McCreary County, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
 McCreary County courthouse in Whitley City | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKentucky | |
 Kentucky's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:36°44′N84°29′W / 36.74°N 84.48°W /36.74; -84.48 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | March 12, 1912 |
| Named after | James B. McCreary |
| Seat | Whitley City |
| Largest community | Pine Knot |
| Area | |
• Total | 431 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
| • Land | 427 sq mi (1,110 km2) |
| • Water | 4.1 sq mi (11 km2) 1.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 16,888 |
• Estimate (2024) | 16,824 |
| • Density | 39.6/sq mi (15.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | www |
McCreary County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKentucky. As of the2020 census, the population was 16,888.[1] Itscounty seat isWhitley City.[2] The county is named forJames B. McCreary, a Confederate war soldier and two-timeGovernor of Kentucky (1875–1879, 1911–1915). During his second term as governor, McCreary County was created by the Legislature and was named in his honor.
McCreary County is the only Kentucky county without an incorporated city. Because of this, county government is the sole local government agency for the entire county. Attractions in McCreary County include theBig South Fork National River and Recreation Area,Cumberland Falls State Park, and theBig South Fork Scenic Railway, which tours several former coal camps. In popular culture, McCreary County is mentioned in theFX dramaJustified, for it is home toUSP McCreary, nearPine Knot.
The majority of the county is controlled by the federal government. 43% is managed by theDaniel Boone National Forest, and 18% managed by theNational Park Service as theBig South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
The area now encompassed by Kentucky's McCreary 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, the Virginia legislature set aside all land in Kentucky County for soldiers who had served in theRevolutionary War. In 1780, Kentucky County was divided into three counties: Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln. In 1784, a portion of Jefferson County was partitioned off to createNelson County, and in 1792 a portion of Lincoln County was partitioned off to createGreen County. In 1798, a further portion of Lincoln County was partitioned off, and combined with parts of Green County, to createPulaski andCumberland Counties. The following year yet another portion of Lincoln County was partitioned off to createKnox County, and in 1800 the new Cumberland County was sectioned off to createWayne County. In 1818,Whitley County was created from a portion of Knox County.
In 1912, the Kentucky Legislature partitioned parts of Pulaski, Wayne, and Whitley Counties, to create McCreary County. Its boundaries have remained unchanged since that time.[3] It is the 120th and final county in order of formation. The present county boundaries contain 427.7 square miles (1,107.7 km2) of land area. The majority of the county was carved out ofWayne andWhitley Counties, with a large center strip following the rail line and roadway fromPulaski County. The early history of the area is that of those counties, and is related in the historic perspectives for them. The map to the left shows the network of roadways that had been established by the 1860s. A dotted blue line and settlement names have been added for reference.
The most significant early feature of the future county was theJacksboro Road. Running fromJacksboro, Tennessee, to Point Isabel andSomerset, this pioneer road was simply an enlargement of the Tellico Trail, an Indian route that had been used for thousands of years. Several other trails intersected this road, and led to the settlement of villages such asPine Knot, Dripping Springs/Coolidge, and Flat Rock. Other settlement occurred in sequestered hollows. The economy of the times was based upon small-scalesubsistence agriculture,timber products such as railroad ties and barrel staves, and smallcoal mines.
Beginning in the early 19th century,Cumberland Falls gained attention as a tourism destination. Later development increased visitation, and the Brunsen Inn was a popular destination for seasonal visitors. Until a road was built fromWhitley County in 1931, the primary access to the Falls was through McCreary. With a generous contribution from one of theDuPont family heirs, the Falls joined the state park system in 1930.
The completion of the Cincinnati Southern Railway line through the county in 1880 changed its economic characteristics. Access to distant markets for timber and coal caused the emergence of many small mining and logging companies. The greatest impact came from theJustus S. Stearns enterprises. From 1903 through the rest of the century, the territory of McCreary County was dominated and controlled by Stearns company interests.
