Somerset is a home rule-class city in Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. The city population was 11,196 according to the 2010 census.HistorySomerset was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from Somerset County, New Jersey, where some of the early settlers had formerly lived. Somerset became the Pulaski County seat in 1802, and it was incorporated as a city in 1887. A significant Civil War battle was fought in January 1862, at Mill Springs (now "Nancy") about 8mi west of Somerset, and a museum is at the site. A smaller battle was fought nearby at Dutton's Hill in 1863. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, library services were provided by the pack horse library. The completion of Lake Cumberland in 1950 transformed Somerset from a sleepy rural community into one of the largest recreation centers in Kentucky, drawing more than 1.7 million visitors annually, especially between the Memorial and Labor Day holidays.GeographySomerset is located at, and the downtown part of the city is at an elevation of around 750–800 feet above sea level. The city is located at the eastern end of Kentucky's Mississippian Plateau ; however, the micropolitan area extends eastward into the Appalachian Plateau, and northward to Kentucky's Outer Bluegrass region. Thus, the area shows significant variations in landforms and scenery.
