• Daniel Boone National Forest (part)

• KBYL, Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1820	2,340		—
1830	3,806		62.6%
1840	4,673		22.8%
1850	7,447		59.4%
1860	7,762		4.2%
1870	8,278		6.6%
1880	12,000		45.0%
1890	17,590		46.6%
1900	25,015		42.2%
1910	31,982		27.9%
1920	27,749		−13.2%
1930	29,730		7.1%
1940	33,186		11.6%
1950	31,940		−3.8%
1960	25,815		−19.2%
1970	24,145		−6.5%
1980	33,396		38.3%
1990	33,326		−0.2%
2000	35,865		7.6%
2010	35,637		−0.6%
2020	36,712		3.0%
2023 (est.)	36,825	[14]	0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[15] 1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17] 1990–2000[18] 2010–2020[1]

As of the census^[19] of 2000, there were 35,865 people, 13,780 households, and 9,894 families residing in the county. The population density was 82 per square mile (32/km²). There were 15,288 housing units at an average density of 35 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.37% White, 0.34% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

There were 13,780 households, out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 13.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% 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 2.52 and the average family size was 3.01.

The age distribution was 25.80% under 18, 10.80% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $22,075, and the median income for a family was $27,871. Males had a median income of $26,518 versus $17,001 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,777. About 21.60% of families and 26.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.10% of those under age 18 and 19.00% of those age 65 or over.

Whitley County's economy has always relied heavily on its natural resources, particularly coal and timber from the area's heavily forested, mountainous terrain. Due to the rough territory created by the Cumberland Mountains, agriculture in the county has historically been less significant, although tobacco and corn are grown in some areas.

Three public school districts serve the county:^[20]

• Whitley County School District^[21]
  • The largest of the three districts, it serves the county outside of the cities of Corbin and Williamsburg.
• Williamsburg Independent School District^[22]
  • Serves the city of Williamsburg with a single K-12 school.
• Corbin Independent School District^[23]
  • Serves the entire city of Corbin, making it one of the few districts in Kentucky whose boundaries cross county lines.

The University of the Cumberlands (formerly known as Cumberland College), located in Williamsburg, is the largest private university in Kentucky, and the only university with its main campus in Whitley County. The school's sports teams play on the NAIA level and provide college level sporting events for the local community.

In addition, Eastern Kentucky University maintains a branch campus in the Whitley County portion of Corbin just outside Woodbine.

Whitley County, which had historically been dry, is now officially classified by the state as a moist county - sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except in certain areas as voted on by the residents of the area, including at least one area of the county allowing full retail alcohol sales. In Whitley County, the areas that permit alcohol sales are:

• The city of Corbin voted in February 2012 to allow full retail alcohol sales in the city limits after voting in 2006 to allow by the drink alcohol sales in qualifying restaurants.^[24]
• The city of Williamsburg voted in June 2016 to allow full retail alcohol sales in the city limits after voting in 2012 to allow by-the-drink alcohol sales in qualifying restaurants.^[25]

• Corbin (partly in Knox and Laurel counties)
• Williamsburg (county seat)

• Emlyn
• Pleasant View
• Rockholds

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Whitley County, Kentucky

• The Kentucky Highlands Project

36°46′N 84°09′W / 36.76°N 84.15°W / 36.76; -84.15