Attempting to avoid financial losses during theGreat Depression of the 1930s, the Stearns cluster of companies sold vast quantities of land to theU.S. Government, becoming part of what was to become the Cumberland National Forest in 1937. This forest reserve was subsequently renamedDaniel Boone National Forest. In the 1970s, legislative action acquired additional lands in southern McCreary andTennessee, creating theBig South Fork National River and Recreation Area in the mid-1970s.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 431 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 427 square miles (1,110 km2) is land and 4.1 square miles (11 km2) (1.0%) is water.[4]
McCreary County lies on the western edge of theCumberland Plateau, which constitutes theEast Kentucky Coal Field. It is located entirely within the proclamation boundary of theDaniel Boone National Forest. The county's bedrock is deeply incised by theBig South Fork of theCumberland River and its tributaries, creating sheer cliffs,gorges,waterfalls,rock shelters, andnatural stone arches. Most of the geological underpinning of this region is capped with thick sandstone, and formidable coal seams are common in this formation. Limited lands suitable for large-scale conventional agriculture exist, so the economy of the area has historically been centered upon extractive industries such astimber andmining.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 11,676 | — | |
| 1930 | 14,627 | 25.3% | |
| 1940 | 16,451 | 12.5% | |
| 1950 | 16,660 | 1.3% | |
| 1960 | 12,463 | −25.2% | |
| 1970 | 12,548 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 15,634 | 24.6% | |
| 1990 | 15,603 | −0.2% | |
| 2000 | 17,080 | 9.5% | |
| 2010 | 18,306 | 7.2% | |
| 2020 | 16,888 | −7.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 16,824 | [5] | −0.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8] 1990–2000[9] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 17,080 people, 6,520 households, and 4,753 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 40 per square mile (15/km2). There were 7,405 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.99%White, 0.63%Black or African American, 0.42%Native American, 0.02%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.20% fromother races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population wereHispanics or Latinos of any race.
There were 6,520 households, out of which 35.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% weremarried couples living together, 13.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.03.
The age distribution was 27.70% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $19,348, and the median income for a family was $22,261. Males had a median income of $20,823 versus $15,575 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $9,896. About 26.10% of families and 32.20% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 40.50% of those under age 18 and 27.30% of those age 65 or over. The county'sper-capita income makes it one of thepoorest counties in the United States, and second in poverty only to another county in thesame Kentucky region,Clay County, among counties with a majority non-Hispanic white population.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 411 | 33.36% | 225 | 18.26% | 596 | 48.38% |
| 1916 | 1,630 | 82.28% | 324 | 16.36% | 27 | 1.36% |
| 1920 | 2,889 | 84.01% | 525 | 15.27% | 25 | 0.73% |
| 1924 | 2,317 | 74.98% | 533 | 17.25% | 240 | 7.77% |
| 1928 | 3,622 | 89.10% | 435 | 10.70% | 8 | 0.20% |
| 1932 | 3,360 | 73.43% | 1,194 | 26.09% | 22 | 0.48% |
| 1936 | 2,953 | 72.57% | 1,105 | 27.16% | 11 | 0.27% |
| 1940 | 3,172 | 71.62% | 1,248 | 28.18% | 9 | 0.20% |
| 1944 | 3,419 | 79.49% | 880 | 20.46% | 2 | 0.05% |
| 1948 | 3,031 | 75.93% | 933 | 23.37% | 28 | 0.70% |
| 1952 | 3,360 | 77.98% | 937 | 21.75% | 12 | 0.28% |
| 1956 | 3,812 | 82.33% | 814 | 17.58% | 4 | 0.09% |
| 1960 | 3,671 | 79.89% | 924 | 20.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,230 | 60.55% | 1,428 | 38.77% | 25 | 0.68% |
| 1968 | 2,670 | 67.61% | 759 | 19.22% | 520 | 13.17% |
| 1972 | 3,203 | 80.56% | 684 | 17.20% | 89 | 2.24% |
| 1976 | 3,272 | 63.63% | 1,827 | 35.53% | 43 | 0.84% |
| 1980 | 3,786 | 71.27% | 1,377 | 25.92% | 149 | 2.80% |
| 1984 | 4,028 | 70.58% | 1,609 | 28.19% | 70 | 1.23% |
| 1988 | 3,477 | 66.96% | 1,644 | 31.66% | 72 | 1.39% |
| 1992 | 3,588 | 57.78% | 1,934 | 31.14% | 688 | 11.08% |
| 1996 | 2,527 | 52.70% | 1,710 | 35.66% | 558 | 11.64% |
| 2000 | 3,321 | 69.20% | 1,418 | 29.55% | 60 | 1.25% |
| 2004 | 4,121 | 72.39% | 1,530 | 26.88% | 42 | 0.74% |
| 2008 | 4,078 | 75.42% | 1,258 | 23.27% | 71 | 1.31% |
| 2012 | 4,564 | 79.97% | 1,069 | 18.73% | 74 | 1.30% |
| 2016 | 5,012 | 86.77% | 664 | 11.50% | 100 | 1.73% |
| 2020 | 5,664 | 87.98% | 725 | 11.26% | 49 | 0.76% |
| 2024 | 5,531 | 89.04% | 641 | 10.32% | 40 | 0.64% |
McCreary County has only once voted for a non-Republican for president, in the year of its formation, when it voted forTheodore Roosevelt of theProgressive Party, with President William Howard Taft second and Democrat Woodrow Wilson a distant third at 18.1%.[11] This trend has only strengthened in recent elections, with RepublicanDonald Trump winning 89.05% of the vote in 2024, the highest vote share for a Republican in the county sinceHerbert Hoover in 1928.
