Sandy Hook, the seat of Elliott county, was established early in the nineteenth century and named for its location on a bend in the Little Sandy River. It became the seat of Elliott county after its formation in 1869. The town was renamed Martinsburg in 1872 to honor John P. Martin, but the name was already being used by another Kentucky community, so the name was changed back again. The Sandy Hook post office opened in 1874. The population in 1990 was 548.
