Proud to be from Harlan County.. man now im so homesick!! Ishas Smiths 2nd cousin. Webcharity bell guilford county schools; did choi woo shik serve in the military; is impeachment an effective check on the president; joseph moran jr son of thelma ritter. We hiked deep into the woods for good sled trails in the winter. In fairness, many went to both joints. They had two fabulous sons who have college education with degrees in medical field and other fields. If he called on you and you missed the questionBOOM! I remember your father well, especially his hair! Harlan is tough. Both my Grandfathers worked in the mines their younger years and I still have a 1st cousin working the mines. I guess youd call it a region or sub-region of Central Appalachia. Her husband had been killed during the war. John, enjoyed your comments. Facts about Basil Collins, birthday, facts, bio and more. Didnt know him well, but I remember him. The hills and hollers made me who I am today and the people I love still call Eastern Kentucky home. Pretty accurate for McCreary Co, as well. Robertson County is the toughest to exclude. Harlan County USAdivides us into two groups: Those that love it and those that hate it. Graduated Wallins about 1956. Disability checks. Absolutely loved this!! My brother actually had a knife pulled on him at Cawood. Heres my personal map of the area: This seemingly random boundary results in some folks calling it Southeastern Kentucky which, geographically speaking, is more accurate. Well.. About 1,000 people lived there when I was a kid. Moved to Lynch in the summer of 1969. Their isnt anyone who acts the way you have described them in this concoction, Nor is the area the way you have presented it. I have never been to a Harlan County Bears football game, but I have been told that the team enters the field to Brad Paisleys You will never leave Harlan alive song. How can I contact your Uncle Clarence E. to find out if he has any information to help with my research? I remember when you had to take a gravel road from Pineville to Loyall when they were building the new 119. I left a long time ago and went back to live there once for a few years. LOL! Home; Movies; TV Shows; People. No one should have to make a livin working between 2 rocks. Pingback: ALL ABOARD THE NERVE GAS TRAIN! Thanks for the comments. Ive lived a few places in east ky, but never been to Harlan. The road to lexington did get better tho. She was stationed in Newport News, Virginia when the war ended. They may be from such places as Shields, Jones Creek, Smith, Cranks, Punkin Center or Happy Top, although I can name you folks from all those places who have done quite well for themselves. Miss the trains. I have enjoyed these old memories!!! I volunteer as a cashier at a nonprofits ReStore. We meet in Williamsburg, but I love going back to the Creek. This, so they say, makes them mountain people. We were just there in July , I love going back to visit. I am a born and raised harlan countian. My parents (James Depew & Thelma Randolph) grew up in Harlan in the late 20s-30s My Grandfather was Bill Randolph, one time police chief, Constable and apparently gun thug for the man. It reeked of Pine Sol. . Offended by the possiblility that outsiders will use them to measure the intelligence of my people. I was born in my grandmothers house, in those days hospitals were few and far between. I still tell people I am from Harlan because it brings instant recognition. The Harlan County Way | Coal Troll's Blog We also suffer from stereotyping. My Mom moved to Cumberland from Pike County when she was 10. Basil Collins was Uncle Basil to us. miners in this county AND other states. I found a place to turn around and get back down the road and get my act together. All my mothers family is from Harlan (Baxter, Big Laurel, Loyall) and my heart is there. We often visited Harlan as most of our relatives were there. Elliott County is an exception becausewellyou just have to visit there to see. I thought Harlan was great as a kid but my wife told me if I ever wanted a divorce all I had to do was move here to Harlan. I grew up in the town of Harlan, at the bottom of Ivy Hill. We only periodically had a movie theater, the fabulous Margie Grand in Harlan. My roots and my heart are there and for me thats important. I respect ALL coal miners. Maybe they were hoping to see (or experience) some kind of catastrophe. Im sorry but I dont think so. I own a piece of railroad track on the Rhea Straight. Im pretty sure Lanes Cliffhanger was in the old Mount Aire building. Its nice to read good thoughts of Harlan County. First time reading it. As I was merrily driving along, I was suddenly chastised soundly for missing the road. I didnt want to leave. John This has been the driver to be obsessive about work and a career. One hell of a nice fellow. I lived there 6 years and worked in the mines . (She died