Middlesboro is a city in Bell County, Kentucky, United States. It's known for being built inside a huge meteorite crater! This makes it one of only three known meteorite impact sites in Kentucky.

Middlesboro is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the Cumberland Gap. It is the largest city in southeastern Kentucky. The city sits entirely between Pine Mountain and the Cumberland Mountains.

City Name: Middlesboro
History of Middlesboro
Geography and Climate
- Weather in Middlesboro
Population of Middlesboro
Getting Around Middlesboro
- Middlesboro-Bell County Airport
Education
Economy
Sports
Famous People from Middlesboro
Images for kids

City Name: Middlesboro

The town was first funded by English business people. Its first post office opened on September 14, 1888. It was called Middlesborough, likely named after a town in England. The city officially became a city on March 14, 1890, using that spelling.

However, the post office changed the spelling to "Middlesboro" in 1894. This spelling has been used by the city and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names ever since.

History of Middlesboro

Early Days

Long ago, the area was home to American Indian tribes like the Shawnee. The first European to visit was Gabriel Arthur in 1674. Later, explorers like Thomas Walker in 1750 and Daniel Boone in 1769 also explored the area.

The "Magic City" Idea

In 1810, a settlement called Yellow Creek was started nearby. But the city really began to grow when Alexander Alan Arthur, an engineer from Scotland and Canada, became interested in the Yellow Creek Valley. After the Civil War, he wanted to develop the area.

Around 1886, Arthur noticed the iron deposits near the Cumberland Gap. He convinced wealthy people from Asheville, North Carolina, to help fund a "Pittsburgh of the South." But he couldn't get enough money.

So, he traveled to England and found new supporters for his "Magic City." He dreamed of a city with 250,000 people, running water, electricity, a big sports area, and electric trams, right in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. At the same time, he started building the Powell's Valley Railroad to connect the Cumberland Gap area to Knoxville.

The Alexander Arthur Museum

By 1888, the new town was planned and named "Middlesborough." This name was likely chosen either from a local contest or after the hometown of the English brothers who owned the local hotel. The Middlesboro Country Club was also started then. Its nine-hole golf course is one of the oldest in the United States. It claims to be the oldest course that has been played continuously. Some people also say that pianist Ben Harney started ragtime music in Middlesboro in the early 1890s. In 1892, a large hotel with 500 rooms and a spa was built south of the Cumberland Gap.

Challenges and Changes

Arthur's big project didn't work out by 1893. The Cumberland Gap was too steep for trains, so an expensive tunnel had to be built from 1888 to 1889. A big fire in 1890 also used up a lot of money and time. The local iron wasn't very good quality, so Arthur's steel mills didn't make enough money to survive the Panic of 1893, a financial crisis.

After Arthur's development ended, the post office changed the city's name to "Middlesboro" in 1894. The railroad was bought by the L&N in 1896. The local newspaper, the Middlesboro Daily News, started in 1911. Even though Middlesboro is the biggest city in the county, Pineville became the county seat because Middlesboro developed later. The two cities have been friendly rivals ever since.

"Little Las Vegas" and "Athens of the Mountains"

Middlesboro had the first electric street cars west of Washington, D.C.. These cars helped people and tourists get around the city, which became known as "Little Las Vegas" in the 1930s.

By the 1950s, Middlesboro had about 15,000 people. People in the city strongly supported the arts, earning it the nickname "the Athens of the Mountains." It was one of the few cities in the Eastern Coal Fields with a grand opera house and a great school system. The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park was also created around this time.

In the 1970s, the coal industry in the area grew again, and the city became prosperous. In 1990, a big celebration was held for the city's 100th birthday. The Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened in 1996, making travel easier.

Middlesboro Today

View of Middlesboro from Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Today, Middlesboro is working to make its downtown area better. In 2004, a group called Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Inc. (DDM) was formed. They help promote and improve the historic downtown. Since then, DDM has helped many businesses look new and restored the historic Fountain Square downtown.

The group also helps people learn about the city's rich past. Large murals are placed downtown, honoring the city's founder and other historical moments. DDM also hosts many free events for the community, like the popular Downtown Ducky Dash and Block Party. They are working to make downtown more friendly for people walking, with more benches, bike racks, and plants.

In June 2011, a big flash flood damaged many homes and businesses in Middlesboro. Heavy rain caused waterways to overflow. Two people died, and many lost their homes. The downtown area was hit very hard. For hours, cars were completely underwater. Travel was difficult because of the standing water. The governor of Kentucky, Steve Beshear, visited and declared it a disaster, which allowed state money to be used for rebuilding.

In April 2012, Middlesboro became the first city in the United States to have a community-wide organic garden. It has 60 raised garden beds where people can grow food. Some beds are even made for people with disabilities. The food grown can help families, be donated, or sold to local restaurants. Middlesboro is also working to become a certified "Trail Town" in Kentucky, which means it's a great place for outdoor activities.

Middlesboro has been featured on TV shows like the History Channel's How the States Got Their Shapes and the BBC's Wonders of the Solar System. Good Morning America also honored the Middlesboro-Bell County Library in 2013 for its community work.

