Formed February 6, 1839 (89th county)
Breathitt County (13,717), Jackson (2,239)
The Modern red brick and concrete courthouse, on Main and Court streets, was built in 1965. Kentucky State Highway 30 is six blocks to the northeast of the facility. Bayless, Clotfeltner, and Johnson are the architects. A Judicial Center was built in 2006 next door. A canon and veteran memorials are on the courthouse grounds. An earlier courthouse, also located in the only county seat, Jackson, was built in 1876. The county was founded on February 6, 1839 and named for Governor John Breathitt. The county was taken from parts of Clay, Perry, and Estill counties as the 89th county. The county seat is named for President Andrew Jackson. He is also the namesake of Jackson County.
Breathitt County government consists of a sheriff, County Judge Executive, and 3 Commissioners. One Circuit Court Judge, Two District Court Judges, and One Family Court Judge serve Breathitt, Powell and Wolfe counties. The county is located in eastern Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky is northwest and Huntington, West Virginia is northeast of the county. The county center is 5 miles Southeast of Jackson nearer Quicksand. The county is surrounded clockwise by Magoffin, Knott, Perry, Owsley, Lee, and Wolfe counties.
The area of the county is 495 square miles. It is 12 out of 120 in the state. It ranks 80 out of 120 in population in the state. It has a density of 27.7 persons per square mile making it 112 out of 120 in the state. Breathitt County has 16.3% of its population in its incorporated areas. There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county. Most eastern Kentucky county lines follow the mountain ridges and valleys. Breathitt County is shaped like a piece of popcorn. Jackson is in the western third of the county. Jackson is the county seat and, as the only incorporated city, it is the largest city. It is 16.3% of the county population.
Jackson
