Eastern Kentucky Coalfield facts for kids

Counties of the Eastern Mountain Coalfields of Kentucky highlighted in red

Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky

Cumberland Falls in Kentucky

Breaks Interstate Park in Kentucky

The Eastern Kentucky Coalfield is a special part of the Appalachian Mountains region in Kentucky. It includes all or parts of 30 counties in Kentucky and nearby areas in Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee. This area stretches from the Allegheny Mountains in the east to the Cumberland Plateau and the Pottsville Escarpment in the west.

This region is famous for its coal mining. Many family farms have changed or disappeared since surface mining became common in the 1940s and 1950s.

The Daniel Boone National Forest is found here, with its beautiful, rugged land. It has many natural arches and sandstone cliffs. These are great spots for rock climbing and rappeling. The Red River Gorge, a part of this National Forest, is known around the world by rock climbers.

The Sheltowee Trace Trail is a long path, about 420 to 430 kilometers (260 to 267 miles) long. It runs north and south through this region.

During the American Civil War, most people in this area supported the Union. This was because many were small farmers. However, more than 2,000 men from here joined the Confederate side. They formed the 5th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. Later, during the Great Depression, new government programs and the United Mine Workers of America union helped many eastern counties become supporters of the Democratic Party.

Eastern Kentucky has a rich history of music. Many famous country music singers and musicians come from this area. Some well-known names include Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle, The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Patty Loveless, Dwight Yoakam, Tom T. Hall, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jean Ritchie, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, and George S. Davis.

In the 1980s, most people in the hills of Eastern Kentucky said their main family background was "English." Many people of Scottish and Irish heritage also settled here.

Geography of Eastern Kentucky

The Eastern Kentucky Coalfield covers 31 counties. This area is about 13,370 square miles (34,628 square kilometers). This is about one-third of Kentucky's total land. In 2000, about 734,194 people lived here. This was about 18.2 percent of the state's population.

The largest city in the region is Ashland, with about 21,981 people. Other important cities include Pikeville, London, and Middlesboro. The highest point in Kentucky, Black Mountain, is in the southeastern part of this region, in Harlan County.

Counties in the Coalfield

The Eastern Kentucky Coalfield includes these counties:

• Bell
• Boyd
• Breathitt
• Carter
• Clay
• Elliott
• Floyd
• Greenup
• Harlan
• Jackson
• Johnson
• Knott
• Knox
• Laurel
• Lawrence
• Lee
• Leslie
• Letcher
• Magoffin
• Martin
• McCreary
• Menifee
• Montgomery
• Morgan
• Owsley
• Perry
• Pike
• Powell
• Rowan
• Whitley
• Wolfe

Major Cities in Eastern Kentucky

Ashland, the region's largest city

Here are the largest cities in Eastern Kentucky, based on their population in 2020:

Parks and Protected Areas

Eastern Kentucky has many beautiful parks and protected natural spaces. These areas offer chances for outdoor activities and learning about history.

Historical Parks

• Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (part)
• Dr. Thomas Walker State Historic Site

State Resort Parks

Natural Bridge State Resort Park

These parks offer places to stay and enjoy nature:

• Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park
• Carter Caves State Resort Park
• Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
• Greenbo Lake State Resort Park
• Jenny Wiley State Resort Park
• Natural Bridge State Resort Park
• Pine Mountain State Resort Park

State Recreational Parks

Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park in Laurel County, Kentucky

These parks are great for outdoor fun:

• Carr Creek State Park
• Dawkins Line Rail Trail
• Fishtrap Lake State Park
• Grayson Lake State Park
• Kingdom Come State Park
• Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park
• Paintsville Lake State Park
• Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail
• Yatesville Lake State Park

Other Important Natural Areas

• Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (part)
• Breaks Interstate Park (part)

Economy of Eastern Kentucky

The economy in Eastern Kentucky has always been closely tied to its natural resources. These include coal, timber, natural gas, and oil. In recent years, tourism has become a big part of the economy. People visit for the region's unique culture and its many beautiful state parks.

A company called Calgon Carbon built a large plant near Ashland in 1961. This plant is now the world's largest maker of granular activated carbon. It produces over 100 million pounds of this special carbon each year.

Economic Challenges

Many counties in Eastern Kentucky are known as "persistent poverty counties." This means that a large part of their population has been living in poverty for a long time. This is often due to changes in industries like coal mining.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was created in 1965. Its goal is to help areas in the Appalachian region grow economically. The ARC looks at things like unemployment, income, and poverty rates. They give each county a status, from "distressed" (most in need) to "attainment" (most successful). Many counties in Eastern Kentucky are still working to improve their economic situation. This shows the challenges the region faces as it moves forward.

Colleges and Universities

Eastern Kentucky has several places for higher education.

Public Universities

Morehead State University

• Morehead State University

Private Colleges and Universities

The Coal Building, University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Alice Lloyd College
• Clear Creek Baptist Bible College
• Frontier Nursing University
• Kentucky Christian University
• Kentucky Mountain Bible College
• University of Pikeville
• Union College
• University of the Cumberlands

Community and Technical Colleges

These colleges offer two-year degrees and job training:

• Ashland Community and Technical College
• Big Sandy Community and Technical College
• Hazard Community and Technical College
• Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College

Famous People from Eastern Kentucky

Many talented people have come from Eastern Kentucky, especially in music and sports.

• Hylo Brown, a bluegrass and country singer, was born in River.
• Tyler Childers, a popular country, bluegrass, and folk musician, is from Paintsville, Kentucky.
• Earle Combs, a Hall of Fame baseball player for the New York Yankees, was born in Pebworth in Owsley County.
• Tim Couch, a former NFL quarterback, grew up in Hyden.
• Billy Ray Cyrus, a country music singer and actor, was born in Flatwoods.
• Richie Farmer, a well-known basketball player for the University of Kentucky, was born and raised in Manchester.
• Crystal Gayle, a country singer and Loretta Lynn's younger sister, was raised in Van Lear.
• Silas House, a famous author, was born and raised in Laurel County.
• The Judds, a mother-daughter country music duo (Naomi and Wynonna), were born in Ashland.
• Ashley Judd, an actress, is the daughter of Naomi Judd and was born in Ashland.
• Patty Loveless, a country music singer, was born in Pikeville.
• Loretta Lynn, a legendary country singer, was raised in Van Lear.
• John Pelphrey, another University of Kentucky basketball star and coach, was born in Paintsville.
• Francis Gary Powers, an American pilot famous for the 1960 U-2 incident, was born in Jenkins.
• Venus Ramey, who was crowned Miss America in 1944, was born in Ashland.
• Jeff Sheppard, a University of Kentucky basketball star and former NBA player, lives in London.
• Gary Stewart, a country music singer, was born in Jenkins.
• Jesse Stuart, a well-known author and former poet laureate of Kentucky.
• Dwight Yoakam, a singer-songwriter and actor, was born in Pikeville.
• Sturgill Simpson, an outlaw country music singer-songwriter, was born in Jackson.