Van Lear, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Van Lear, Kentucky
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An old-fashioned country store stands by the roadside in Van Lear.
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 Van Lear, Kentucky
Location in Kentucky
Van Lear, Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Johnson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.10 sq mi (10.63 km2) |
| • Land | 4.07 sq mi (10.53 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
| Elevation | 643 ft (196 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 893 |
| • Density | 219.63/sq mi (84.79/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
41265
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| FIPS code | 21-79194 |
| GNIS feature ID | 505958 |
Van Lear is a small community in Johnson County, Kentucky, United States. It is known as an unincorporated community and a coal town. This means it is a settlement that is not officially governed by its own local city government. Instead, it is part of the larger county.
Contents
History of Van Lear
Van Lear was officially started in 1912. It was named after Van Lear Black, who was a director of the Consolidation Coal Company (Consol). The town exists thanks to the efforts of John C. C. Mayo. He bought the rights to mine coal in the area. Later, he sold these rights to another company, which was then bought by Consol.
Consol built a five-mile railroad to reach the coal-rich land. They used money loaned by Van Lear Black's company. Between 1910 and 1946, five coal mines were opened and operated in Van Lear. These mines worked around the clock to dig up large amounts of coal from underground.
Many different people worked in the mines. This included immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and Slavic countries. People from the Appalachian region and local residents also worked there. The mines were integrated, meaning both Black and White workers worked together underground. During its busiest years, the town's population grew to over 4,000 people.
In 1945, Consol merged with another company. Then, they sold their properties in Van Lear. The people who lived in houses owned by the company were given the first chance to buy them. Many residents did buy their homes. However, most of the big company buildings were taken down.
Van Lear Today
Today, Van Lear is still an unincorporated community. There are no large underground coal mines operating right in Van Lear anymore. However, some mines still operate nearby. Most people who live in Van Lear now work in other towns. These towns include Paintsville, Prestonsburg, and Pikeville.
Since the local mines closed, only a few businesses remain in Van Lear. These include a bookstore and Icky's 1950's Snack Shop, which is inside the Coal Miners' Museum. There is also Mine number 5 store/Webb's store, which is owned by the family of famous singer Loretta Lynn. A private security company called Blood Moon Security Solutions also operates here.
Residents of Van Lear work in various jobs. These include mining, education, health care, government, and retail or service jobs. The population of Van Lear itself is about 1,600 people. If you include the entire postal area, which includes Butcher Hollow, the population is over 3,000.
Van Lear's mines are famous in country music. Singer Loretta Lynn mentions them in her songs "Coal Miner's Daughter" and the title song of her Van Lear Rose album. Tyler Childers sings about them in "Coal" from his "Bottles and Bibles" album. Dwight Yoakam also refers to them in "Miner's Prayer" from his Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. album. Loretta Lynn was born in Butcher Hollow, and Dwight Yoakam was born nearby in Pikeville.
Geography of Van Lear
Van Lear is located at 37°46′16″N 82°45′29″W / 37.77111°N 82.75806°W. Its elevation, or height above sea level, is about 643 feet (196 meters).
Population Information
In 2020, the population of Van Lear was 893 people.
According to the census of 2000, there were 2,106 people living in the area covered by Van Lear's ZIP code (41265). There were 807 households and 625 families.
Most of the people in the community were White (99.7%). A very small number were African American (0.0%) or Asian (0.3%).
Out of the 807 households, about 33.5% had children under 18 living with them. About 63.7% were married couples. Around 10.2% had a female head of household with no husband present. The average family size was about 3 people.
The median income for a household in the area was $26,600. The median income for a family was $29,556. About 14.2% of families lived below the poverty line.
Education
Most students in Van Lear attend schools in nearby areas:
- Porter Elementary school in Hager Hill (for kindergarten through sixth grade)
- Johnson County Middle School in Paintsville (for seventh and eighth grade)
- Johnson Central High School in Paintsville (for ninth through twelfth grade)
Famous People from Van Lear
- Loretta Lynn, a very famous country music singer.
- Crystal Gayle, a country music singer and Loretta Lynn's younger sister.
- Peggy Sue (singer), a country music singer and Loretta Lynn's younger sister.
See also
In Spanish: Van Lear (Kentucky) para niños
