Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland is a city of 21,295 people in Boyd County, Kentucky, founded in 1786.
Why visit Ashland
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 49 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Paramount Arts Center, Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge, Culbertson House and Ashland Commercial Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Ashland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ashland
Ashland is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. It is located on the southern bank of the Ohio River at the state border with Ohio and near West Virginia. The population was 21,625 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous city in Boyd County. It is a principal city of the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area, referred to locally as the "Tri-State area" and home to 376,155 residents in 2020.
From the Wikipedia article Ashland, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Paramount Arts Center
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Performing arts center and former movie theater in Ashland, Kentucky, United States
1300 Winchester Avenue, Ashland
Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge
Bridge · 1.7 mi
Cantilever bridge crossing the Ohio River
Museums and landmarks8
Culbertson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic house in Kentucky, United States
Ashland Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic district in Ashland, Kentucky
Bath Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in Ashland, Kentucky
Catlett House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic house in Catlettsburg, Kentucky, United States
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Catlettsburg station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Former railway station in Catlettsburg, Kentucky
Nando Felty Saloon
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic building in Ashland, Kentucky
Highlands Museum and Discovery Center
Museum · 1.4 mi
Heritage center, science center in Ashland, Kentucky
The Highlands Museum & Discovery Center
Museum · 1.3 mi
1620 Winchester Avenue, Ashland
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
Southside Park
Park · 0.5 mi
The park is located on Ballard Street on the property that was once Southside Pool. It has a regulation softball field with state of the...
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes49
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.8 mi
2206 13th Street, Ashland
Mo-We 06:00-19:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-19:00; Su 06:00-16:00
Tuscan Prime Italian Chophouse
Restaurant · Steak House, Italian, American · 1.4 mi
1441 Winchester Avenue, Ashland
Mo-Su 06:30-10:00, 16:00-22:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
2524 Winchester Avenue, Ashland
Mo-We 06:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-20:00; Su 06:00-16:00
37 more on the map.
History
Ashland dates back to the migration of the Poage family from the Shenandoah Valley via the Cumberland Gap in 1786. They erected a homestead along the Ohio River and named it Poage's Landing. Also called Poage Settlement, the community that developed around it remained an extended-family affair until the mid-19th century. In 1854, the city name was changed to Ashland after Henry Clay's Ashland estate in Lexington and to reflect the city's growing industrial base.
The city's early industrial growth was a result of the Ohio Valley's pig iron industry and, particularly, the 1854 charter of the Kentucky Iron, Coal, and Manufacturing Company by the Kentucky General Assembly. The city was formally incorporated by the General Assembly two years later in 1856. In 1881, Ashland was the site of the Ashland tragedy which took the lives of three people.
Major industrial employers in the first half of the 20th century included Armco, Ashland Oil and Refining Company, the C&O Railroad, Allied Chemical & Dye Company's Semet Solvay, and Mansbach Steel.
From the History section of Ashland, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Delta Hotels by Marriott Ashland Downtown
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
1441 Winchester Avenue, Ashland
Churches and places of worship15
First Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
First Christian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
First United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
St. James AME Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Holy Family Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.6 mi
900 Winchester Avenue, Ashland
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries54
Healthcare3
Map of Ashland
174 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 22°F | 3.5 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 24°F | 3.7 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 32°F | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 41°F | 3.9 in |
| May | 75°F | 51°F | 4.8 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 4.5 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 65°F | 4.6 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 63°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 56°F | 3.3 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 43°F | 3.0 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 32°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 27°F | 4.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ashland Hcn (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Boyd County has had 26 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2024-05-22: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2022-02-27: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Huntington Tri-State Airport/Milton J. Ferguson Field (HTS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Westwood 2 mi northwest, about 4 min by car
- Coal Grove 2 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Ironville 3 mi west, about 5 min by car
- Catlettsburg 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Bellefonte 4 mi northwest, about 6 min by car
- South Point 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Ironton 5 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Russell 5 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Kenova 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Portsmouth 26 mi northwest, about 42 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Ashland, KY, Corey Graese, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Ashland, Kentucky - Large Letter Postcard (8202985586), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Ashland Armory front, Nyttend, Public domain
- PaulGBlazerHighSchool AshlandKentucky, FunksBrother, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Culbertson House in Ashland, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ashland, KY, USA - panoramio, hcampsey, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Christian Church of Ashland, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ashland TB Hospital, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ashland First Presbyterian Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ashland Commercial Historic District 2023b, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ashland Commercial Historic District 2023c, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First Presbyterian Church Ashland KY 2023a, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First Presbyterian Church Ashland KY 2023b, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ashland Commercial Historic District 2023e, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ashland Commercial Historic District 2023f, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ashland Commercial Historic District 2023d, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Highland Museum Ashland KY 2023, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ashland post office, former, Nyttend, Public domain
- First Christian Church Ashland KY 2023a, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ashland Commercial Historic District 2023a, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First Christian Church Ashland KY 2023b, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St James AME, Ashland, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ashland Commercial Historic District 2023g, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Ashland, Kentucky - Large Letter Postcard (11537838075), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Ironton, Ohio; Flatwoods, Kentucky; Ashland, Kentucky; Ohio River at Kentucky-West Virginia-Ohio Border (14497042742), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Paramount Arts Center, Youngamerican, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Catlettsburg First Methodist Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Catlettsburg C&O depot, Nyttend, Public domain
- BATH AVENUE HISTORIC DISTRICT, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Catlett House in Catlettsburg, Nyttend, Public domain
- Saint-Pauls-Ashland-Ky, Rutabaga1017, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge and Simeon Willis Memorial Bridge, Stigeweard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alexander Bagby House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Martin Hilton House, Nyttend, Public domain
- UKKD New Main Entrance, Dblevins2, CC BY 4.0
- KDMC 1, Dblevins2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henry Clay Hotel from north, Nyttend, Public domain
- Paramount Arts Center 2023c, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Paramount Arts Center 2023a, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Paramount Arts Center 2023b, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
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