[Bolt]

Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 31,795. Its county seat is Barbourville[1]. The county is named for General Henry Knox. It is a prohibition or dry county, with the limited exception of restaurants that seat at least 100, derive at least 70% of total sales from food, and are located in the portion of the city of Corbin that lies within Knox County. It is one of the few coal-producing counties in Kentucky not to experience massive population loss.

Knox County was formed on December 19, 1799 from portions of Lincoln County. It was named after Henry Knox, a general and US Secretary of War. Near Barbourville during the Civil War a battle occurred on September 19, 1861 between 300 Union troops and 800 Confederate troops, which ended as a victory for the Confederates.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 31,795 people, 12,416 households, and 8,939 families residing in the county. The population density was 82 per square mile (32 /km2). There were 13,999 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile (14 /km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.84% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.