View source for Lee County, Virginia

{{Infobox U.S. county
| county = Lee County
| state = Virginia
| seal =
|type=[[County (United States)|County]]
|official_name=Lee County
| founded year = 1792
| founded date = October 25
| named for = [[Light Horse Harry Lee]]
| seat wl = Jonesville
| largest city wl = Pennington Gap
| city type = town
| area_total_sq_mi = 437
| area_land_sq_mi = 436
| area_water_sq_mi = 1.9
| area percentage = 0.4
| population_as_of = 2010
| population_total = 25587
| pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="US Census Bureau Estimates 2018"/>
| pop_est_as_of = 2018
| population_est = 23541
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| time zone = Eastern
| web = www.LeeCoVA.org
| district = 9th
|ex image =Lee County Courthouse, Virginia.jpg|ex image cap = Lee County Courthouse in Jonesville}}

'''Lee County''' is the westernmost [[county (United States)|county]] in the [[Commonwealth (U.S. state)|U.S. Commonwealth]] of [[Virginia]]. As of the 2018 census estimate, the population was 23,541.<ref name="US Census Bureau Estimates 2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-counties-total.html#par_textimage_739801612 |title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2010-2018 |access-date=May 25, 2019}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Jonesville, Virginia|Jonesville]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref>

== History ==
The area of far western Virginia and eastern Kentucky supported large Archaic Native American populations. 

The first known Europeans to enter what is present-day Lee County were a party of Spanish explorers, Juan de Villalobos and Francisco de Silvera, sent by [[Hernando de Soto]] in 1540, in search of gold.<ref>{{Cite web| last = Berrier Jr.| first = Ralph| title = The slaughter at Saltville| publisher = [[The Roanoke Times]] | date = September 20, 2009| url = http://www.roanoke.com/219462 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120911211004/http://www.roanoke.com/219462 | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 11, 2012 | access-date = October 9, 2011 }}</ref>

The county was formed after the American Revolutionary War in 1792 from [[Russell County, Virginia|Russell County]].  It was named for [[Light Horse Harry Lee]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Gannett|first=Henry|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|year=1905|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n183 184]}}</ref> the [[List of Governors of Virginia|Governor of Virginia]] from 1791 to 1794, who was famous for his exploits as a leader of light cavalry during the war. He was the father of [[Robert E. Lee]], later a West Point graduate and career US Army officer who became the commanding [[General]] of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] Army during the American Civil War.

Lee County was the final front on the [[Kentucky Trace]], now known as the [[Wilderness Road]] and [[The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (novel)|The Trail of the Lonesome Pine]]. During the 1780s and 1790s, fortified buildings called "[[Station (frontier defensive structure)|stations]]" were built along the trail for shelter from Indian raids as the settlers followed [[Daniel Boone]]'s path into the Kentucky frontier. The stations in Lee County were [[Yoakum Station]] at present-day [[Dryden, Virginia|Dryden]], west to Powell River and Station Creek at today's [[Rocky Station, Virginia|Rocky Station]], then to [[Mump's Fort]] at [[Jonesville, Virginia|Jonesville]], followed by [[Prist Station]], Martin's Station at Rose Hill, [[Chadwell Station, Virginia|Chadwell Station]] at [[Chadwell Gap, Virginia|Chadwell Gap]], [[Owen Station]] at [[Ewing, Virginia|Ewing]], and finally [[Gibson Station, Virginia|Gibson Station]], which still bears its original name.

One of the largest early landowners was Revolutionary War officer and explorer [[Joseph Martin (general)|Joseph Martin]], after whom [[Wilderness Road State Park|Martin's Station]] and Martin's Creek at [[Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia|Rose Hill]] are named. Due to his rank of command, Martin had been awarded some {{convert|25000|acre|km2}} in a land grant after the war. He divided the land and sold it as a speculator. Rose Hill was established in 1832 as the first federally recognized post office in Lee County. 

In 1814, parts of Lee, Russell, and [[Washington County, Virginia|Washington]] counties were combined to form [[Scott County, Virginia|Scott County]]. In 1856, parts of Lee, Russell, and Scott counties were combined to form [[Wise County, Virginia|Wise County]], named after the last governor of Virginia before the Civil War.

== Economy ==
The economy of Lee County has been based largely on growing [[tobacco]] and mining [[coal]]. The decline of both has resulted in high unemployment in the county and a decrease in population since 1940, which was the peak.

