Bell County | |
|---|---|
 Bell County Courthouse in Pineville | |
 Flag | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky | |
 Kentucky's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 36°44′N 83°40′W / 36.74°N 83.67°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | February 5, 1867[1] |
| Named for | Joshua Fry Bell |
| Seat | Pineville |
| Largest city | Middlesboro |
| Area | |
• Total | 361 sq mi (930 km2) |
| • Land | 359 sq mi (930 km2) |
| • Water | 2.1 sq mi (5 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 24,097 |
• Estimate (2023) | 23,317 |
| • Density | 67/sq mi (26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | bellcounty |
Bell County is a county located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,097.[2] Its county seat is Pineville and its largest city is Middlesboro.[3] The county was formed in 1867, during the Reconstruction era from parts of Knox and Harlan counties[4] and augmented from Knox County in 1872.[5] The county is named for Joshua Fry Bell, a US Representative. It was originally called "Josh Bell", but on January 31, 1873, the Kentucky legislature shortened the name to "Bell",[5][1]
- ^ a b Bell County About Us
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Bell County, Kentucky" Genealogy Inc. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
- ^ a b Census Office. Tenth Census of the United States (1880) I:62.