in 1995, and I am so glad to have such good and often funny memories of her.) UMWA itself assisted in larger actions. WebShe talks about people being beaten or threatened, and houses and families being shot at. We didnt all drink Mountain Dew as babies. Of course, it doesnt. Knew a few Edsels which I never met outside Harlan! I dont live in Harlan now, but Im still a Harlan Countian. It is a tragedy what Black Jewell Coal company has done to honest, hard working coal When I started reading this blog I thought well this is alright, but as I continued I came to realize that you dont know what the hell your talking about. It is my hometown by choice.I love it, I retired from Ky Dept of Trans (engineering). That is where my husband grew up. We knew Jimmy Meeks very well. We were always suspicious of outsiders, especially those offering help. We could tell if you were from Ohio or Michigan or some other exotic place. When I was young, the Government Cheese truck looked like a scene from an African relief mission. Never mind. Holmes mill was actually named after my family. loved her. Went to JACHS then moved to Indiana an I havent went home in a long time. My Mother, Reba Campbell, was born in Liggett. Harlan County U.S.A My Grandfather/Grandmother was Floyd/Janie Clark. Jenny, I worked in Harlan Co. in the 90s on the railroad and worked with a Saylor but cant remember his first name. Maybe they never left. Then, I moved to Lexington, Kentucky and found out that I was pretty tough by Lexington standards. So please you out landing, loathing spectator, Keep your thoughts on the area you live in now, and the goings on there, we dont need or want you perspective of the people that actually live, work and die here. I was born in Pineville, Ky but grew up in Pathfork. Entertained by the tendency to call you a mooron and ignorant while not fully grasping the importance of grammar and spelling. I was born and raised in Floyd County,I always heard my family came out of Harlan or Harlan County over a hundred years ago.I dont know if there are any STAPLETON family in Harlan anymore,I am proud to be from the HILLS OF KENTUCKY !! I just tried a case in Illinois. My great granny and grandpa lived in Harlan when they first married but moved to Leslie county. alabama state tax refund status I KNOW A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE AT CAWOOD AND SMITH, KY. I was in her class the day JFK was shot in Dallas. My great grandpa ran a mill there. Lots of memories from Harlan. Were you in danger? We mispronounce light, fight, white and night. We once had a train full of nerve gas pass through Loyall. Mrs Abraham was my Home Ec teacher @Hall High. Basil was a neighbor of ours when I was a kid, so I know he was real. Your ignorant, evidently you dont much about Catlettsburg in the early 1900s . Born and raised as you said in Lynch You pretty much hit the nail on the head.. great write-up. Daughter of a preacher. Im very impressed by your writing. I was blessed to have been raised in the mountains. I love your wifes Loll great story! I bet I heard them talking about you. Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) captures the story of strike conducted by the United Mine Workers of America Local Union in Harlan County, Kentucky. Although we certainly werent poor, Government Cheese is excellent, and my Dad would get us a block whenever he could. To the men that worked at the Highsplint mine, where the majority of filming took place for the documentary, he was the one responsible for making sure Basil and his men got through to work every day. My Dad taught English there for a long time (Mr. Creech). Now, sadly, its a way of life in the mountains. I was born in Atlanta and moved here when my step-daddy (forevermore referred to as daddy) and my momma met when he was proudly serving this country.He a handsome young man from the mountainsshe a beautiful divorced young woman with two small children. Collins spent more than three years as a prisoner of war in Japan. WebA coal miner silhouetted and barely visible in the darkness of a coal mine calls out a warning three times, fire-in-the-hole, the words all run together melodiously, letting all know hes about to detonate an explosion.So begins HARLAN COUNTY USA, 1976, 104 minutes Directed by Barbara Kopple, Winner Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary 1976. 