Using the slogan ''Where Virginia Begins'', the county has attempted to increase its [[heritage tourism]] industry by emphasizing its role in the route used by settlers going west through the [[Cumberland Gap]], at Lee County's western tip.

Lee County shares [[Cumberland Gap National Historical Park]] with Kentucky and Tennessee.  Attractions listed in the park include Hensley's Settlement, the Pinnacle Overlook, the Sand Cave, and the White Rocks overlooking the towns of [[Ewing, Virginia|Ewing]] and [[Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia|Rose Hill]] in Virginia.

==Geography==
[[File:Lee County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|230px|Lee County landscape near [[Pennington Gap, Virginia|Pennington Gap]]]]
[[File:Rose-Hill-view-va.jpg|230px|thumb|right|Mountains near [[Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia|Rose Hill]]]]

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|437|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|436|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.9|sqmi}} (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

Lee County is physically closer to eight state capitals other than its own capital in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]]: [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]; [[Columbia, South Carolina]]; [[Atlanta, Georgia]]; [[Nashville, Tennessee]]; [[Charleston, West Virginia]]; [[Frankfort, Kentucky]]; [[Columbus, Ohio]], and [[Indianapolis, Indiana]].  Additionally, Cumberland Gap in the far western part of Lee County is closer to [[Montgomery, Alabama]], a ninth state capital.

=== Districts ===
The county is divided into seven districts: Jonesville, Rocky Station, Rocky Station Mineral, Rose Hill, White Shoals, Yoakum, and Yoakum Mineral. There are three towns: Pennington Gap, St. Charles, and Jonesville.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Harlan County, Kentucky]] – northwest
* [[Wise County, Virginia]] – northeast
* [[Scott County, Virginia]] – east
* [[Hancock County, Tennessee]] – south
* [[Claiborne County, Tennessee]] – south-southwest
* [[Bell County, Kentucky]] – west

===National protected areas===
* [[Cumberland Gap National Historical Park]] (part)
* [[Jefferson National Forest]] (part)

===Major routes===
* {{jct|state=VA|US|23}}
* {{jct|state=VA|US|58}}
* {{jct|state=VA|US-Alt|58}}
* {{jct|state=VA|US|421}}
* {{jct|state=VA|VA|70}}
* {{jct|state=VA|VA|352}}
* {{jct|state=VA|Sec|600|county1=Lee}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1800= 3538
|1810= 4694
|1820= 4256
|1830= 6461
|1840= 8441
|1850= 10267
|1860= 11032
|1870= 13268
|1880= 15116
|1890= 18216
|1900= 19856
|1910= 23840
|1920= 25293
|1930= 30419
|1940= 39296
|1950= 36106
|1960= 25824
|1970= 20321
|1980= 25956
|1990= 24496
|2000= 23589
|2010= 25587
|estyear=2018
|estimate=23541
|estref=<ref name="US Census Bureau Estimates 2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-counties-total.html#par_textimage_739801612 |title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2010-2018 |access-date=May 25, 2019}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 3, 2014}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 3, 2014}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 3, 2014}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 3, 2014}}</ref> 2010–2018<ref name="US Census Bureau Estimates 2018" />
}}

As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 25,587 people living in the county. 94.2% were [[White American|White]], 3.7% [[African American|Black or African American]], 0.4% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.6% of some other race and 0.9% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. 1.6% were [[Hispanic and Latino American|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race).

According to the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2011-05-14 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> 2009 estimates, there were 25001 people, 11,587 households, and 6,852 families living in the county.  The [[population density]] was 54 people per square mile (21/km<sup>2</sup>).  There were 11,587 housing units at an average density of 25 per square&nbsp;mile (10/km<sup>2</sup>).  The racial makeup of the county was 96.3% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 2.9% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.1% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], 0.7% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

The largest ancestry groups in Lee County include: [[English American|English]] (14 percent), [[Irish American|Irish]] (11 percent), [[German American|German]] (9 percent), and [[Scottish-Irish American|Scottish-Irish]] (3 percent).<ref>[http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genealogyInfo.php?locIndex=22924 Lee County, VA – Lee County, Virginia – Ancestry & family history – ePodunk<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

