On April 19, 1818, the first meeting of the Whitley County Court was held at Samuel Cox's dwelling.

They later developed coal mining and lumber industries, based on natural resources of the area.

In 2011 the newly constructed Whitley County Judicial Center was completed adjacent to the old courthouse, and the courts moved to the new building.

[7][10] Williamsburg is located within the Eastern Mountain Coal Fields and the Appalachian Plateau regions.

The I-75 corridor runs past the west side of the city with exits 11 and 15 providing access.

The $5 million facility also houses a go-cart course, a miniature golf course, and a five-station batting cage.

The park opened on Memorial Day weekend 2001 and is the largest family entertainment center in Kentucky with a capacity of up to 3,000 guests.

[12] Williamsburg is located 18 miles (29 km) away Cumberland Falls State Resort Park within the Daniel Boone National Forest.

The park is the home of Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South or the Great Falls and is the only venue in the Western Hemisphere where a moonbow or lunar rainbow is regularly visible on a clear night with a full moon.

Angel Falls is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the park on the McCreary County side and Dog Slaughter Falls is located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from the park on the Whitley County side.

The Below the Falls section of the river includes a five-mile (8 km) long class 2–3 run that is ideal for families and beginner stage white water rafters and kayakers.

The Big South Fork is also home to Yahoo Falls, which stand 113 feet (34.8 m) high.

As of the 2000 census Whitley County, Kentucky of which Williamsburg is the county seat consisted of 22,645 Evangelical Christians, 1,741 Mainline Christians, 130 Catholics, and 11,394 individuals who are not members of the 188 groups included in the Churches & Church Membership Data.

[21] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.