In Atlanta, some of the New Yorkers that worked with me at the ad agency used to continually ask me where I was from just to hear me say it. I married a Lady, born and raised in Harlan. They just hang around and complain. What did he end up doing after the strikes? God do I ever remember the Government Cheese and all the other free food provided by the gov. The school closed. We were just there in July , I love going back to visit. There are a few folks who left and dont care to ever hear of Harlan again, but thats true of all small towns. Read my post about growing up in Loyall sometime. My ancestors settled Smith, hence its name, and Im proud of it being off the grid. Still have family there. Im from graysknob, pine branch was were I lived till I was 17 then we moved to Putney. Love the article. My mom grew up in Cutshin, my dad was from Martins Fork, they met at The Court Cafe. I grew up in Eastern Kentuckyborn and raised as we say. Dont say we are not eastern Kentuckians because we dont speak your slang, or live the life that people from harlin county do. You are so right, except I dont know anyone named Lonzo. Hell, it was the best cheese everthe only thing the Federal Government ever perfected! Im one of those that left for work but I have a brother who still lives there and I occasionally visit. Goodbye Fleming, Nicholas and Robertson Counties. WebIn his new introduction to the reissue of Harlan Miners Speak, an on-the-scene report from a panel of writers about the coal strike in Bell and Harlan Counties, John Hennen skillfully explains the precipitating factors of the labor unrest. Im actually kind of offended by your antics and false information. Mostly, we didnt do much, because there wasnt much to do. THIS is just funny. For roughly a century after the railroad came in, Harlan flourished or suffered according to coals cycle of boom and bust; the countys population expanded or i bet you knew my father in law he worked at the loyall store and was the fire chief for a number of years. I remember an encounter with the business end of a 38 special at the Smith lake boat ramp late one night. That is perhaps because I hail from off the grid (Smith). Sometimes, the film would jam and you could watch it melt. Im sorry that I didnt do more to keep in closer touch with them both as we grew older. Then, I moved to Lexington, Kentucky and found out that I was pretty tough by Lexington standards. But my roots are still strong an a country girl. We are our own world. My grandfolks, originally from Johnson Ct. lived up at the end of a holler. Glad I did not move here and my kids there, My children have been able to say they are from Eastern Ky as both were born down there. I have to admit that I enjoy the irony of a sentence like Your ignorant., Its like the guy who commented that Im a fuckin mooron.. My brother actually had a knife pulled on him at Cawood. Im from Loyall. I grew up in Browning Acres, just down the street from both the hospital and Cawood High School. I feel blessed to have grown up in Harlan, at a time when people actually cared about each other, and would not trade it for anything!! Just so ya know Boyd County is further east than Harlin!!!! My Mom moved to Cumberland from Pike County when she was 10. I graduated Harlan HS, UK, then moved to NYC, culture shock! born and raised in harlan ky live in northern. This is where Norma lives, was the reply. Ruth Ann was my older brothers age. A man that loved Great description. There she met my father and I was born in 1952. Pingback: Im Baaaackmaybe | Coal Troll's Blog, Loyall kid hereloved finding this. Thanks! Ironically, my daughter found a boyfriend from Loyal(the ones in Georgetown are apparently not her type) so she visits him a lot. Glad that youre happy in whatever metro area you moved to. Oh, well. Girl fights were always the best. Help me out with what category to look at to fi the hitchhiking story. Its a nice place. 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. Government checks. Not at all. Spent a lot of time at the top of the hill up Watts Creek. Im from Tennessee (save your boos for later, lol) and grew up in a very small, rural town with a lot of off the grid inhabitants. I live in Northern KY now but all my family still resides in Harlan so I visit a lot. As for accent and all that, I never noticed having any problems understanding anything anybody said, strange utterances, etc. Used to go to Cumblin every Fride and satdy nite. I wonder if youre related to Clarence Leonard who lived near Evarts. It was originally the Bays Motel. My name is Julie Crowder-Ward. Ishas Smiths 2nd cousin. My dad spent much of childhood there in the 30s. I grew up in Sunshine, graduated from Harlan High School in 1972 and after going to Southeast and U.K., headed to California. 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. Oh the cheese made the best grilled cheese, My wife from Ohio and my 2 children even loved it. Thanks for letting me rant. Daughter has owned her own business in Harlan for thirty years. The folks in Brookside were surely Harlan Countians as was the chief gun thug, Basil Collins. Our client was suing the City of Sandy Hook. I couldnt quit reading it. These books are listed as History and Genealogy reference only. I suggest you search my blog for my many other posts about life in Harlan County. Who are we? Harlan County, Kentucky: Basil Collins miner foreman and leader/manager of the scabs confronts picketers with a 45 in his right pocket. We were driving down the road from Pineville toward Harlan and I was looking for the turn off to get to sister Normas place. John I am Wayne Middletons daughter. Elected wives president by Lois. I absolutely LOVE this! I saw a little of all of it. Your article is awesome! It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . I know that area well. Stalwarts, outlanders, pretenders, loathers you left one group out. To her credit this pretty city girl took these inconveniences in her stride and made this mountain man a very good wife. Thanks for the reads I have read most of your blogs. Also, I find the surest way to know someone is from SEKY is after telling them where Im from they follow up with, do you know so-and-so? I love that. Mikes Drive In was in Loyall. He was my English teacherand a good one at that. Its too dull. I cant read some of these posts because of the negative way they talk about MY hometown. As usual John you nailed it!! We live in McCreary Co now, so still SEKY. The name of the area now came to be because the truckers that hauled from the mill just refrerred to it as Holmes Mill! Doc Gray? Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. You havent had a grilled cheese sandwich until youve had one made with govment cheese, govment butter and fresh Bunny Bread. I have always been proud of being from Cawood in Harlan County. And Misty, April and I grew up together. My mother grew up in Cumberland and knew tons of Creeches from up that way. Loved this! Hey, I actually remember the Cliff Hanger (by reputation only), but it was not for my younger crowd. If I go back to Harlan for even a day, even my family cant understand me when I get back. I lived across Pine Mtn. I am also thankful for the brief time that I knew my grandmother on Turner Hill who taught me how to grow strawberries, to make jelly, string shuck beans, quilt, crochet. If you dont believe me, I just might have to kill you. The general store, a thriving Coal community. So my family got to enjoy it even tho they never lived in Harlan. Harlan 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. These folks are Harlan Countians, but they dont like it. When I first saw the documentary, I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how my dad would be portrayed, but his name was never mentioned. One person wrote that people visiting here didnt have hotels or anywhere to stay unless they stayed with family. Charles Leonard Birmingham, AL. There has always been tension between those who work and those who dont or wont. Two of my best friends were Steve Farley and Jamie Helton. They pity Harlan. My mother taught at Evarts for many years. He died in 1978, I dont remember the year Basil died, but early 1980s is right. These are small town people just like in every small town. Ill say Im from Harlan, but dont get confused. 1. You mustve been a good student, John. Most of my old mean crowd are dead. 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. Fleming County has beautiful, rolling hills, but they arent mountains. Maybe 700 or so now. He made shoes. I knew that truly dangerous people dont threaten much. How can I contact your Uncle Clarence E. to find out if he has any information to help with my research? Were also the last of a breedand this applies to all of Appalachia. We used to be territorial based on our schools. For many years now, Harlan has had a multi-screen cinema. I have a heavy heavy accent. Thats pretty much the consensus of people I know. Take care. I made another U turn and started back toward Harlan at a much slower pace and was directed to take the Loyall turn off. Lots of good folks from across the mountain.. I dont know. And should I know you? Im sure they knew each other. His name was Arthur Johnson, he was from Cumberland, but lived at Scott describes the murder of Lawrence Jones by Billy Bruner. I do think this is good stuff. These are the folks who stayed in Harlan. Any of that sound familiar, Pingback: SoWhere Are You From? We didnt have that problem when I lived there. (LogOut/ My cousin posted the link on Facebook and I have not been able to move till finishing the read. LOL LOL..enjoyed the article, One way to prove that someone is from the mountains is if they know someone named Lonzo! Facts about Basil Collins, birthday, facts, bio and more. Loved reading your blog and reminiscingI was raised in Harlan County both parents having been from there. They are my parents. Its a kind of mountain street cred. I love your article! But today, thanks to my daughter and another pool company, there are more privately owned pools at homes, per average, than in Fayette County (Lexington). Im not sure where you found this, but most folks realize that some of it is tongue-in-cheek. Edit. 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. Loyallalso had a theaterthe Roadenuntil I was about 6 years old. No Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, etc. Of course, it doesnt. It is classified as a moist countya county in which alcohol sales are prohibited (a dry county), but containing a "wet" city, in this case Cumberland, where package alcohol sales are allowed.In the city of Harlan, I went to Business College, married my daddys cousin (you had to know that was coming didnt you). Im pretty sure Lanes Cliffhanger was in the old Mount Aire building. He was a clerk there. I lived there 6 years and worked in the mines . I remember it seemed like every time my high school played Cawood there was a knife fight. I enjoyed your blog ..I too left Harlan to find work ..I recently got turned down for a job doing private duty nurses aide for a new client because I was from Harlan ..The job interview started out very well until she ask where I was from I had an accent 24 years later I still have that accent I think she was worried I was packing a gun..to funny ..love my Harlan county roots ..from Wallins.. ..Oh yeah agree with everyone loved that Gov, cheese. The culture you describe in Harlan is very similar to Leadville-only the accents are different-except for my dadhe never lost his. Fantastic post, though. My mother drove through Brookside to go to work every day, so I also know the strike was real. Theres no future. We got segregation in those years, and I never knew the difference, we all got along. Mountains. This is the first time I stumbled across you blog. We can be called ignorant, inbred, genetically inferior, toothless, shoelessyou name it.
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