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. But you also are basically running down the place you were born. Harlan County was fighting for the right to have a union. It was quiet then. But they dont always leave. Great article!! This is the first time I stumbled across you blog. . I graduated Harlan HS, UK, then moved to NYC, culture shock! Self - Mine Foreman (as Basil Collins) 1976; Credits. God do I ever remember the Government Cheese and all the other free food provided by the gov. My much loved step daddy moved us to his hometown after he was discharged from the Army. Doris, do I know you? Thanks for letting me rant. I am a badass.. Hes married married to one of my first cousins for many years. Loved the blog Ive told many people about the govment cheese. I have many good friends I have met through the Hall High Gamecock web site. One person wrote that people visiting here didnt have hotels or anywhere to stay unless they stayed with family. why dont u come back?i know why ,because it is to political and if your not a doctor or a lawyer or have plenty of money ,you aint shit yeah the mountains are nice and this is a beautiful place, but if you aint in the click you aint shit and thats the way it really is you just like the bloody harlan shit and it makes you look BADASS to tell people your from here .your a joke dude and quit livin off a place that you evidentally really no nothin about ..post this DUMBASS . My husband and I are the black sheep as I am an attorney and my husband is an accountant. I plan to continue reading your blog. We moved here from a comfortable city life to having no electricity (a new three bedroom house with one bath and hardwood floors. Any of that sound familiar, Pingback: SoWhere Are You From? And the tell me they can always tell when Im talking to a relative on the phone for the same reason. Your article is awesome! No Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, etc. I made another U turn and started back toward Harlan at a much slower pace and was directed to take the Loyall turn off. If you do so, you wont be called a bigot or a phobe of any type. Its still pretty much the same. Black lung finally got the best of him but legally these days black lung doesnt exist. Also attended and graduated from Loyall High, where I was cheerleader and fairly popular. We have mountains all around us. 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 know you as a Harlan Countain and also as a fine person. Were the last group thatcan openly derided. I have lived here all my life and even tho at times i feel like due to work i may have to leave, i doubt i ever could. There has always been tension between those who work and those who dont or wont. its more home to me than anywhere ever will be. Brought back some memories. Its quiet now. Nothing will get a hard-working coal miner or school teacher fired up like a discussion about those drawing a check. Thats how it was when I was a kid, and it hasnt changed. No worries. Howdy, Please received our heartfelt condolences. There are good people and bad people. What did he end up doing after the strikes? Fun read. I first saw the light of day in Oneida, tn because that was the closest hospital & the road l.P. looPwas better Still have a few family members there and many friends. Thanks. If you live in Harlan, I cant say that I blame you. Harlan County USA One of the only times I used my dads reputation, telling the guy to go ahead but it was going to be his last night on Earth, because if I didnt kill him, my dad would. And of course, I mean that in a funny, I`m laughing kind of way. U and I are related. The experiences never leave me about growing up poor and the shame and humiliation that I felt as a child. Growing up, I didnt feel particularly tough. I will never be ashamed of where I grew up. They lived near Dionne along the river there. Did you live here? We didnt have that problem when I lived there. My children are fascinated and perhaps slightly horrified that I grew up in Harlan. We went to the movies most weekends and to every football and basketball game. No complaining here though. Harlan County We got spanked when we needed itdidnt hurt us one bit but sure made us better kids growing up and better adults today. If you were Basils neighbor, then you lived in Rio Vista, right? I am a brand new grandma and I am Mamaw to that beautiful baby. Harlan Countians did not like that. WebSeveral members stabbed a local sheriff when he dragged a woman violently off the road on 28 February 1974. I know that area well. I had Mrs. Williams for health, would it be your Mom? Edit. Girl fights were always the best. We drive Chryslers, BMWs, Honda Van, Subaru sports car, Chevy pick-up, Harleys, Hondas, Yamaha V-stars-4-wheelers. We currently have a lot of re-fencing to do, interested :). Oh, i think these shows are a joke, they couldnt do the truth,,, thank you, Lane. There is a bleak side to Harlan, as anywhere else. I think we also went to RC Bottling Plant at Loyall. HARLAN WILL ALWAYS BE HOME TO ME. He tell the difference between bills by touch. JACHS did not open until the 66 67 school year. Good stuff, John. In fact, I got up this morning with the intent or renewing my research. Director Barbara Kopple lived among the miners families and captures an intimate portrait of a movement. Nimrod Workman. A mouthy little man like me finds out the hard way that