Who are the Harlan Countians? Stumbled across your post. Small town life can be hard or easy. We had our own post office, City Hall and fire station. It was a thriving community in the 60s-70s. A miner was Basil was a neighbor of ours when I was a kid, so I know he was Everyone I knew (including my family) ate government cheesethe best cheese ever. It is not, as you might think, simply the eastern half of the great Commonwealth of Kentucky. Sweet. Anyway, I just had to leave a note. Really enjoyed the read. I not THAT old! now let me add to your story, Harlan has taken a step ferder, and now has a Huge new Comfort Inn Hotel.Yep, John this is LONZO, and we now have more southern hospitality hure..Come see us sometime. John, this is really good stuff! I KNOW A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE AT CAWOOD AND SMITH, KY. Ive got a few more Harlan County memories. Welcome to Harlan County! I go back to Ky at least once a year. This is where Norma lives, was the reply. Hey, I actually remember the Cliff Hanger (by reputation only), but it was not for my younger crowd. Their isnt anyone who acts the way you have described them in this concoction, Nor is the area the way you have presented it. We often visited Harlan as most of our relatives were there. It is true that you can take the boy out of the mountains but never the mountain out of the boy. Someone told me that the best way to commit suicide was to stand around in Smith and act like youre counting money! I am an outlander from Bell County and so enjoyed reading this! Loyallalso had a theaterthe Roadenuntil I was about 6 years old. Oh yeah, one last thingI am a coal miners daughter..and damned proud of it. It is funny how people from all over the Country know where you are talking about when you say you are from Harlan Co. and many of them visibly tense on that statement. I know that area well. My husband is a retired coal miner. I, too, am from Harlan an outlander like yourself, and I was left laughing and shaking my head at all the things only people like us would know to be true I would love to include a link to this in my own blog, but I dont yet know how to do it, lol. I am sure he is talking about when he grew up and how times were then I am from Harlan live here now .I loved the article and havent read anything disrespectful . And should I know you? Edit. The strikers made bumper stickers supporting their cause and drove around the community in a truck with loudspeakers to explain their grievances and hopefully gain support. Loved Justified. Even though they know whats best for Harlan, we dont really like them. I wanted more for my kids and wife. Harlan County once earned the moniker Bloody Harlan for the union wars that broke out in the 1930s. As workers fought for better pay and safer working conditions, coal companies colluded with local law enforcement to break down the strikers. Harlan has always been divided into pro- and anti-union. I just said, hey, he was my neighbor. My mother drove through Brookside to go to work every day, so I also know the strike was real. In reference to going swimming in the river and the city pool, we did that too. She taught Home Ec, but also taught other classes. He died in 1980 at age 63, and 42 years later his name is presented on the roads of Harlan. I even remember who it was, but lets let bygones be bygones. This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Right now, its in a big down turn. There she met my father and I was born in 1952. Dad was born and raised there. Jan had so many stories about the hospital. I still have family in Cawood and Baxter but I dont get up there much.. Jennifer, I moved to the Tampa Bay area when I was four and a half. Many people watch the FX series Justified. Harlan County, USA is not only a great documentary, but a great film. Cats and Harlan Countians have 9 lives. That bastion of journalism, Hustler Magazine, once listed Harlan (the town) as one the three meanest towns in America. I am a faithful Kentucky Basketball fan and follow them year in and year out, through good and bad GO BIG BLUE.. . I was in her class the day JFK was shot in Dallas. I USE TO WORK IN THE COAL MINE AT THREE POINT, CRANKS AND HARLAN. I saw a little of all of it. Although its closer to Hazard than Harlan, I would reply, Bean Patch Holler on Irishman Creek! They loved it! My Dad was a coal miner, was on oxygen from 2007 until 2010. Its county seat is Harlan. I love your wifes Loll great story! Well, I have rambled enough. I was up at Holmes Mill just a few months ago. Like to have all the money I spent in those places back! It has been both fascinating and sad as well to learn so much about the history, struggles, strength and resilience of the Harlan countians. When he grew up, he moved west to Colorado and became a hard rock miner for the next 40 years. heres the link: First time reading it. Join us . I just cant get enough of the haters. The first of the month is a big time in Harlan. I aint convinced about mccounty I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL, DO ANY OF YOU REMEMBER A LITTLE BLIND MAN THAT USE TO SELL NEWS PAPERS IN THE LOBBY OF THE HARLAN HOSPITAL? He was my English teacherand a good one at that. I havent lived in Harlan in 30 year, but if