Fies, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fies, Kentucky
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 Fies, Kentucky
Location in Kentucky
Fies, Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Hopkins |
| Elevation | 459 ft (140 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CST) |
| GNIS feature ID | 492068 |
Fies is a small place in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community," which means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. Fies got its name from a coal mine that opened there in 1950. Most people who lived in Fies worked at this mine.
About Fies, Kentucky
Fies is located in Hopkins County, Kentucky. It was mainly known for its coal mine, which was a big part of the community's life. The mine provided jobs for many residents.
The Fies Coal Mine
The Fies area was home to an important coal mine. It was run by the Miners Coal Company. This mine dug for coal that was part of the large Illinois coal basin, which stretches into Kentucky. Workers started getting the mine ready in 1949. It was planned to be connected to major railroads like the Illinois Central and the Louisville and Nashville, making it easy to transport the coal.
The mine officially opened in 1950. It was named after Milton Fies, a famous engineer and chemist. At first, the mine focused on digging coal from a specific layer called the Kentucky No. 11 coal seam. In 1952, some of the mine's workers even won an award for their skills in mine rescue, showing how dedicated and well-trained they were.
Working at the Mine
When the Fies Mine first opened, it was a "non-union" mine. This means that the workers were not part of a labor union. However, the United Mine Workers (UMW) union tried to organize the workers there. The UMW wanted to help miners get better pay, safer working conditions, and more benefits. These efforts to form a union led to some difficult times as the union worked to represent the miners.
By 1972, the Fies Mine was digging coal from two different layers: the Kentucky No. 9 and the Kentucky No. 11 seams. This meant they were getting even more coal from the ground.
The Mine's End
As the years passed, the demand for coal changed. By the early 1980s, plans were made to close one of the two mines at Fies. Finally, the Fies Mine was completely closed down in November 1980. This was a big change for the community, as the mine had been the main source of jobs for many years.
