Leslie County

Leslie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,310. Its county seat is Hyden. Leslie is a prohibition or dry county.HistoryLeslie County was founded in 1878. It was named for Preston H. Leslie, Governor of Kentucky (1871-1875).The Hurricane Creek mine disaster in a Leslie County coal mine in 1970 killed 38 people.Richard Nixon made his first public appearance after resigning the presidency at the Leslie County dedication of a recreation facility named for him. County Judge-Executive C. Allen Muncy claimed the Nixon invitation prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain indictments of him and his associates on vote-fraud charges; while on appeal for his conviction, he won renomination in the Republican primary but lost the 1981 general election to independent Kermit Keen.GeographyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.9%) is water.Adjacent countiesPerry County (northeast)Harlan County (southeast)Bell County (southwest)Clay County (west)