Bell County, Kentucky

Bell County is a county located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,097. Its county seat is Pineville and its largest city is Middlesboro. The county was formed in 1867, during the Reconstruction era from parts of Knox and Harlan counties and augmented from Knox County in 1872. The county is named for Joshua Fry Bell, a U.S. Representative. It was originally called "Josh Bell County", but on January 31, 1873, the Kentucky legislature shortened the name to "Bell". This terminology was used to describe the area until the Middlesboro vote allowed retail sale of alcohol.

The Middlesborough, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Bell County.

The Wilderness Road was constructed in 1775 through what is now Bell County.

Bell County was formed in 1867, from portions of Harlan and Knox counties. It was named for Joshua Fry Bell, an attorney and member of Congress. The county courthouse has been thrice destroyed. In 1914 and 1918, it was destroyed by fire and in 1977 nearly destroyed by flooding. The documents stored there were destroyed as well. The flood occurred in April 1977 and although it caused extensive damage, the historical courthouse survived with substantial water damage to the interior.

The community of "South America", now called Frakes, was established in the 1930s. Although some local traditions suggest older origins, there is no historical evidence of Spanish-era settlements or Spanish land grants in what became Kentucky. The area was claimed by France until 1763, when it passed to British control following the Treaty of Paris, and it later became part of Virginia and then the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Like many communities in the Appalachian region, this southeast Kentucky community has a documented history of herbal harvesting and trade in plants such as ginseng and goldenseal; a practice dating back to the late 18th century during the Daniel Boone era.

Bell County has one of the highest ratios of local peace officer deaths of any KY or U.S. county per capita, with 28 deputy sheriffs and 4 county sheriff's K-9 having been killed in the county's history. There has been considerable violence related to the prohibition of alcohol and production of moonshine.

Bell County is the only Kentucky county hosting both a State Park (Pine Mountain State Resort Park) and a National Monument (Cumberland Gap National Historical Park).

Adjacent counties

Clay County (north)
Leslie County (northeast)
Harlan County (east)
Lee County, Virginia (southeast)
Claiborne County, Tennessee (south)
Whitley County (southwest)
Knox County (northwest)

National protected area

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (part)

Demographics

A rather politically mixed county in most of the 20th century, Bell has become solidly Republican as the 21st century has progressed, going from giving George W. Bush a narrow victory in 2000 to rewarding Donald Trump with nearly 84% of the vote in 2024.

Elected officials

{| class=wikitable

| colspan="3" |Elected officials as of January 3, 2025

! scope=row|U.S. House

| |Hal Rogers (R)

| |

! scope=row|Ky. Senate

| |Scott Madon (R)

| |29

! scope=row|Ky. House

| |Adam Bowling (R)

| |87

Education

Three public school districts operate in the county:

Bell County School District

The largest of the three in enrollment and by far the largest in geographic scope. The Bell County Schools operates six mainstream K–8 "school centers", one alternative school, one high school, and a newly commissioned technology center built to replace the aging vocational center. It is located on the high school campus and the buildings are connected by an elevated, enclosed walkway. The new technology center is also slated to house the County Board of Education pending its move from their office in the city of Pineville building. Lone Jack High School (in Fourmile) and the old Bell County High School were consolidated into Bell County High School in the early 1980s.

Middlesboro Independent Schools

The second-largest of the three, with boundaries coinciding exactly with the corporate limits of Middlesboro. The district operates one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. The two elementary schools are separate facilities that share the same campus design (both schools are designed in an "X" shape), and the middle and high schools are separate facilities on one campus on the west side of town. In recent years Middlesboro Independent Schools has leased the X-shaped building formerly used as East End Intermediate to a local church.

Pineville Independent Schools

The county's smallest district; its boundaries generally, but do not exactly, follow the corporate limits of Pineville. The district operates Pineville School; An elementary, middle, and high school.

Communities

Cities

Middlesboro (also spelled Middlesborough)
Pineville (county seat)

Census-designated place

Arjay

Other unincorporated communities

Beverly
Black Snake
Blackmont
Colmar
Cubage
Field
Fonde
Fourmile
Frakes
Harbell
Hutch
Ingram
Jaybel
Jenson
Keenox
Kettle Island
Meldrum
Miracle
Mocking Bird Branch
Noetown
Oaks
Olcott
Ponza
Premier
Pruden‡
Red Oak
Rella
Stoney Fork
Stony Fork Junction
Sugar Run
Tejay
Timsley
Tuggleville
Varilla
Wallsend
Wasioto
Flatshoales