ASHLAND, a city of Boyd county, Ky., U.S.A., on the Ohio river, 1 I 5m. S.E. of Cincinnati, and a few miles above the mouth of the Big Sandy, where Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia meet. It is on the Midland trail, is served by the Chesapeake and Ohio railway and (through the station of Coal Grove, across the river) by the Norfolk and Western. A govern ment system of locks and dams gives a 9-ft. stage of water on the Ohio and Big Sandy the year round, and daily packets run from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. The population in 1920 was 14,729, after annexations of territory, and in 1930, after further an nexations of territory, was 29,074 by the Federal census. There are very few negroes, considering the locality (about 3%).
The city lies on a plain along the river, rising to hills on the south. There are beautifully shaded residence streets, and in the heart of the city is a 50-acre park, of blue grass and virgin forest. The assessed valuation of property in 1927 was $22,199, 992 and building permits issued in 1926 represented values of $1,633,884. Ashland is an important shipping and manufacturing town. The surrounding country is rich in coal, iron, fire clay, sandstone, asphalt, limestone, shales, oil, gas, and hardwood timber. The city has a shipyard and drydock; extensive car repair shops; rolling mills, by-product coke ovens, tanneries, fire brick works, steel plants, and lumber mills. The output of the 23 manufacturing establishments within the city in 1927 was valued at $9,276,125. There are 3o wholesale houses and retail stores. The aggregate annual payroll for all occupations is estimated at $28,000,000.