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31-600: The dam impounds the Cumberland River near Grand Rivers, Kentucky , approximately 38 miles (61 km) upstream from where the Cumberland empties into the Ohio River . One mile (1.6 km) above the dam is a canal connecting Lake Barkley with Kentucky Lake , forming one of the greatest freshwater recreational complexes in the country. The lakes run parallel courses for more than 50 miles (80 km), with

62-457: A "wet" status by 1,215 to 653 votes. In a standard dry county, all sales of alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Under ABC terminology, a limited county is an otherwise dry county in which at least one city has approved the sale of alcohol by the drink at restaurants that both seat a state-mandated number of diners and derive no more than 30% of their revenue from alcoholic beverages. In the case of Bell County, Pineville had voted to allow alcohol by

93-579: 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

124-555: A passage for hunters and settlers, the Cumberland River also supported later riverboat trade, which traveled to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Villages, towns, and cities were located at landing points along its banks. Through the middle of the 19th century, settlers depended on rivers as the primary transportation routes for trading and travel. In more recent history, a number of severe floods have struck various regions that

155-740: A source in the Appalachian Mountains to its confluence with the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky , and the mouth of the Tennessee River . Major tributaries include the Obey , Caney Fork , Stones , and Red Rivers. Although the Cumberland River basin is predominantly rural, there are also some large cities on the river, including Nashville and Clarksville , both in Tennessee. The river system has been extensively altered for flood control . Major dams impound areas of both

186-481: 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 US Representative. It

217-616: Is joined by the Red River . It flows back into Kentucky at the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area , a section of land nestled between Lake Barkley , which is fed by the Cumberland River, and Kentucky Lake . Finally, the river flows north and merges with the Ohio River at Smithland , northeast of Paducah . The explorer Thomas Walker of Virginia in 1758 named the river, but whether for

248-545: Is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km ) (0.6%) is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 30,060 people, 12,004 households, and 8,522 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 per square mile (32/km ). There were 13,341 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 96.02% White , 2.40% Black or African American , 0.25% Native American , 0.35% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.12% from other races , and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.65% of

279-515: Is now the intersection of Kentucky Route 38 and US Route 421 . A flood control project begun in 1992 diverted it through a tunnel under Little Black Mountain, from which it emerges in Baxter and converges with Martins Fork. Poor Fork begins as a small stream on Pine Mountain in Letcher County near Flat Gap, Virginia. It flows southwest in parallel with Pine Mountain until it merges with

310-416: Is reached by December 1. The spring rise starts April 1. The lake's water surface area varies accordingly from 57,920 acres (234.4 km) at summer pool to 45,210 acres (183.0 km) at winter pool. As with the formation of Kentucky Lake , communities were flooded in the 1960s to build Lake Barkley. Locals often refer to "Old Eddyville" for Eddyville and "Old Kuttawa" for Kuttawa . The "Old" areas were

341-591: The 2010 Tennessee floods , the river overflowed its banks and flooded Nashville and Clarksville, Tennessee . The downtown area was ordered to evacuate. Major flooding occurred along the Cumberland River at Pineville , Barbourville , and Williamsburg in early February 2020. Notes Bibliography [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from Major Flooding Inundates Southeast Kentucky Followed by Light Snow From February 6–7, 2020 . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Bell County, KY Bell County

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372-761: The Duke of Cumberland or the English county of Cumberland is not known. The Cumberland River was called Wasioto by the Shawnee Native Americans , who lived in this area. French traders called it the Riviere des Chaouanons , or "River of the Shawnee" for this association. The river was also known as the Shawnee River (or Shawanoe River ) for years after Walker's trip. Important first as

403-461: The Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area located between them. Lake Barkley is 134 miles (216 km) long with a shoreline measuring 1,004 miles (1,616 km). The lake's level is maintained at different levels throughout the year for flood control purposes. Summer pool, 359 ft (109 m) above sea level , is normally reached by May 1. The water level begins dropping gradually on July 1, and winter pool (354 ft; 108 m)

434-915: The main stem and many of its important tributaries. Its headwaters are three separate forks that begin in Kentucky and converge in Baxter, KY , located in Harlan County . Martin's Fork starts near Hensley Settlement on Brush Mountain in Bell County and snakes its way north through the mountains to Baxter. Clover Fork starts on Black Mountain in Holmes Mill, near the Virginia border, and flows west in parallel with Kentucky Route 38 until it reaches Harlan . Clover Fork once flowed through downtown Harlan and merged with Martins Fork at what

