Whitesburg, Kentucky
Whitesburg is a city of 1,761 people in Letcher County, Kentucky, founded in March 6, 1876.
Why visit Whitesburg
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail and 6 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Whitesburg Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Whitesburg
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Whitesburg
Whitesburg is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Letcher County, Kentucky, United States. The population was at the 2020 census and an estimated 1,711 in 2022. It was named for John D. White, a state politician and Speaker of the United States House.
From the Wikipedia article Whitesburg, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Whitesburg Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Kentucky, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes6
Churches and places of worship4
History
Whitesburg was founded in 1842 on land offered by Stephen Hiram Hogg to build the county seat. Previously called Summit city, it was renamed for John D. White who had introduced Letcher county's enactment bill in the State legislature.
From the History section of Whitesburg, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping3
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Letcher County Alternative Education Ctr
School · 1.0 mi
185 Circle Dr, Whitesburg
Healthcare1
Map of Whitesburg
27 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 24°F | 4.0 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 26°F | 4.0 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 32°F | 4.6 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 40°F | 4.5 in |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 4.9 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 4.6 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 64°F | 5.6 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 4.4 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.5 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 42°F | 3.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 32°F | 3.1 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 27°F | 4.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Whitesburg 2Se (1 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
Letcher County has had 25 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)
- 2024-11-26: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-05-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lonesome Pine Airport (LNP) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Jenkins 10 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Cumberland 13 mi southwest, about 21 min by car
- Hazard 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
- Pikeville 30 mi northeast, about 48 min by car
- Coal Run Village 32 mi northeast, about 52 min by car
- Harlan 33 mi southwest, about 53 min by car
- Prestonsburg 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Jackson 43 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kingsport 44 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Bristol 51 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 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
- City of Whitesburg Overlook from Town Hill Trail, MarkWKidd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Whitesburg municipal building, Nyttend, Public domain
- Former Coca-Cola bottling plant, Whitesburg, Kentucky, Aaron Vowels, CC BY 2.0
- Webb and Main in Whitesburg, Nyttend, Public domain
- Jeremiah post office 41826, Nyttend, Public domain
- Letcher county courthouse, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS043-E-187672 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-106350 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS066-E-130670 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-289671 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-187671 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-187673 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS066-E-130672 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS066-E-130671 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-106353 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-289672 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-106351 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-187670 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-106352 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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