Harlan, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harlan, Kentucky
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City
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Harlan in 2015
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Location of Harlan in Harlan County, Kentucky.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Harlan |
| Named for | Its county |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.33 sq mi (3.46 km2) |
| • Land | 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,191 ft (363 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,776 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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1,885 |
| • Density | 1,364.06/sq mi (526.68/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
40831
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| Area code(s) | 606 |
| FIPS code | 21-34732 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0493746 |
Harlan is a city in Kentucky, United States. It is the main town and county seat of Harlan County, Kentucky. A county seat is like the capital city of a county, where the local government offices are located.
In 2020, about 1,776 people lived in Harlan. It is one of only three county seats in Kentucky that has the same name as its county. The other two are Greenup and Henderson.
Contents
History of Harlan
Harlan was first settled in 1796 by Samuel and Chloe Howard. When Harlan County was created in 1819, the Howards gave 12 acres (4.9 hectares) of their land for the county seat. The county was named after Silas Harlan, a Kentucky pioneer.
Early Names and Post Office
The community was first called "Mount Pleasant" because of a nearby Indian mound. A post office opened in 1828, but it was named "Harlan Court House". This was because another town already had the name Mount Pleasant.
Civil War and Name Changes
During the Civil War, soldiers from the Confederate army took over the town. The local postmaster then renamed the community "Spurlock" after himself. In October 1863, the courthouse was burned down.
In 1865, the post office was renamed "Harlan". The community was officially made a city called "Mount Pleasant" in 1884. However, people still usually called it "Harlan Court House" or "Harlan Town". The city's name was officially changed to "Harlan" in 1912.
Growth and Floods
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad arrived in Harlan in 1911, which helped the city grow a lot. After World War II, the city expanded even more.
In 1977, a big flood hit Harlan. To prevent future floods, the Clover Fork river was moved into man-made tunnels in 1989. A flood wall was also built on the west side of the city in the 1990s.
Geography and Climate
Harlan is located in the western part of Harlan County. It sits where two rivers, the Clover Fork and Martin's Fork, meet. These rivers later join the Cumberland River, which flows into the Ohio River.
Harlan is in a narrow valley surrounded by mountains. To the north is Black Mountain, and to the south is Little Black Mountain. The city is about 1,197 feet (365 meters) above sea level. The nearby mountains rise much higher, up to 3,000 feet (914 meters).
Roads and Nearby Cities
U.S. Route 421 runs through Harlan. This highway goes north to Hyden and southeast to Pennington Gap, Virginia. The closest city with more than 10,000 people is Middlesboro, Kentucky, which is about 42 miles (68 km) away.
Climate in Harlan
Harlan has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and winters that are generally mild to cool.
People of Harlan
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 361 | — | |
| 1900 | 557 | 54.3% | |
| 1910 | 657 | 18.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,647 | 302.9% | |
| 1930 | 4,327 | 63.5% | |
| 1940 | 5,122 | 18.4% | |
| 1950 | 4,786 | −6.6% | |
| 1960 | 4,177 | −12.7% | |
| 1970 | 3,318 | −20.6% | |
| 1980 | 3,024 | −8.9% | |
| 1990 | 2,686 | −11.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,081 | −22.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,745 | −16.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,776 | 1.8% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 1,885 | 8.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 2,081 people living in Harlan. Most of the people were White (91.01%), with a smaller percentage of Black or African American (7.02%). Other groups included Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races.
The average age of people in Harlan in 2000 was 42 years old. About 21.3% of the population was under 18 years old.
Education in Harlan
Harlan has two school districts: the Harlan County Public Schools and the Harlan Independent Schools. The independent schools serve students mostly within the city limits. They include Harlan Elementary, Harlan Middle, and Harlan High.
Students in the rest of Harlan County attend Harlan County High School. This school opened in 2008 and brought together students from three older high schools. Harlan also has a campus of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, where older students can take college classes.
The city has a lending library, which is a part of the Harlan County Public Library system.
Media and Culture
Harlan has its own newspaper, The Harlan Daily Enterprise, which is published every weekday. There are also several radio stations that serve the area, playing different types of music and programs.
Harlan has been featured in popular culture. Some stories from the TV show Justified take place in Harlan, even though the show isn't filmed there. The TV series Kentucky Justice was filmed in Harlan and followed the Harlan County Sheriff's Office.
Many songs have also been written about Harlan, including "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" by Darrell Scott and "Harlan Man" by Steve Earle.
Harlan County, USA Documentary
The documentary film Harlan County, USA is about a coal miners' strike in Harlan County in 1973. The miners were fighting for a contract after joining the United Mine Workers of America. The strike lasted over a year and included some violent events between the company and the striking miners. The film won an Oscar for Best Documentary in 1977. This history is one reason why the area was sometimes called "Bloody Harlan."
Notable People from Harlan
- Maxine Cheshire, a journalist
- Karl Spillman Forester, a federal judge
- Edwin B. Howard, a leader in military intelligence
- Wallace Jones, an NBA basketball player
- James E. Keller, a former justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court
- Nick Lachey, a singer
- Cawood Ledford, a famous sports announcer for the University of Kentucky
- George Ella Lyon, an author
- Jordan Smith, a musician who won The Voice
- Green Wix Unthank, a United States District Court judge
- Don Whitehead, a reporter and author who won two Pulitzer Prizes
See also
In Spanish: Harlan (Kentucky) para niños
