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Location in the state of Kentucky
Downtown Ashland, Kentucky
- Land
- Water
11.1 sq. miles / 28.7 km²
1.1 sq. mile / 2.9 km²
- Total (2000)
- Density
- Metropolitan
21,981
766.0/km²
288,649
- summer (DST)
EDT (UTC-4)
Longitude
Paramount Arts Center
Ashland's Central Park during the Winter Wonderland of Lights
Ashland is a city located in , nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649. Ashland serves as an important economic center for northeast Kentucky.
History
Ashland's recorded history begins with the migration of the Scotch-Irish Poage family from the Shenandoah Valley via the famed Cumberland Gap. They settled a homestead on the Ohio River in 1786 by the name of Poage's Landing. It was not until 1854 that Ashland received its modern name when a stockholder in the Kentucky Iron, Coal and Manufacturing Company suggested it be named after the famous statesman Henry Clay's home, Ashland, in Lexington, KY, United States.
From its roots in iron manufacturing, Ashland has developed as a center of industry in eastern Kentucky. Major industries in the 20th century loomed over the region, such as AK Steel (formerly Armco), AK Steel Coke Plant (formerly Armco Coke Plant), Catlettsburg Marathon Oil Refinery (formerly Ashland Oil), and Mansbach Steel.
During Ashland's boom period during the early 20th century, many prominent landmarks were completed. This includes the Paramount Arts Center, built in 1930 as an art-deco movie house and the Community Trust building, built in 1924 as Ashland's tallest structure coming in at 11 stories. The Henry Clay Hotel opened during this time as well, along with the Prichard Hotel.
In the 1970's, Ashland's "tallest address" opened. The Skytower was constructed for Ashland Inc between 12th and 13th Streets.
During the past twenty years, those pillars of Ashland's industrial economy, such as AK Steel, undertook a dramatic reduction in their workforces. The future seemed quite bleak for Ashland's economy as a whole, with its population dropping from a high of near 30,000 in the 1960's to just below 20,000 today, however, new development projects and expansions have helped revive the city as a whole.
King's Daughters Medical Center has expanded from a relatively small hospital to the city's largest employer. It has expanded multiple times in the past ten years, adding two new parking garages, an emergency entrance, two medical plazas, a new heart and vascular center, a new hospital entrance and cafeteria, world-class surgery facilities, and an outpatient structure. This has more than doubled the footprint of the hospital.
In late-2004, it was announced that new development would occur on Melody Mountain. Overlooking the city to the west, it now consists of a shopping center anchored by a big-box store. Adjacent to this development separated by Winchester Avenue (U.S. Highway 23) is the Providence Hill development project, currently being constructed. It will include an eight-story condonimum, apartments, and upscale offices and retail stores.
In 2005, the city of Ashland embarked on an energetic plan to revitalise the streetscape of downtown Ashland. The first phase includes the renovations of Winchester Avenue from 13th Street to 18th Street. This includes the removal of all overhead wiring, the installation of new period street lights, installation of ornate lights retrofitted on existing metal street poles, new mast-arm traffic signals, brick crosswalks, sidewalks with brick inserts, metal benches, decorative trash cans, and "pocket parks."
Points of interest
The Paramount Arts Center, an art-deco converted movie theater built in 1930, is situated on Ashland's main thoroughfare, Winchester Avenue. The theater serves as an important venue for the arts in Eastern Kentucky and the tri-state (Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia) area.
Also on Winchester Avenue is the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center. Among its exhibits, the museum hosts a Country Music Heritage exhibit that pays tribute to local music artists from along US 23, including Ashland natives The Judds as well as Billy Ray Cyrus, who hails from the nearby city of Flatwoods.
The Pendleton Art Center on Winchester Avenue provides the community access to local artists and their creations. Art, including paintings, pottery, stained glass, carved gourds and wood carving, are created and presented here at the Pendleton. The gallery is open to the public the first Friday and Saturday of every month and other times by appointment. The Pendleton Arts Center also features the Lil Bites Cafe, which is open daily.
Ashland boasts a 47-acre wooded Central Park that hosts an annual holiday light show, Winter Wonderland of Lights. The city is host to several summer events as well including Poage's Landing Days and Summer Motion.
Also located in Ashland is The Jesse Stuart Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the literary legacy of Jesse Stuart and other Appalachian writers. Jesse Stuart, a well-known 20th century author, was from nearby Greenup, Kentucky.
