Cumberland, Kentucky

Cumberland, Kentucky
City
Main Street downtown
Location of Cumberland, Kentucky
Coordinates: 36°58′37″N 82°59′15″W / 36.97694°N 82.98750°WCoordinates: 36°58′37″N 82°59′15″W / 36.97694°N 82.98750°W
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Harlan
Area
• Total	4.6 sq mi (11.9 km^2)
• Land	4.6 sq mi (11.9 km^2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km^2)
Elevation	1,444 ft (440 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	2,611
• Density	570.5/sq mi (220.3/km^2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	40823
Area code(s)	606
FIPS code	21-19108
GNIS feature ID	0511673

Cumberland is a home rule-class city^[1] in Harlan County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population according to the 2010 Census is 2,237.

History

Cumberland was settled in 1837 and named Poor Fork, for its location on a fork of the Cumberland River with relatively poor soil.^[2] It remained isolated until the coal mining boom of the 1900s when railroads connected it with surrounding towns. It was renamed Cumberland in 1926.

Geography

Cumberland is located at 36°58′37″N 82°59′15″W / 36.97694°N 82.98750°W (36.977016, -82.987434).^[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12 km²), of which 4.6 square miles (12 km²) is land and 0.22% is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Cumberland has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.^[4]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1920	300		—
1930	2,639		779.7%
1940	4,149		57.2%
1950	4,249		2.4%
1960	4,271		0.5%
1970	3,380		−20.9%
1980	3,712		9.8%
1990	3,112		−16.2%
2000	2,611		−16.1%
2010	2,237		−14.3%
Est. 2014	2,140	[5]	−4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there were 2,611 people, 1,076 households, and 723 families residing in the city. The population density was 570.5 people per square mile (220.1/km²). There were 1,288 housing units at an average density of 281.4 per square mile (108.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.60% White, 5.09% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.04% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 1,076 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $15,929, and the median income for a family was $22,365. Males had a median income of $34,327 versus $13,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,835. About 31.5% of families and 38.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 56.3% of those under age 18 and 19.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Cumberland is home to the main campus of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. The city is also served by Rebecca Caudill Public Library, first established in 1965 in an old store building on Myers Street. It was funded by the State Department of Libraries. When the library was opened it was named in honor of a local author, Rebecca Caudill. In 1972, the Cumberland Branch moved to a newly constructed building, located on Main St., funded by state library funds. In 1995, an addition to this construction was completed. Project funds were provided by an LSCA Grant through the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, the Harlan County Library District and gifts. Rebecca Caudill Public Library is a branch of the Harlan County Public Libraries.

Attractions

Cumberland is home to Kingdom Come State Park, which features a lake, gift shop, camp sites miniature golf, paddleboating, picnic facilities, primitive camping, hiking trials, and an amphitheatre. The park is also home to natural rock formations including Raven Rock and Log Rock. The park also is home to two overlooks that provide scenic views of the Appalachian Mountains.

Cumberland is home to the annual Kingdom Come Swappin' Meetin', a festival honoring Appalachian history, folklore, and products. The festival is held on the campus of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Cumberland. The festival includes live demonstrations of Appalachian methods and traditions. The most recent of festivals is the annual Black Bear Festival which is in honor of the popular black bears at Kingdom Come State Park.

References

1. "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform" (PDF). Kentucky League of Cities. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
2. Rennick, Robert M. (1987). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. p. 75. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
4. Climate Summary for Cumberland, Kentucky
5. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
6. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
7. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

Further reading

• Caudill, Harry M., Night Comes to the Cumberlands (1963). ISBN 0-316-13212-8