Hancock County was established in 1829 from portions of Breckinridge, Daviess, and Ohio counties. The county is named after John Hancock who was former President of the Continental Congress and one of the signers (if not the most recognizable) of the Declaration of Independence. The current courthouse, the second to serve the county, was built in 1868 and renovated in 1978. At a square mileage of only 199, its residential population is currently at 8,758 residents.
Hardin County was first established in 1792 from land given by Nelson County and then became the 15th county within the state in order of formation. The county is named after colonel John Hardi who was a Continental Army officer during the American Revolution and a brother of Captian William Hardin who is the founder of Hardinsburg. Multiple courthouse fires destroyed county records in 1864 and again in 1932 however, the present courthouse dates from 1934. With the last bureau report stating the county had 630 square miles with almost 111,000 residents making up the counties’ population.
Harlan County was first settled by Samuel and Chloe Howard in 1796. Upon the founding of Harlan County which was named after Kentucky pioneer Silas Harlan in 1819. The Howards then donated 12 acres of land to serve as the county seat. The community there was already known as “Mount Pleasant”which apparently was due to owing a nearby Indian Mound. With a square mileage of only 1.33 sqaure miles, its population is only a mere 1,745 residents.
Harrison County was formed on December 21, 1793, from portions of Bourbon and Scott Counties. Harrison then became the 17th county to be formed in the state of Kentucky in order of formation. The county was named after former Colonel Benjamin Harrison who was an early settler in the area. With the county having a total area of 310 square miles, Cynthiana (Harrison County) is home to 18,778 residents.
Hart County was formed in 1819 from portions of Hardin and Barren counties. The county is named after former Captain Nathaniel G. S Hart who was a former Kentucky militia officer in the War of 1812. He was also wounded at the Battle of Frenchtown and later died in the Massacere of the River Raisin. With the county having a total area of 418 square miles, Hart County is home to 18,906 residents.
Transylvania Company also known as Richard Henderson & Company in 1775 purchased from the Cherokees a large swath of wilderness between the Kentucky River and Cumberland River. Richard Henderson was a former Colonel in the American Revolutionary War. Henderson also purchased 17,000,000 acres from the Cherokee Inidans in part of which now the land of Henderson County. With the county having a total area of 466 square miles, Henderson County is home to almost 46,000 residents.
Founded in 1798 and named after former American politician and attorney Patrick Henry. Henry is best known for his Declaration to the Second Virginia Convention, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” With the county having 291 sq miles, the county is home to 16,106 residents.
Founded in 1821, Hickman County became the seventy-first in order of formation in the state of Kewntucky. It was named after former Captain Paschal Hickman of the 1st Rifle Regiment in the Kentucky Militia and a resident of (what is now known as Frankfort) Franklin County, Kentucky. Hickman was wounded and captured at the Battler of Frenchtown in January of 1813 and later was killed by Indians in theMassacre of the River Raisin. While the county has a total area of 253 square miles, it is also home to only 4,421 residents.
Once inhabited by prehistoric Native Americans, Hopkins County wasn’t officially founded until 1806 and was named after former U.S. Representative and Kentucky native Samuel Hopkins. Beginning, Hopkins County has become notorious for being a republican party voting community. While the county has a total area of 554 square miles, it is home to 45,068 residents.
The county was formed in 1858 from land given by Madison, Estill, Owsley, Clay, Laurel, and Rockcastle counties. It was named after the former seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. A fun fact about the county, one fourth of the county (56,000 acres to be exact) is made up of Daniel Boone National Forest therefore making it a represnetative of Eastern Kentuclys’ Appalachia heritage. Jackson County is also made up of many national recreational areas such as, S-Tree Campground, Turkey Foot Campground, Flat Lick Falls and Sheltowee Trace National Rereational Trail so while the county has a total area of 347 square miles, it is home to (accordeing to the U.S. census bureau) 13,442 residents.
