West Liberty, Kentucky
| West Liberty, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
| City | |
Downtown West Liberty, 2007
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 Location of West Liberty, Kentucky |
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| Coordinates: 37°54′59″N 83°15′41″W / 37.91639°N 83.26139°WCoordinates: 37°54′59″N 83°15′41″W / 37.91639°N 83.26139°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Morgan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.4 sq mi (11.5 km2) |
| • Land | 4.4 sq mi (11.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 817 ft (249 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,435 |
| • Density | 780/sq mi (300/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 41472 |
| Area code(s) | 606 |
| FIPS code | 21-81858 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0516279 |
West Liberty is a home rule-class city in Morgan County, Kentucky, United States. It is the county seat of Morgan County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,435. It is located on the banks of the Licking River at the junction of Kentucky Route 7 and U.S. Route 460.
By 1816, an early settlement at the town site was called Wells Mills. When Morgan County was founded in 1823, the settlement was incorporated to become the county seat. It chose the name West Liberty in the belief that Pikeville, Kentucky would be called "Liberty" when it incorporated. The town is actually 100 miles east of Liberty, Kentucky.
Three Civil War skirmishes were fought near West Liberty, and much of the town was burned during the war, including the courthouse. It was replaced after the war, and a fourth courthouse was built in 1907.
On March 2, 2012, West Liberty was hit by an EF-3 tornado which caused extensive damage to the downtown area. This tornado left a swath of damage over a mile wide. Many homes and businesses were heavily damaged or destroyed. Six people were killed and at least 75 people were injured. Preliminary assessments from emergency officials and media indicated a path length of 60 miles (97 km), though a National Weather Service survey concluded the tornado travelled 85 miles from Menifee County to Lincoln County, West Virginia. It had the longest track of any tornado in the United States in 2012.
The old courthouse, built in 1907, as well as the new courthouse which was 60% completed were at first, after the tornado, both deemed as a total loss. However, this determination was in error as both buildings have been restored and finished, respectively.
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