Bell County was formed just after
the Civil War, on February 5, 1867,
from portions of
Harlan and
Knox
Counties. Originally named Josh Bell
County at its formation, the name was
changed to Bell County by the
legislature on January 31, 1873. The
county includes the Cumberland Gap,
one of the major migration routes into
the state.
County
records were lost in fires in 1914 and
1918. Also records were damaged with
some loss in a flood in 1977. The
county seat is Pineville, KY.
Pineville is located on the Cumberland
River where it cuts through Pine
Mountain. It was settled in 1781 as
Cumberland Ford and a post office by
that name opened in 1818. The name
Pineville was also in use at an early
time and was used when the town was
laid out as the seat of the new county
in 1867. The post office was renamed
in 1870. The population in 1990 was
2,198.
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