Lyon

Formed February 6, 1854 (102^nd county)

Lyon County (8,683), Eddyville (2,378)

A modern brick Justice Center was recently added to augment the 1961 red/tan brick Modern courthouse.  The courthouse building is on Dale Street between Main and Dale streets in Eddyville.  United States Highway 62 is two blocks to the south.  Lee Potter Smith & Associates are the courthouse architects.  There were 1854 and 1918 courthouses earlier.  Fairview was the first county seat until 1959 when Eddyville assumed the role.  The county was established on February 6, 1854 from Caldwell County as the 102^nd county.  It is named for Congressman Chittenden Lyon.  The county seat is named for the eddys in the Tennessee River.  Lyon County was the birthplace of 1 Kentucky Governor, Keen Johnson. 

Lyon County government consists of a County Judge Executive, a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 3 Magistrates (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges and One District Court Judge serve Lyon, Caldwell, Livingston, and Trigg counties and a court clerk serves Lyon County (judicial.) The county is in western Kentucky on the Tennessee River.  Paducah, Kentucky is northwest and Owensboro, Kentucky is northeast of the county.  The county center is 4 miles South of Eddyville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Crittenden, Caldwell, Trigg, Marshall, and Livingston counties. 

The area of the county is 216 square miles.  It is 95 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 106 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 40.2 persons per square mile making it 82 out of 120 in the state.  Lyon County has 34.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 24 crosses the county east to west from Caldwell County to Livingston County.  United States Highway 62 goes east to west from Caldwell County to Livingston County.  United States Highway 641 enters from Caldwell County and joins with United States Highway 62 to go into Livingston County.  The county is diamond shaped.  Eddyville is in the northern part of the county on the Cumberland River.  Eddyville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 27.4% of the county population.