465-720: The 1930s) in Bell County appears to have been established in the Spanish Era. Spain made land grants in Old Kentucky prior to English settlement. The community of South America links southeast Kentucky to an era of Indian herbal harvest and sales much like the Daniel Boone era in the state. 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

496-427: 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. Three public school districts operate in the county: The largest of the three in enrollment and by far the largest in geographic scope. The Bell County School District operates six mainstream K–8 "school centers", one alternative school, one high school , and

527-605: 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 ). According to the United States Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 361 square miles (930 km ), of which 359 square miles (930 km )

558-471: The drink in restaurants that seat at least 100 diners. 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

589-418: The early 1980s. 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

620-538: The eastern US. Near Celina, Tennessee , the river crosses south into that state, where it is joined by the Obey River and Caney Fork . Northeast of Nashville , the river is dammed twice more, forming Cordell Hull Lake and Old Hickory Lake . After flowing through Nashville and picking up the Stones River , the river is dammed to form Cheatham Lake . The river turns northwest toward Clarksville , where it

651-472: The other two forks in Baxter. From there, the wider river, now named Cumberland, continues flowing west through the mountains of Kentucky before turning northward toward Cumberland Falls . The 68-foot (21 m) falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the southeastern United States and is one of the few places in the Western Hemisphere where a moonbow can be seen. Beyond Cumberland Falls,

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682-441: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 12,004 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 26.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

713-428: The portions of the cities that were left above the water after the areas were flooded; these old areas are now lakefront. The present-day cities were created on nearby sites after the lake was impounded. Old foundations and streets, previously flooded, are still visible during winter pool. Highways were even relocated, including US 68 and US 62 , along with state routes and smaller streets. The Illinois Central Railroad

744-647: The river flows through. In April 1977, Harlan, Kentucky , and many surrounding communities were inundated with floodwaters, destroying most of the homes and businesses within the floodplain of the river. This event led to the building of the Martins Fork Dam for flood control and the diversion of the Clover Fork around the city of Harlan. In addition, the river was diverted through a mountain cut in Loyall, Kentucky . In late April and early May 2010, due to

775-536: The river turns abruptly west once again and continues to expand as other creeks and streams feed into it. It receives the Laurel and Rockcastle rivers from the northeast, followed by the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River from the south. From here it flows into the man-made Lake Cumberland , formed by Wolf Creek Dam . The more than 100-mile (160 km) reservoir is one of the largest artificial lakes in

806-442: Was $ 19,057, and the median income for a family was $ 23,818. Males had a median income of $ 24,521 versus $ 19,975 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 11,526. About 26.70% of families and 31.10% of the population were below the poverty line , including 42.00% of those under age 18 and 21.80% of those age 65 or over. A rather politically mixed county in most of the 20th century, Bell has become solidly Republican as

837-400: Was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95. The age distribution was 24.40% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.00 males. The median income for a household in the county

868-477: Was also relocated; the former alignment can still be seen under water from low flying planes above. The area was significantly damaged by a violent EF4 tornado on December 10, 2021. The State Park lodges were opened to house area residents whose homes were destroyed. Lake Barkley State Resort Park is located on the eastern shore of the lake. The largest yellow bass ever taken in Kentucky (1 lb., 1 oz.)

899-645: Was caught in the waters of Lake Barkley. In 2019 officials started to aggressively deal with the invasion of Asian carp into Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. The state is using electo-shock fishing and sonic devices and hope to remove 5 million pounds of the species a year Cumberland River The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States . The 688-mile-long (1,107 km) river drains almost 18,000 square miles (47,000 km ) of southern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee . The river flows generally west from

930-519: 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" (known as Frakes since

961-520: Was originally called "Josh Bell", but on January 31, 1873, the Kentucky legislature shortened the name to "Bell", Bell County is considered a "Moist" county, a classification between dry and wet in terms of alcohol sales. The County changed to moist by a vote in September 2015, that approved alcohol-by-the-drink sales in Middlesboro, Kentucky . On June 23, 2020, Middlesboro voters approved

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