Inez, Kentucky

Inez is located at {{coord|37|51|59|N|82|32|21|W|type:city}} (37.866431, -82.539058).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of {{convert|0.7|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

{{more citations needed section|date=October 2022}}

James Ward first settled the area about 1810; originally, it was named Arminta Ward's Bottom. J.M. Stepp renamed it Eden about the time it became the seat of government for Martin County in 1873. As there was already a post office named Eden, Kentucky, the local postmaster was obliged to rename the town on June 23, 1874. The name is usually held to have been derived from that of Inez Frank, daughter of the Louisa, Kentucky postmaster in neighboring Lawrence County.{{cite book |author=Rennick, Robert M. |title=Kentucky Place Names |year=1988 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |isbn=0-8131-0179-4 |chapter=Place Names}} Accessed April 8, 2010.

The Lincoln County Feud occurred in Lincoln County, West Virginia, during the 1880s. In October 1889, Milt Haley and Green McCoy, two West Virginia fugitives, were captured and subsequently held at the Martin County Jail. A West Virginia posse captured Haley and McCoy and lynched them at Green Shoal near Harts, West Virginia. In March 1995, songwriter and musician John Hartford and historian/author Brandon Kirk visited Inez as part of their research on the feud.

President Lyndon B. Johnson visited Inez in 1964,{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-kentucky-sheriff-cuts-20190304-story.html|title=Broke, a sheriff in Appalachian coal country struggles to provide law and order|last=Jarvie|first=Jenny|date=March 4, 2019|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=5 March 2019}} landing by helicopter with his party at an abandoned miniature golf course, to promote the War on Poverty. According to a 2014 NPR article, the poverty rate at the time was more than 60 percent.{{Cite web

| last = Fessler

| first = Pam

| title = Kentucky County That Gave War On Poverty A Face Still Struggles

| work = NPR

| access-date = 2014-05-31

| date = 2014-01-08

| url = https://www.npr.org/2014/01/08/260151923/kentucky-county-that-gave-war-on-poverty-a-face-still-struggles

}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2022}}

Inez is home to several industrial employers primarily focused on the area's robust energy market. A multitude of coal, gas and oil exploration and affiliated services companies operate in the mineral-rich areas in and around Martin County. Outside the city is another major regional employer, the Big Sandy facility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

{{US Census population

|1880= 108

|1890= 309

|1900= 412

|1910= 381

|1950= 622

|1960= 566

|1980= 413

|1990= 511

|2000= 466

|2010= 717

|2020= 546

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 466 people, 212 households, and 132 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|710.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 253 housing units at an average density of {{convert|385.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.28% White, and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.

There were 212 households, of which 30.7% had children under age 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36. For every 100 females, there were 75.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 67.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,875, and the median income for a family was $25,938. Males had a median income of $41,875 versus $17,292 for females. The national median household income was $46,326 in 2006 while the median personal income (including only those above the age of 25) was $32,140. The city's per capita income was $14,183. About 37.0% of families and 35.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.7% of those under 18 and 21.4% of those 65 or over.

The United States Postal Service operates the Inez Post Office."[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/inez-33-park-pl-inez-ky-1367937 Post Office™ Location - INEZ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718040951/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/inez-33-park-pl-inez-ky-1367937 |date=2011-07-18 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on February 21, 2011.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons U.S. Penitentiary, Big Sandy is near Inez, in unincorporated Martin County."[http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/bsy/BSY_visit_hours.pdf Institution Supplement]." United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy. 2 (2/18). Retrieved on February 21, 2011. "USP Big Sandy is located at 1197 Airport Rd, Inez, Kentucky." and "Directions from Interstate 64: From the following areas: Ashland, KY, Huntington, WV, and the Ohio area, travel Interstate 64 to Kentucky Exit 191 to Route 23 South. Follow 23 South for approximately 38 miles until you reach Route 645. Turn left onto Route 645 South and travel approximately 11 miles until you reach Route 3. Turn right onto Route 3 and travel for approximately 10 miles until you reach Airport Road. Turn left onto Airport Road and follow signs to the institution."

The Martin County School System serves Inez. Sheldon Clark High School is the former area high school, replaced by Martin County High School. Eden Elementary, Warfield Elementary, and Inez Elementary serve grades K-6 and Martin County Middle School (MCMS) grades 7–8. MCMS is also in Warfield.

Inez has a lending library, a branch of the Martin County Public Library.{{cite web | url=https://kdla.ky.gov/librarians/pages/librarydirectory.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111202017/https://kdla.ky.gov/librarians/pages/librarydirectory.aspx | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 January 2019 | title=Kentucky Public Library Directory | publisher=Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives | access-date=7 June 2019}}

• Josey Montana McCoy, actor{{Cite magazine |last=Ginell |first=Cary |date=November 6, 2019 |title=BWW Interview: Josey Montana McCoy & David Aron Damane of BIG RIVER at Rubicon Theatre Company |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/thousand-oaks/article/BWW-Interview-Josey-Montana-McCoy-David-Aron-Damane-of-BIG-RIVER-at-Rubicon-Theatre-Company-20191106 |access-date=2022-05-13 |magazine=Broadway World Thousand Oaks |language=en}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Portal|United States}}

• {{Official website|inez.ky.gov}}
• [https://www.martin.kyschools.us Martin County Schools]

{{Martin County, Kentucky}}

{{Eastern Mountain Coal Fields (Kentucky)}}

{{Kentucky county seats}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Martin County, Kentucky

Category:County seats in Kentucky

Category:Populated places established in 1942

Category:1942 establishments in Kentucky

Category:Cities in Kentucky