The town of Proctor, named for the Reverend Joseph Proctor, was the first county seat.  It's post office operated from 1843 until 1918. The first court was held on April 25, 1870 in the Old Howerton House.  Early Proctor enterprises included hotels, groceries, carpentry, basket making, boat building, salt gathering, coal mining,  timber operations, and flour milling. 
 

The town of Beattyville was first known as Taylor's Landing.  In 1850 it was renamed to Beatty, after early settler and landowner Samuel Beatty.  In 1872 Beattyville was incorporated and became the new county seat. Beattyville is located on the Kentucky River, near where the North Fork and South Fork merge. 

Much of the western part of the county in now part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. 

Read more about the towns of Beattyville & Proctor here at 
"A Bird's Eye Look At Beattyville" 

The county population on July 1, 1999, was 7,994. 
 
 

Proctor Cemetery 5/2/2008

1910 Census - Proctor E. D. 100 2/9/2008 complete

1910 Census - New Virginia E. D. 97 1/29/2008 complete