Russell

Formed December 14, 1825 (79^th county)

Russell County (17,990), Jamestown (1,859), Russell Springs (2,716)

The white columns stand out on the red brick Colonial Revival facility erected in 1977.  It is off a square where Main and Cumberland streets intersect.  Main Street is United States Highway 127 Business in the town.  Watkins and Associates are the courthouse architects.  A Judicial Center was built in 2011.  There was an 1877 small courthouse earlier after the December 14, 1825 county formation.  Jamestown has always been the county seat.  The county was taken from parts of Adair, Wayne, and Cumberland counties as the 79^th county.  The county’s name comes from Revolutionary War hero General William Russell.  He is also the namesake of the county seat of Logan County.  The county seat is named for land donor James Wooldridge. 

Russell County government consists of a County Judge Executive, a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 5 Magistrates (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges, One District Court Judge, and One Family Court Judge serve Russell and Wayne counties and a court clerk serves Russell County (judicial.) The county is in the southern part of the state.  Lexington, Kentucky is northeast and Bowling Green, Kentucky is northwest of the county.  The county center is 3.9 miles Northeast of Jamestown.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Casey, Pulaski, Wayne, Clinton, Cumberland, and Adair counties. 

The area of the county is 254 square miles.  It is 83 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 65 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 70.8 persons per square mile making it 52 out of 120 in the state.  Russell County has 25.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 127 travels through the county north and south from Casey County to Clinton County.  The county is shaped like a salt shaker pointing southwest.  Jamestown is south of center in the county.  Russell Springs is north of center.  Jamestown is the county seat and Russell Springs is the largest city.  Jamestown is 10.3% of the county population while Russell Springs is 15.1% of the county population.