Beech Tree News Network

Laurel County, Kentucky was founded on December 21, 1825.  Kalmia latifolia, commonly called mountain laurel, calico bush or spoonwood, is a broadleaved evergreen shrub in the heather family, Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States.  Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana.  Mount laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.  It’s the namesake of Laurel County, KY and Laurel, Mississippi(founded 1882).  Estimated 2015 Laurel County population was 60.094.
Lawrence County, Kentucky was founded on December 14, 1821 and named for American Naval officer James Lawrence.  The county seat is Louisa.  Estimated population as of 2015 was 15,745.  Lawrence was formed from land given by Floyd and Greenup counties.  The bridge from Louisa, in eastern Lawrence County, to Fort Gay, West Virginia is something of a geographic and architectural oddity. The quarter-mile concrete span spans across the Levisa Fork and the Tug River that come together and form the Big Sandy River, connects two states and has a right turn at its halfway point, which connects traffic to the Point Section neighborhood of Louisa. 
Lee County, Kentucky was founded in 1870 and named for General Robert E Lee.  The county seat and largest city is Beattyville.  Estimated population as of 2015 was 6,752.  Lee County, Kentucky is often listed as one of the poorest counties in the United States. In 2014, 35 percent of its population lived in poverty and the median family income was $23,968 compared to 14.8 percent poor and a $53,482 median family income for the United States as a whole. 
Leslie County, Kentucky was founded in 1878 and named for Preston H. Leslie, Governor of Kentucky(1871-75).  The county seat and largest city is Hyden.  Estimated population in 2015 was 10,711.  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 re-nomination in the Republican primary but lost the 1981 general election to Independent Kermit Keen. 
Everyone have a Merry Christmas!