someone asks where Im from, Harlan is the immediate response. And of that i am very proud. For many years now, Harlan has had a multi-screen cinema. Didnt know him well, but I remember him. The truth, of course, probably lies somewhere in the middle. Born and raised in Cumberland.I live in Florida now loved your article.Proud of my roots! She used it for many recipes, everything from casseroles to sauces. Today, theres not much there for anyone, unfortunately. Itd be hard to sneeze and not hit a Creech with the spray. I try to go back a couple times a year, for nostalgia as much as bagging those elusive, scarce birds. Ive been gone for 20+ years now. Theres nothing to do. As I was merrily driving along, I was suddenly chastised soundly for missing the road. Murdered while running against Boyle. John. Webparcheggio ex mof ferrara orari what happened to basil collins kentucky. I have more memories of the younger Brittons that are closer to my age. Ring any bells? You shouldve had to breath half a can of hairspray in the morning after he got out of the bathroom. I still tell people I am from Harlan because it brings instant recognition. The people certainly are of Eastern Kentucky stripe, but they do lack isolation. (She died in 1995, and I am so glad to have such good and often funny memories of her.) On this criterion, Robertson County would qualify, but again, its just too far north. Harlan County USAdivides us into two groups: Those that love it and those that hate it. I remember Alafair. You werent one of us. I too are from Harlan I left in Jan. 1975. Christy, I believe we may know each other. I was mostly raised In Floyd Co. KY & did live in Grundy , Va. at one time. Sadly, they didnt seem to be doing well. Loved the blog Ive told many people about the govment cheese. Home; Movies; TV Shows; People. I have enjoyed these old memories!!! Still have a few family members there and many friends. Love love love Harlan County Kentucky and the people. A friend of mine once drank a beer from a girls cowboy boot at the Lounge. I married a Lady, born and raised in Harlan. But my roots are still strong an a country girl. Oh, people still get shot occasionally but at much lower rate than wed like you to believe. My Mom taught at Evarts from 1951 to 1980. I was born and raised in Liggett. I went for a while to Holy Trinity School, Harlan Elementary for one year, then to Hall before Cawood. Awesome story. I just tried a case in Illinois. Black Diamonds In My Own Backyard-- Rufus J. Bailey 3. We werent eligible for cheese, either, but my Dad would get it anyway! Take care! Im fortunate that my job regularly takes me to Eastern Kentucky. I found a place to turn around and get back down the road and get my act together. So so sad to see that head of the Holler non existent now, all overgrown. His name was Wiley Holmes. The school closed. My first trial was in Elliott County. My great grandpa ran a mill there. I graduated Harlan HS, UK, then moved to NYC, culture shock! There are doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, coaches, laborers, deadbeats and criminals. I have many good friends I have met through the Hall High Gamecock web site. If we didnt know them, well they were at the wrong house. Maybe they were hoping to see (or experience) some kind of catastrophe. I do not claim to be from there so I am not in any of your groups. We just live somewhere else. You have to sound like us. I guess this was one of many reasons my dad thought California was a good choice for me. This strike had only one death. We knowthat houses have winders and chimleys. Hell, it was the best cheese everthe only thing the Federal Government ever perfected! I have no other information on these two at this time. My mother taught Home Ec at Evarts for 28 years. I knew Lisa vaguely. My Mother, Reba Campbell, was born in Liggett. Oh, you might go to Garys Lounge and Roller Rink sometimes. There has always been tension between those who work and those who dont or wont. In talking about monthly checks, I can remember visiting my family in Louellen, a coal mining camp in those days, and going down to the the company store and watching people get their cheese in blocks and their commodity meat which was actually spam. If its hard, its hopeless. I need a shirt like that. No as in stop, do not, negative, etc and nothin slang for nothing not anything; no single thing; having no prospect of progress; of no value; not at all. Howdy, So if you have a iota of respect for you mom and dad, grandma and grandpa you will correct this mess and actually write something that isnt from fifty years ago. Like much of Eastern Kentucky, the population has declined for decades. WebHarlan County is a county located in southeastern Kentucky.As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,831. Basil Collins was Uncle Basil to us. Wouldnt trade my youth spent in Harlan County for any other in the world. Im very impressed by your writing. I appreciate all commentspositive and negative. Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com. Much later in life we got married and we were on vacation going south to visit her sister who lived back home. One person wrote that people visiting here didnt have hotels or anywhere to stay unless they stayed with family. I knew the Clarks well. Me, my brother and sister went to church every Sundaywe werent allowed to even go to the toilet until after church. I left a long time ago and went back to live there once for a few years. https://thetrivialtroll.com/2012/03/10/adventures-in-hitchhiking/. I JUST RAN ACROSS YOUR CONVERSATION AND THOUGHT I WOULD COMMENT ON HARLAN KY. U may or may not remember it and I also did alot of the fencing around the many many acres he and ur moms own. I-64 runs through Montgomery, Bath, Rowan and Carter Counties. You talked funny. My older brother and sister were both born at Lynch Hospital. I go back once or twice a year to visit relatives. By the way, I think grilled cheese sandwiches made from government cheese were the best! My Mom then joined the WAC. I am a badass.. Government checks. No worries. Since Ive been gone, Harlanlike all of Eastern Kentuckyhas been devastated by prescription drug abuse. Good to hear from you. Everything is right on! There is no Holiday Inn Express in Harlan. If you need to go someplace that can be accessed through Harlan County, I guarantee that theres an easier, quicker way to get there. My Mom was a nurse at the hospital there (where I was born in 66). loved her. preston and i have lived here in lexington since 1999. bu i consider loyall and that little house my adopted home. Remember all the men that used to hang out around the courthouse, sitting on the little wall? I was able to buy it when we lived in the Corbin area for $20 a box. I volunteer as a cashier at a nonprofits ReStore. Above all else, it covers the 1930s strikes at the coal mine, which resulted in 11 deaths and earned the area the name Bloody Harlan. But what probably haunts the Being 60yrs old now, I am very proud of my ancestors and family heritage. ENJOYED YOUR ARTICLE, WOULDNT TRADE THE PLACE I GREW UP FOR ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD . Your Great Grandfather John D. and my Grandfather Brack H. were brothers and my Grandmother Geanie and your Great Grandmother Jeanette were sisters. We hiked deep into the woods for good sled trails in the winter. My Mother married her high school sweethart Robert Kitts right before he left for the army as WWII started. Harlan is total badass. The result - Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) - was an astonishingly intimate and passionate work that won the Oscar for Best Documentary and recently was selected as one of twenty-five films by the Library of Congress to be placed on its Film Registry. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HARLAN,CO. I was raised over the mountain at Little Laurel. I once met a police officer who worked in the State Police in Harlan, he visibly tensed when I said I was from Harlan, went ashen when I said I was from Smith, and excused himself when I said I was a Middleton. After 8 weeks or so the letter came with I found your Harlan countian!! WebLearn about Basil Collins: his birthday, age, zodiac sign, his family, and more. A rural county of 27,000, Harlan Countys average household income is about $29,000. One of the great things about Harlan is that changes very little. I lived through that strike, my dad was in charge of security for Eastover, so I guess that made him the head gun thug to many. I dont live in Harlan now, but Im still a Harlan Countian. of life I have lived in Chicago, IL., Ypsilanti, MI., Charleston, W. Va., so I know all to well about the differences of living in Eastern KY & a big city. My brother actually had a knife pulled on him at Cawood. The original Mount Aire Motel was on Pine Mountain, and it burned down in the 70s. We lived in Yancey when I was born, moved to Brookside, then moved to Evarts (Woods Mine Area) before moving to Walker County, AL. I can relate to alot of it. I didnt like a lot of your article, some of it is accurate. Enjoyed the article. In fairness, many went to both joints. My dad was one of them, outside Tommy Lees barbershop. The economy continues to contract and isnt likely to get much better. They had two fabulous sons who have college education with degrees in medical field and other fields. born and raised in harlan ky live in northern. Again, they are excluded because of lack of isolation. We like being the badasses of Eastern Kentucky. I live in Lexington now as well have since 1990. My people have been there for over 200 years, since before it was Harlan. I wonder why they went to Harlan to get married. You hit home with many of your comments being born and raised in Eastern Kentucky, Sandy Hook, Elliott County to be exact. Our teeth arent all that bad, although mine arent great. I had him for a health class. Brought back some memories. The menacing I am origionally from Atlanta. This is the first time I stumbled across you blog. I grew up in this wonderful town, going for summers and Christmas in Atlanta. Parents moved to Dayton, OH in 63. My parents didnt ever say much about their lives or or about my Grandfathers as both of them met violent deaths back then. Clarence had one brother Howard P. Leonard and Howard P and his wife Lucille had a son named Clarence Edwin Leonard. Director Barbara Kopple lived among the miners families and captures an intimate portrait of a movement. I dont remember Chappells slogan, but