Russell, Kentucky
Russell is a city of 3,676 people in Greenup County, Kentucky, founded in 1869.
Why visit Russell
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 24 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Paramount Arts Center, Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge, Ashland Commercial Historic District and Bath Avenue Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Russell
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Russell
Russell is a home rule-class city on the south bank of the Ohio River in Greenup County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, Russell had a population of 3,744. Russell is a suburb of Ashland and part of the Huntington-Ashland-Ironton metropolitan area. It has close economic affiliations with its neighbors, Ashland and Flatwoods in Kentucky and Ironton, Ohio.
From the Wikipedia article Russell, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Paramount Arts Center
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Performing arts center and former movie theater in Ashland, Kentucky, United States
Ben Williamson Memorial Bridge
Bridge · 3.6 mi
Cantilever bridge crossing the Ohio River
Museums and landmarks12
Ashland Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic district in Ashland, Kentucky
Bath Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic district in Ashland, Kentucky
Culbertson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic house in Kentucky, United States
Downtown Ironton Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic district located in downtown Ironton, Ohio
Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Building in Ironton, Ohio
Ironton Norfolk and Western Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Railway station in Ironton, the United States of America
Nando Felty Saloon
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic building in Ashland, Kentucky
Highlands Museum and Discovery Center
Museum · 3.9 mi
Heritage center, science center in Ashland, Kentucky
Fifth and Lawrence Streets Residential Historic District
Monument and historic site · 1.8 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes24
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 1.2 mi
331 Diederich Boulevard, Ashland
Mo-Th,Su 07:00-23:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-24:00
Patties & Pints
Restaurant · Burger, American · 1.5 mi
422 South 2nd Street, Ironton
Giovanni's Pizza
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza · 1.3 mi
1703 Argillite Road, Flatwoods
Pour House Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Baked Goods · 1.4 mi
280 Russell Road, Ashland
12 more on the map.
History
In 1829, James E. McDowell, William Lindsay Poage, and his brother erected an iron furnace; they named the foundry and the community that grew up around it "Amanda Furnace" after William's infant daughter. The furnace ceased operation in 1861.
John Russell and his Means and Russell Iron Company purchased the land of the present city beside Amanda Hill from the Poage brothers. They laid out and established the town of Riverview in 1869 in expectation of an expansion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad westward from Huntington, West Virginia, to Cincinnati, Ohio. Ferry service to Ohio began in 1870, local landowners agreed to rename the community after its founder in 1873, and the city was formally incorporated under the name "Russell" in 1874. The expected C&O spur did not arrive until 1889 but, when it did, it constructed a railyard, roundhouse, and shops and the city grew quickly. The city celebrates this influence with the annual "Russell Railroad Days" each August.
From the History section of Russell, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
401 South 9th Street, Ironton
Churches and places of worship31
First Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
St. James AME Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
First Baptist Church of Flatwoods
Church · Baptist · 1.4 mi
1206 Bluegrass Street, Flatwoods
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries45
Healthcare4
Map of Russell
135 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 (6 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
Greenup County has had 26 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe 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)
- 2024-11-26: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (Tropical 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, 12 miles away.
- Bellefonte 1 mi south, about 2 min by car
- Ironton 2 mi northeast, about 3 min by car
- Flatwoods 2 mi northwest, about 3 min by car
- Raceland 3 mi northwest, about 5 min by car
- Coal Grove 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Ashland 5 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Catlettsburg 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- South Point 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Cannonsburg 9 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Burlington 12 mi southeast, about 19 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
- St James AME, Ashland, Nyttend, Public domain
- Paramount Arts Center, Youngamerican, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ashland First Presbyterian Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ironton Ohio South Third Street, FunksBrother, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Culbertson House in Ashland, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ironton GAR hall, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ironton N&W depot front, Nyttend, Public domain
- BATH AVENUE HISTORIC DISTRICT, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 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
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