bad is good, but big is better. Thanks again for the good read. We lived in Yancey when I was born, moved to Brookside, then moved to Evarts (Woods Mine Area) before moving to Walker County, AL. Fantastic post, though. Very funny (and true). I will say Harlan is a great place to be from, I would not want to raise my kids there because of all the struggles I went through, and all the people I knew while growing up there. I didnt know, but thats before my time. I loved it AFTER the mob left that came to my door the day I moved in, demanding to know Who are you and what are you doing here? but was always glad to talk to her by phone. Thanks. On future blog give Watts Creek a mention. Theres nothing to do. I found the search function and found the story. Loved Justified. I need to work Watts Creek in to a future post, for sure. Mostly, we didnt do much, because there wasnt much to do. (LogOut/ But my Harlan upbringing gave me my core values. Its called age, my friend. what happened to basil collins I have resided in Knoxville, TN for 26 years but Eastern Kentucky will always be home because that is where my extended family and my husbands extended family continue to reside. If its hard, its hopeless. My mother taught Home Ec at Evarts for 28 years. You talked funny. We know at least one person who has been shot with a gun by someone else or by themselves accidentally. The late Norman Smith was a classmate of mine at JACHS. I was born and raised in Leslie County. He made shoes. I definitely would NOT have fit in. There are differences: we`re north east, you`re south east. Oh, you might go to Garys Lounge and Roller Rink sometimes. Norman was good to my dad, especially during my dads troubles with alcohol yet another commonality of that age. Great description. I knew that truly dangerous people dont threaten much. (: Did you know Jo Alice Chitwood or Lance Johnson? I worked with them both at Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital in the late 60s, early 70s. 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. My dad taught there from 66 96. There are doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, coaches, laborers, deadbeats and criminals. We visited my grandparents every summer. My parents who were also my papaw and mamaw owned Tiny Jos market in Baxter. Harlan County, USA Good memories there. I used to try and derail the presumptions, now I just embrace them. Harlan County jack brock ha d 21 dogs and 21 kids, he got kill by a drunk man he was taking home that was about like the earth quake in los ang years ago it was bad , for those who know my grandpa honey bill saylor and my dad and my friend big al ,arnold lee saylor he was a damn good man i miss alot cause he is in all my boys alot i see him every day yours trunly ronnie gene saylor of molus ky aka molus hollow. It rated right up there with his song about Jim and Tammy Baker, pretty good actually. If he is still living can you ask him about any Leonard relatives he know about or put him in touch with me. Many who knew of the hair would be shocked to know he wears it pretty much buzzed these days. Publicado el marzo 4, 2023 por marzo 4, 2023 por SO neat to see my family talked about on here! Maybe 700 or so now. Our football coach , Ed Miracle, was shot in the foot playing golf three weeks later . Its a kind of mountain street cred. I also would talk to Art at the store in Loyall, where I would stop to get gas. There are gun thugs in Harlan County, U.S.A., in particular a mean, squinty-eyed, jackal named Basil Collins, his pistol sticking out of his Dickies like a goofy cap Some are like me. Anyway, thanks again. I graduated in 80. Many people watch the FX series Justified. The previous mentioned Clarence E. Leonard is my Uncle. The other motel in Browning Acres is Mount Aire Motel. I am from Wynntown, went to Evarts High School and live in Richmond Ky. Just curious, if you struggled with the inclusion of Whitley county..what was your rationale for the inclusion of mccreary county? 1. Its a nice place. I do think this is good stuff. My Mom and grandparents are gone now but I have always continued to visit with relatives in Harlan every summer. Do you think either one of these fits into your family. Ironically, my daughter found a boyfriend from Loyal(the ones in Georgetown are apparently not her type) so she visits him a lot. what happened to basil collins His name was Arthur Johnson, he was from Cumberland, but lived at We mourn with the family of Basil Collins for this great loss. WebOfficial Summary of the film Harlan County harlan county summary harlan county is documentary that tells the story of the brookside miners in harlan county, that he would ensure better safety programs for the miners. https://www.facebook.com/groups/WallinsCreekers/. I was mostly raised In Floyd Co. KY & did live in Grundy , Va. at one time. Some escape, but most