In September 2015, Middlesboro voted to allow alcohol sales in the city. Before this, most of Bell County was "dry" (meaning no alcohol sales). This vote made Bell County a "moist" county.

Since 2015, Discover Downtown Middlesboro has received a grant for a series of 10 outdoor music concerts each summer. These concerts happen in a formerly empty lot downtown. Middlesboro is one of 15 cities chosen for this special concert series.

Geography and Climate

Middlesboro is located at 36°36′37″N 83°43′24″W. The city is just inside the Cumberland Gap and is built inside a meteorite crater.

The city covers about 7.6 square miles (19.7 square kilometers). Most of this is land. U.S. 25E is a four-lane highway that connects Middlesboro to Interstate 75 at Corbin, about 45 miles (72 km) away. It also connects to Interstate 81 at Morristown, Tennessee, also about 45 miles (72 km) south.

Weather in Middlesboro

Middlesboro experiences all four seasons. Fall has beautiful colorful leaves, and winters usually have snow. The average high temperature in July, the warmest month, is 87°F (31°C). The average low in January, the coolest month, is 24°F (-4°C). The highest temperature ever recorded was 112°F (44°C) in July 1930. The lowest was -18°F (-28°C) in January 1985. The city gets about 42.8 inches (108.7 cm) of rain each year, with March being the wettest month.

Population of Middlesboro

As of the 2020 census, Middlesboro had 9,405 people. In 2000, there were 10,384 people living in the city. About 23.6% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age was 39 years.

Getting Around Middlesboro

Cumberland Gap Tunnel

The city's main road is U.S. 25E. The U.S. 25E Tunnel, also called the Cumberland Gap Tunnel, is a 0.87-mile (1.4 km) tunnel that goes under the famous Cumberland Gap. The tunnel starts in Middlesboro and ends in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.

Middlesboro is one of the few cities in Kentucky not built near a major river, so you can't reach it by boat. The only large body of water nearby is Fern Lake, which is on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

A man-made canal flows through the middle of the city. This canal channels Yellow Creek. It was built by many immigrants soon after the city was founded. The canal is home to many ducks, who are considered honorary citizens! Drivers and walkers must always yield to the ducks. Harming the ducks can lead to fines or jail time. Because of its large duck population, the canal is used for the Downtown Ducky Dash, a rubber duck race held every August.

Welcome sign coming into the city.

Middlesboro's main street is Cumberland Avenue, which runs through the historic downtown. Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Inc. (DDM) works to restore the downtown area. They have restored Fountain Square, created historical murals, started a farmer's market, and improved signs and plants downtown. Many streets parallel to Cumberland Avenue are named after places in Britain, while streets that cross it are numbered.

Middlesboro-Bell County Airport

Middlesboro has the Middlesboro-Bell County Airport. It's a small airport with one runway for general aviation. It's the second oldest airport still in use in Kentucky, after Bowman Field in Louisville. The airport was established in 1944, but the first flight into the city was in 1912.

The airport is home to 26 aircraft and has over 18,000 flights each year. It was also where the famous P-38 Lightning plane, Glacier Girl, was restored. It made its first flight after restoration in October 2002. The airport has recently been updated with a new terminal, jet fuel tank, and plans for a wider runway and new hangars. The closest major airport is McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, Tennessee, about 75.5 miles (121.5 km) away.

Education

Middlesboro has a public library, which is part of the Bell County Public Library District.

Economy

Middlesboro is home to Middlesboro Mall, the only enclosed shopping mall in the area. There's also Middlesboro Crossing, a newer shopping center on the north side of the city.

Sports

Middlesboro has been home to several minor league baseball teams over the years. These include the Middlesboro Athletics (1949–1954), the Middlesboro Colonels (1913–1914), the Middlesboro Senators (1961–1962), and the Middlesboro Cubsox (1963). These teams played at Hilltop Speedway Park.

Famous People from Middlesboro

Joseph Bosworth, a businessman, lawyer, and politician
Lela E. Buis, a writer
Gerry Bussell, a football player for the Denver Broncos
David Grant Colson, a U.S. Representative in the 1800s
Ben Harney, a ragtime pianist
Matt Jones, host of Kentucky Sports Radio
Lee Majors, an actor known for The Six Million Dollar Man, who grew up in Middlesboro
Leonard F. Mason, a Medal of Honor recipient
Henry Harrison Mayes, an evangelist known for religious signs along highways
William McElwee Miller, an American missionary and author
Julie Parrish, an actress
Trish Suhr, a comedian and actress
Georgia Turner, a singer
Vann "Piano Man" Walls, a rhythm-and-blues pianist
Leo Wardrup, a Navy officer and Virginia state legislator
John White, a U.S. Representative and former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

Images for kids

View of Middlesboro from the Pinnacle Overlook.
Flag of Middlesboro, Kentucky.
Seal of Middlesboro, Kentucky.
Coat of Arms of Middlesboro, Kentucky.
Location of Middlesborough in Bell County, Kentucky.
The Alexander Arthur Museum
View of Middlesboro from Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Cumberland Gap Tunnel
Welcome sign coming into the city.

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Middlesboro, Kentucky Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

Middlesboro, Kentucky facts for kids

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