Lee County, Kentucky
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,395. Its county seat is Beattyville. The county was formed in 1870 from parts of Breathitt, Estill, Owsley and Wolfe counties. The county was named for Robert E. Lee. The area of Kentucky where Lee County is located was a pro-union region of Kentucky but the legislature that created the county was controlled by former Confederates. The town of Proctor, named for the Rev. Joseph Proctor, was the first county seat. The first court was held on April 25, 1870, in the old Howerton House. The local economy at the time included coal mining, salt gathering, timber operations, and various commercial operations. It had a U.S. post office from 1843 until 1918.
Lee County | |
|---|---|
Lee County courthouse in Beattyville | |
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky | |
Kentucky's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 37°35′N 83°43′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Named for | Robert E. Lee |
| Seat | Beattyville |
| Largest city | Beattyville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 211 sq mi (550 km2) |
| • Land | 209 sq mi (540 km2) |
| • Water | 2.4 sq mi (6 km2) 1.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 7,395 |
| • Estimate (2023) | 7,293 |
| • Density | 35/sq mi (14/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | www |
The county seat, Beattyville, was first known as Taylor's Landing, as it was a ferry landing on the Kentucky River. It was renamed to Beatty in 1850 after early settler Samuel Beatty. The town incorporated in 1872 as Beattyville and was chosen as the new county seat due to its location on the river, which aided transportation and trade.
Although Lee County had taverns in the 19th century, it was a prohibition or dry county until 2019 when the county voted to go wet. The City of Beattyville and Lee County Fiscal Court established alcoholic sale rules for their jurisdictions including prohibiting sales of alcohol on Sunday.