There were 9,706 households, out of which 29.0 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0 percent were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.7 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4 percent were non-families. 27.0 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.8 percent under the age of 18, 8.0 percent from 18 to 24, 27.5 percent from 25 to 44, 26.3 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.4 percent who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,889, and the median income for a family was $40,721.  The [[per capita income]] for the county was $16,317.  About 20.3 percent of families and 22.7 percent of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 30.1 percent of those under age 18 and 23.3 percent of those age 65 or over.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=05000US51105&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=lee+county&_cityTown=lee+county&_state=04000US51&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|title=American FactFinder – Community Facts|last=Bureau|first=U.S. Census|website=factfinder.census.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-08-21|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200211175926/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=05000US51105&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=lee+county&_cityTown=lee+county&_state=04000US51&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|archive-date=2020-02-11|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Politics ==
Voters in Lee County wavered between [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] presidential candidates throughout much of the twentieth century. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the county has become more consistently Republican, voting overwhelmingly for [[Donald Trump]] in both [[2016 United States Presidential Election|2016]] and [[2020 United States Presidential Election|2020]]. Republicans have consistently won local elections in recent years, as well. 

{{Hidden begin
|titlestyle = background:#ccccff;
|title      = Presidential elections results
}}
{| align="center" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="float:right; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+ '''Presidential elections results'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=2020-12-09}}</ref>
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 2020|2020]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''84.1%''' ''8,365''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|15.0% ''1,489''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.9% ''92''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 2016|2016]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''80.3%''' ''7,543''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|17.3% ''1,627''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.4% ''229''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 2012|2012]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''71.3%''' ''6,847''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|26.9% ''2,583''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.8% ''168''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 2008|2008]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''63.1%''' ''5,825''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|34.9% ''3,219''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.0% ''183''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 2004|2004]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''58.0%''' ''5,664''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|41.0% ''4,005''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.0% ''101''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 2000|2000]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''52.0%''' ''4,551''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|46.1% ''4,031''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.9% ''166''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1996|1996]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.5% ''3,225''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''51.7%''' ''4,444''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|10.9% ''935''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1992|1992]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.8% ''3,504''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.2%''' ''5,215''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|11.0% ''1,077''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1988|1988]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.1% ''4,080''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''54.2%''' ''4,906''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.7% ''59''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1984|1984]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.8%''' ''5,365''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.2% ''5,085''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.0% ''104''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1980|1980]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.1% ''4,417''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''50.7%''' ''4,758''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.2% ''202''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1976|1976]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.5% ''4,679''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.7%''' ''5,415''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.9% ''190''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1972|1972]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''62.4%''' ''4,957''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.6% ''2,825''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.1% ''163''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1968|1968]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''47.4%''' ''4,450''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.7% ''4,105''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|9.0% ''844''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1964|1964]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.2% ''3,463''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.7%''' ''5,151''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.1% ''12''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1960|1960]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.3% ''3,363''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.2%''' ''3,867''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.5% ''35''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1956|1956]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.8%''' ''4,548''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|44.7% ''3,714''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.5% ''42''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1952|1952]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''52.0%''' ''4,622''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|47.7% ''4,242''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.3% ''27''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1948|1948]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.8%''' ''4,297''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.1% ''4,069''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.2% ''100''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1944|1944]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.7% ''3,921''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.2%''' ''4,470''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.1% ''8''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1940|1940]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.5% ''2,623''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.4%''' ''4,180''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.1% ''6''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1936|1936]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|33.3% ''2,066''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''66.5%''' ''4,120''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.2% ''13''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1932|1932]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.4% ''1,985''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''58.8%''' ''2,892''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.8% ''38''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1928|1928]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''58.3%''' ''3,337''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|41.7% ''2,383''
|  style="text-align:center;|
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1924|1924]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''49.7%''' ''2,456''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.0% ''2,376''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.3% ''114''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1920|1920]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''57.5%''' ''2,162''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.3% ''1,592''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.2% ''7''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1916|1916]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.7%''' ''1,569''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|44.9% ''1,287''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.5% ''13''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Virginia, 1912|1912]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|30.2% ''699''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''44.1%''' ''1,023''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|25.7% ''596''
|}
{{Hidden end}}

==Education==

===Public high schools===
* [[Lee High School (Lee County, Virginia)|Lee High School]], [[Jonesville, Virginia|Jonesville]]
* [[Thomas Walker High School]], [[Ewing, Virginia|Ewing]]