I do remember: Thats what I saidBunny Bread! I also remember the 1st grade field trip to Chappells, Bunny Bread and Harlan Ice. Among this crowd are those that my father called off the grid. He said we had a sub-culture of people so far off the creek that they werent plugged in to the modern world. Im not sure where you found this, but most folks realize that some of it is tongue-in-cheek. This excludes Boyd, Greenup, Lewis, etc. Well written and interesting. Ive never known anyone who didnt wear shoesand I knew some pretty rough characters. It well deserves its Academy Award, and 1990 inclusion in I was blessed to have been raised in the mountains. They lived near Dionne along the river there. Graduated from jach in 78. Im from Loyall. It will always be home to me. But you also are basically running down the place you were born. Daughter of a preacher. Okay, now Im homesick! We were driving down the road from Pineville toward Harlan and I was looking for the turn off to get to sister Normas place. Id love to learn more about the people, especially on the other side of the strike. My grandfather was from Island Creek, and my grandmother was from Harold. Im definitely a Harlan County boy. I have been gone for 40 years I still have my Harlan Co accent and the kids have lost their Eastern Ky accent. I am from Wynntown, went to Evarts High School and live in Richmond Ky. as differences, real ones, but the rest is a little over stated, like JUSTIFIED, eh? I live in Nashville now, it seems like everyone here know someone from Harlan. These folks are Harlan Countians, but they dont like it. My sister in law was born over in Leatherwood. I love your blog, it is a great read. The late Norman Smith was a classmate of mine at JACHS. It was originally the Bays Motel. It was an old theater whose best days had long past. His first feature film was Harlan County U.S.A. (1976, as Himself - mine foreman). There are a few folks who left and dont care to ever hear of Harlan again, but thats true of all small towns. Coming Down The Cumberland: History of the Maggard Family-- V. N. Bud Phillips 2. Love the article. She always bought some, even though she was never sure if doing so was legal. ha! Holmes mill was actually named after my family. Your ignorant, evidently you dont much about Catlettsburg in the early 1900s . It was a movie experience like no other. WebShe talks about people being beaten or threatened, and houses and families being shot at. I didnt want to leave. Just so ya know Boyd County is further east than Harlin!!!! Thank you. Born and raised as you said in Lynch You pretty much hit the nail on the head.. great write-up. WebBooks About Harlan County Kentucky Books I purchased and own. Good old Mikes drive in, where one of Harlan Countys finest young men threatened me with a belt when I stepped in to defend a younger friend. | Coal Troll's Blog, https://thetrivialtroll.com/2012/03/10/adventures-in-hitchhiking/, ALL ABOARD THE NERVE GAS TRAIN! Im proud of where Im from and yes my Daddy was a coal miner for a time. Maybe they just didnt have much else to do. Coal Mining. I wouldnt trade my life for anyone else. I dont know exactly when died, but it was sometime in the 1980s. .I didnt think to ask them while they were alive. There are good people and bad people. . I wonder if youre related to Clarence Leonard who lived near Evarts. I still call Harlan home, and as our family decreases, we return to our home to rest in Resthaven until we are all reunited in the hereafter. I am doing a genealogy study on the Leonards, McKendricks and Boteler families who lived at one time in Harlan County and some that still do. Doc Gray? We have live all over Eastern Ky, moved south to the Carolinas, then back to eastern Ky for a couple years. Went to JACHS then moved to Indiana an I havent went home in a long time. Elliott County. The ones who love it love the depiction of rough and ready union brothers and sisters ready to wage war with the coal company thugs. They dont say that because of my accent, since I only have one when I go back there. I spent a lot of hours and burned up a lot of powder and boot leather grouse hunting in Pathfork and Black Star. When we went to high school, we identified as being from Loyallor Hall or Wallins. I was born and raised in Leslie County. The Short area), my last name being Short I dont get back as often as Id like but always thoroughly enjoy coming back to visit. Any of that sound familiar, Pingback: SoWhere Are You From? We were just there in July , I love going back to visit. There are people who will pretend to be from Harlan or any place else in Eastern Kentucky. I know that area, well, too. Probably like 4th or 5th cousins. I just found this wonderful Blog! There is a bleak side to Harlan, as anywhere else. I think they graduated in the same class at Cawood. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Overall, we like the stereotypical portrayal of Harlan. Mostly, we didnt do much, because there wasnt much to do. We like that its called Bloody Harlanby some folks even though that name is based upon events which occurred 70 years ago. U take car cuz. the Ackley Hotel in Harlan until he retired and moved back to Cumberland.
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