Lee

Formed October 25, 1792 (72^nd county)

Lee County (22,173), Jonesville (869), Pennington Gap (1,613)                

The masonry and tan brick Neo-Classical courthouse was constructed in 1933.  There was an 1865 facility earlier.  It is located on Main Street between Park and Church streets.  Main Street is United States Highway 58 in the town.  The building was enlarged in 1978.  D. R. Beeson is the architect.  A former school has been added to support the courthouse.  The courthouse features columns.  The county was formed on October 25, 1792 from Russell County as the 72^nd county with Jonesville as the only county seat.  Lee County is named for Governor Henry Lee.  The county seat was named for settler Frederick Jones. 

Lee County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Three Circuit Court Judges and Four District Court Judges serve Lee, Scott, and Wise counties and Norton City and Fifty-three Magistrate Court Judges serve Lee, Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe counties and Bristol, Galax, Norton, and Radford cities.  The county is on the western tip of the state.  It borders both Tennessee and Kentucky.  Knoxville, Tennessee is southwest and Charleston, West Virginia is northeast of the county.  The county center is 4.4 miles Northwest of Jonesville nearer Ben Hur.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Kentucky and Wise and Scott counties and Tennessee. 

The area of the county is 437 square miles.  It is 39 out of 133 in the state.  It ranks 77 out of 133 in population in the state.  It has a density of 50.7 persons per square mile making it 99 out of 133 in the state.  Lee County has 11.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 23 clips the eastern border of the county from Wise County to Scott County.  United States Highway 58 enters from Scott County, east, and exits into Tennessee, southwest.  United States Highway 58 Alternate comes from the northeast, Wise County, and terminates.  United States Highway 421 is joined with United States Highway 58 from Scott County, splits and continues west into Kentucky.  The county resembles a sled.  Jonesville is located in the eastern third of the county.  Pennington Gap is in the northeast quarter of the county.  Jonesville is the county seat and Pennington Gap is the largest city.  Jonesville is 3.9% of the county population while Pennington Gap is 7.3% of the county population.