===Public middle schools===
* Pennington Middle School, Pennington Gap
* Jonesville Middle School, Jonesville

===Public elementary schools===
* Dryden Elementary School, Dryden
* Elk Knob Elementary School, Woodway
* Elydale Elementary School, Elydale
* Flatwoods Elementary School, Flatwoods
* Rose Hill Elementary School, Rose Hill
* St. Charles Elementary School, St. Charles

Pennington Elementary School, consisting of three buildings built at various times (1912, 1917 and 1937),  was demolished in 1989. A bank was constructed on its Morgan Avenue site. Three other elementary schools, Ewing, Keokee and Stickleyville, were closed in June 2012.<ref>[http://www.leectysch.com/#aa Lee County Public Schools] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310174910/http://www.leectysch.com/ |date=2008-03-10 }}</ref>

===Technical schools===
* Lee County Vo/Career Tech, Ben Hur

==Communities==
[[File:Jonesville-from-Park-Street-va.jpg|right|230px|thumb|[[Jonesville, Virginia|Jonesville]]]]

===Towns===
* [[Jonesville, Virginia|Jonesville]]
* [[Pennington Gap, Virginia|Pennington Gap]]
* [[St. Charles, Virginia|St. Charles]]

===Census-designated places===
* [[Dryden, Virginia|Dryden]]
* [[Ewing, Virginia|Ewing]]
* [[Keokee, Virginia|Keokee]]
* [[Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia|Rose Hill]]

===Other unincorporated communities===
* [[Ben Hur, Virginia|Ben Hur]]
* [[Blackwater, Lee County, Virginia|Blackwater]]
* [[Darbyville, Virginia|Darbyville]]
* [[Ewing, Virginia|Ewing]]
* [[Gibson Station, Virginia|Gibson Station]]
* [[Jasper, Virginia|Jasper]]
* [[Monarch, Virginia|Monarch]]
* [[Ocoonita, Virginia|Ocoonita]]
* [[Olinger, Virginia|Olinger]]
* [[Seminary, Virginia|Seminary]]
* [[Stickleyville, Virginia|Stickleyville]]
* [[Stone Creek, Virginia|Stone Creek]]
* [[Woodway, Lee County, Virginia|Woodway]]

== Notable residents ==
* [[Frank Rowlett]], cryptologist, member of the [[Signals Intelligence Service]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic-heritage/historical-figures-publications/hall-of-honor/1999/frowlett.shtml|title=Frank B. Rowlett|website=www.nsa.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-08-21}}</ref>
* [[Carol Wood]], mathematician 
* [[Campbell Slemp]], [[United States House of Representatives|congressman]]
* [[Andrew Taylor Still]], founder of [[Osteopathic medicine in the United States|osteopathic medicine]]
* [[William C. Wampler]], U.S. Representative
* [[Barry Audia]], professional boxer
* [[Jim Pankovits]], Major League Baseball player
* [[Elbert S. Martin]], [[United States House of Representatives|congressman]]
* [[John Preston Martin]], [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from Kentucky
* [[Steve Rasnic Tem]], author
* [[Glen Morgan Williams]], federal judge
* [[Don Newton]], comic artist
* [[James Buchanan Richmond]], [[United States House of Representatives|congressman]]
* [[C. Bascom Slemp]], [[United States House of Representatives|congressman]]
* [[Claude Ely]], singer/songwriter
* [[Walker Cress]], Major League Baseball player
* [[Cynthia D Kinser]], Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
* [[Pete DeBusk]], founder of DeRoyal Industries

==See also==
* [[Lee County Sheriff's Office (Virginia)]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Virginia]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030406112615/http://www.leecountyvachamber.org/ Lee County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.leecova.org Lee County, Virginia]
* [http://www.ilovelee.org Lee County Tourism]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Lee County, Virginia
|North     = [[Harlan County, Kentucky]]
|Northeast = [[Wise County, Virginia|Wise County]]
|East      = [[Scott County, Virginia|Scott County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Hancock County, Tennessee]]
|Southwest = [[Claiborne County, Tennessee]]
|West      = [[Bell County, Kentucky]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Lee County, Virginia}}
{{Virginia}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|36.71|-83.13|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-VA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Lee County, Virginia| ]]
[[Category:Virginia counties]]
[[Category:1793 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Counties of Appalachia]]