Dunham, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dunham, Kentucky
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Country | United States |
State | Kentucky |
County | Letcher |
Elevation | 1,594 ft (486 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
GNIS feature ID | 491314 |
Dunham is a small, quiet place in Letcher County, Kentucky, in the United States. It's known as an "unincorporated community," which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's looked after by the nearby City of Jenkins. Dunham was once a busy "coal town," a community built around the important work of mining coal.
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Discovering Dunham, Kentucky
Dunham is an interesting place to learn about how communities grow and change. It shows how areas that don't have their own city government still play a part in a larger county.
What is an Unincorporated Community?
An unincorporated community like Dunham is a place where people live, but it's not officially a city or town. It doesn't have its own mayor or city council. Instead, it's usually governed by the larger county it's in. In Dunham's case, it's looked after by the Letcher County government and the nearby City of Jenkins.
A Look Back: Dunham's History
Dunham got its name from a person named A. S. Dunham, who was an auditor for the county. This means he helped check the county's financial records. The community even had its own post office for many years, from 1913 until 1960. This shows that it was a busy enough place to need its own mail service for almost 50 years!
Life in Dunham Today
Today, Dunham is a small community with a few important places. You can find two churches there, which are often central to community life. There's also a concrete supplier, which provides materials for building and construction. Scattered throughout the area are homes where people live.
Dunham is located very close to the border between Kentucky and Virginia, only about a five-minute drive away. This makes it a gateway to exploring both states!