Grand Rivers, Kentucky

Grand Rivers is a Livingston county city between the northern ends of Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley about 14 miles southeast of Smithland. A community possibly known as the Narrows existed on the site, originally between the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, from the early nineteenth century. The town of Grand Rivers was laid out in 1889 around two iron furnaces.

Grand Rivers was incorporated in 1890.

The population in 2020 was 351.

The Otisville post office opened in 1879, was renamed Bernard in 1882, then Nickells in 1883, and Grand Rivers in 1889. At least some of the names came from local families.

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© 2025 David C. Elbon