TheFederal Bureau of PrisonsU.S. Penitentiary, McCreary is in the county, nearPine Knot.[12][13]
| Elected officials as of January 3, 2025[14][15] | ||
| U.S. House | Hal Rogers (R) | KY 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Ky. Senate | Robert Stivers (R) | 25 |
| Ky. House | Ken Upchurch (R) | 52 |
| Elected officials as of November 2023[16] | |
| Judge/Executive | Jimmie Bevo Greene (R) |
|---|---|
| Magistrate District 1 | William Bill Hale (R) |
| Magistrate District 2 | William Taylor (R)[a] |
| Magistrate District 3 | Bobby Strunk (R) |
| Magistrate District 4 | Randy Wayne Maxwell (R) |
| Clerk | Eric Haynes (R) |
| Attorney | Austin Price (R) |
| Jailer | Jessie Hatfield (R) |
| Coroner | Tim Corder (R) |
| Surveyor | Jim Watters (R) |
| Property Value Admin. | Dwight Ross (R) |
| Sheriff | David Sampson (R) |
| Elected officials as of January 6, 2025[17][18] | |
| Commonwealth's Attorney | Ronnie Bowling (R) |
|---|---|
| Circuit Court Clerk | Othel Wayne King (R) |
| 34th Circuit, 1st division | Dan Ballou |
| 34th Circuit, 2nd division | Paul K. Winchester |
| 34th District, 1st division | Cathy E. Prewitt |
| 34th District, 2nd division | Fred F. White |
The economic history of McCreary County has been one of boom and bust, based upon the extractive resources ofcoal mining andtimber. The Stearns interests sold the last of their mining operations to Blue Diamond Coal in the 1980s, and the county's last operating mine closed in 1994. A resurgence of the coal industry does not seem possible, as the local coal is high insulfur, and drainage fromcoal mining would adversely affect a number of outstanding and special waters in the county.
The county is poor. McCreary is one of the U.S. counties most dependent upon federal government assistance programs such as SNAP, SSI, SSDI, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and other government assistance programs. 52.46 percent of the income of the residents of the county is derived from government assistance. The average resident received $11,022 in government assistance in 2009.[19]
Industrial development began in the 1970s, with new manufacturing concerns in thesewing industry. Changes in the global economy have shifted a substantial percentage of the consumer garment market to production facilities outside the United States. Those that remain in the county draw their work from military contracts, and the production ofhigh-end consumer goods. Timber remains a factor in the economy, with logging and cut hardwood production. Since the 1970s, the county has attempted to develop three industrial parks with little success. The latest venture, onKentucky Route 92 in Pine Knot, is building a "spec" building as a means of attracting new industry to the county.
Agriculture has never played a significant role in the county's economy. In 2002, 5% of the county was in farmland. Top products werelivestock,hay andforage. Together this represented a total market value of $566,000, down 1% from 1997. These low numbers indicate that the county has never had a substantialagricultural industry, and that over 80% of the county lands are held by the federal government. McCreary County is ranked number 112 out of 120 counties in overall agricultural production.
Thetourism industry in the county may trace its beginnings to the restoration of Historic Stearns, the development of the scenic railway, the interpretive work atBlue Heron, and the reconstruction ofBarthell, the site of Stearns Company's first coal mine and town in 1903. Those resources may represent the largest interpretive collection of historic coal mining in America. TheBig South Fork Scenic Railway is presently in a major development project to add asteam locomotive and to extend the line.
TheBig South Fork NRRA represents 196 square miles (508 km2) of land, of which approximately one-third is located in McCreary County. The largest section of the park and its main Bandy Creek visitor center are located inTennessee. In 2004, the park received 901,425 visitors, down 23% from 2002. Due to a lack of organized activities, events, and recreationaltourism opportunities, visitation on the Kentucky side does not fare well. Similar issues exist for visitation in theStearns district of theDaniel Boone National Forest.
McCreary County Airport is nearPine Knot.[12]
US 27 splits the county north and south, andKY 92 runs east and west. US 27 and KY 92 run concurrent fromPine Knot to the traffic light atStearns, where KY 92 splits off and heads west towardsWayne County. McCreary is also served byNorfolk Southern Railway, which has several industrial sidings in the area. NS also interchanges traffic with theKentucky and Tennessee Railway in Stearns.
McCreary is the last remaining county in the Commonwealth of Kentucky that does not have anyincorporated city or township. The following McCreary County communities arecensus-designated places:
Municipalities and communities ofMcCreary County, Kentucky,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| CDPs |  | |
| Other communities | ||
| Counties | |
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| Cities and towns Over 10k | |
| Cities and towns 5k-10k | |
| Cities and towns 1k-5k | |
| Cities and towns under 1k | |
| Statistical areas | |
| See also | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
