Pikeville, Kentucky
Encyclopedia : P : PI : PIK : Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville is a city in Pike County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,295 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pike County[Geographic references#6GR6]. Pike County has a population of approximately 70,000. Pike County was the childhood home of country music stars Patty Loveless, Dwight Yoakam, and is the home of former Kentucky Governor Paul E. Patton.Pikeville is the business, financial, entertainment, educational and transportation center for Eastern Kentucky and the Big Sandy region of Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia. In 1965, Pikeville was awarded ALL-AMERICAN CITY by the National Civic League[link]. The city was twice named as "One of the 100 Best Small Towns in America".
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 40.0 km² (15.4 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 6,295 people, 2,705 households, and 1,563 families residing in the city. The population density was 157.5/km² (408.0/mi²). There were 2,981 housing units at an average density of 74.6/km² (193.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.58% White, 2.64% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.There were 2,705 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,026, and the median income for a family was $36,792. Males had a median income of $42,298 versus $19,306 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,426. About 21.2% of families and 25.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.7% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.
Pikeville Cut-thru
The Pikeville Cut-through is one of the largest land removal projects of its time ever completed in the western hemisphere by the Army Corps of Engineers, moving a total of 12 million cubic yards of rock and dirt (compared to the Big Dig (15 million cubic yards) and the Panama Canal (240 million cubic yards)). The project was completed in 1987 after 14 years of work. Dr. William C. Hambley, Jr., who served as mayor of Pikeville for 29 years, Robert H Holcomb, Chamber of Commerce president, and Henry Stratton, local attorney, spearheaded the project seeing it as the only way to eliminate the frequent flooding caused by the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. The river, which at one time snaked around the downtown area, was relocated through the cut-thru. Besides relocating the river, a CSX Transportation mainline, and a 4-lane highway (US 23, US 460, US 119, KY 80) were also relocated to the cut-through. $77.6 million was spent on the project. Land reclamation from the old riverbed has significantly increased available space for development. As Pikeville is a city that was built mainly on a mountain, suitable developmental land is scarce, and the reclaimed land from the filled-in riverbed was a major addition to the town.
Education
Pikeville College, a private 4-year institution, is located in Pikeville. The college is one of the smallest in the nation to have an osteopathic medical program as part of its curriculum. It is one of three medical schools in the state of Kentucky along with the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.High schools located in Pikeville include Pikeville High School and Pike County Central High School.
Pikeville is also home to the Big Sandy Community and Technical College and a branch of the Kentucky College of Business.
Entertainment
In the fall of 2005 the Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center [link] opened in downtown Pikeville. The center, which seats 7,000, features numerous events including world renowned concerts and shows. The city is also home to the Pikeville Concert Association which secures renowned cultural events for the area. These events usually take place at Booth Auditorium on the campus of Pikeville College.Also, in the month of April is one of the state's largest festivals: Hillbilly Days. The festival embraces the areas culture and past through, company, music, and even a little costume.[link]
External links
- [City of Pikeville] - official website for the city
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