The Independent
The Independent is Ashland's daily newspaper. With its first publication made in 1896 in the nearby river city Catlettsburg, KY, the paper later moved its offices to Ashland in 1900. It now serves not only Ashland and Boyd County, but portions of the tri-state and surrounding counties as well with a circulation of about 20,000.
Geography
Ashland is located at (38.464017, -82.641571).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.6 km² (12.2 mi²). 28.7 km² (11.1 mi²) of it is land and 2.9 km² (1.1 mi²) of it (9.18%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 21,981 people, 9,675 households, and 6,192 families residing in the city. The population density was 766.0/km² (1,984.4/mi²). There were 10,763 housing units at an average density of 375.1/km² (971.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.84% White, 2.30% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.
There were 9,675 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,309, and the median income for a family was $40,131. Males had a median income of $35,362 versus $23,994 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,218. About 14.0% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
There are eight public schools and two private schools in Ashland. All public schools within city limts are operated by the Ashland Independent School District.
Ashland has six public elementary schools, those being Hager Elementary, Oakview Elementary, Crabbe Elementary School, Poage Elementary, Hatcher Elementary, and Charles Russell Elementary.
There is one public middle school, George M. Verity Middle School, formerly known as Putnam Junior High School. The campus is home to Putnam Stadium which serves as the home field for both the Verity Patriots and Ashland Tomcats football and soccer teams.
One public high school serves the city of Ashland; Paul G. Blazer High School, named after philanthropist and founder of Ashland Inc., Paul G. Blazer. The high school is home to the Ashland Tomcats and Kittens athletic teams. The school's marching band competes in the AAAA class of the Kentucky Music Educators Association(KMEA).
The two private schools serving the Ashland area are the Holy Family School and the Rose Hill Christian School. Holy Family is affiliated with Holy Family Catholic Church and currently offers K-8 education. Rose Hill is affiliated with the Rose Hill Baptist Church and offers K-12.
Post-secondary educational opportunities include Ashland Community and Technical College which has multiple campuses within the city. Morehead State University also has a satellite campus located in Ashland.
Transportation
Public Transportation
Public transportation in Ashland is provided by the Ashland Bus System (ABS). The bus system also offers service to the neighboring CDP of Westwood, and the cities of Catlettsburg, Kentucky and Kenova, West Virginia.Roads and Highways
Three US Highways (US 23 and US 60 in Kentucky, US 52 in Ohio) feed into the city of Ashland. Ashland is also served by, as well as acing as a control city for, Interstate 64. The interstate connects Ashland to its metropolitan neighbor, Huntington, West Virginia, and to Lexington, Kentucky, located about 115 miles to the west. Since the interstate never enters Ashland city limits, traffic from the interstate feeds into Ashland using US 60 East (from Cannonsburg) and US 23 North and US 60 West (from Catlettsburg). Traffic from the cites of Russell and Flatwoods, as well as other communities in Greenup County, enter Ashland using US 23 South. US 23 South also allows Ashland traffic to have access to Louisa, Pikeville, and other communities in southeast Kentucky.Ashland traffic is connected to the neighboring city of Coal Grove, Ohio, by two bridges, the Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge and the Simeon Willis Memorial Bridge. Both bridges, which span the Ohio River, connect Winchester Avenue (US 23), 13th Street (US 60), and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Ashland to US 52 in Ohio. US 52 connects Ashland to Ironton and Portsmouth in Ohio, as well as connecting the northern part of Ashland to downtown Huntington, West Virginia.
Notable people from Ashland
- Chuck Woolery, popular game show host, for whom a street in Central Park, Chuck Woolery Boulevard, is named
- The Judds (Naomi and Wynonna), mother/daughter country music duo, for whom a downtown square, Judd Plaza, is named
- Ashley Judd, Actress and daughter of Naomi Judd.
- Brandon Webb, pitcher for Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks
- Jillian Hall, professional wrestler who performs for World Wrestling Entertainment
- Although originally from Canton, Georgia, Ashland is the current home of actor and former Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Sonny Landham.
Trivia
- The original name for Ashland was Poage's Landing.
- In 1854, the name of the city was changed to Ashland in honor of Henry Clay's home in Lexington, Kentucky.
- Ashland Oil originated here, as well as the better known Valvoline Oil.
- It is rumored that actress Ashley Judd takes her name from her mother's hometown, Ashland.
- Ashley Judd graduated from Paul G. Blazer High School in Ashland, and was a member of the cheerleading squad.
See also
External links
Ashland, Kentucky | Boyd County, Kentucky | Cities in Kentucky
"Ashland, Kentucky"