dont. Eastern Kentucky isnt for everybody, it isnt even for a lot of the people who live here their whole life. She married a coal miner who also was educated and chose that life. I was born and raised in Harlan County and we moved to Alabama in 1952 when I was 12 years old. They are either Harlan by birth or moved there at a young age. My dad spent much of childhood there in the 30s. I saw a little of all of it. Thats when people get their checks. It has always been home for me. Theirs will be more like trips to Kings Island, etc. While my friends and fellow graduates were leaving here, I was happy to stay in a place I loved. I was born and raised in Sunshine. I JUST RAN ACROSS YOUR CONVERSATION AND THOUGHT I WOULD COMMENT ON HARLAN KY. WebSynopsis. Goodbye Fleming, Nicholas and Robertson Counties. Sometimes you hear gun fire in the distance, but thats in the woods. Wouldnt trade it for anything. You say that you came here now and then, but if you did you would know that we have many amenities and hotels such as a holiday inn express and a comfort inn. I loved living in Ages,Ky for the 2 years I was there!! He said that I was making the county look bad. Love love love Harlan County Kentucky and the people. Even though they have visited my homeland many times, they remain baffled by it. I visit very often, as my father still lives there. Overall, we like the stereotypical portrayal of Harlan. If we didnt know them, well they were at the wrong house. Honestly, I laughed out loud, because it was so venomous. You might even become a best-selling author or reality TV producer. Were hemmed in. 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 get the isolation, and the coal mining( although Boyd , Greenup, and a lot of the others have had some minor strip mining now and then.) We live in McCreary Co now, so still SEKY. They dont say that because of my accent, since I only have one when I go back there. My ancestors settled Smith, hence its name, and Im proud of it being off the grid. Awesome story. Just found your blog while attempting to refresh my memory about the name of the theater, the Margie Grand, in Harlan. I suspect its mostly because they didnt care much for Hustler, at least not publicly. We also have accents, heavy mountain accentsthe kind that can be indecipherable even to natives of the area. We knew who it was, because he told my mom about the encounter, but he was quietly scary, like a lot of the men from his era. I am a faithful Kentucky Basketball fan and follow them year in and year out, through good and bad GO BIG BLUE.. His first feature film was Harlan County U.S.A. (1976, as Himself - mine foreman). Have lived in SC for the past 25 yrs but everyone who knows me knows where I come from. Scott describes the murder of Lawrence Jones by Billy Bruner. There is no Holiday Inn Express in Harlan. Loved reading your blog and reminiscingI was raised in Harlan County both parents having been from there. It used to be called Klondike many years ago. We were not eligible for the government cheese, but my aunt was, & she would always bring us some, every month. I just found this wonderful Blog! We still have relatives in the area. I grew up in Sunshine too. I am still Harlan County thru and thru. Oxford American | The Ballad of Harlan County Where you from?..Pike Countylol. I have always considered Harlan my second home. Rich Montjoy, I am replying to your post because you didnt say anything bad about Harlan, (Harlan County), Ky. BTW until barrack obama declared war on our coal mines,a fact, there were more millionaires in Harlan, Pike,Perry Counties, per capita than in our largest cities. My mother drove through Brookside to go to work every day, so I also know the strike was real. Do you remember the Chappells Dairy slogan? This excludes Boyd, Greenup, Lewis, etc. It was an old theater whose best days had long past. I remember commodity butter. And hell, I was taken at knife-point down into the creek at Hall when I was in 6th grade. They were both sweet, kind, honest, decent people. 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. It has been both fascinating and sad as well to learn so much about the history, struggles, strength and resilience of the Harlan countians. I-64 runs through Montgomery, Bath, Rowan and Carter Counties. I owned a genteel little social club called THE CLIFFHANGER up on pine mountain, and had some of the finest folks i ever knew as customers, although mostly they considered the Garys crowd a little on the gentler side. It even had an old balcony whererumor had itblack folks used to be seated. My mother grew up in Cumberland and knew tons of Creeches from up that way. There are a couple of places to stay, and theyre okay. Welcome to Harlan County! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); https://www.facebook.com/groups/WallinsCreekers/, http://www.kentuckytourism.com/places_to_stay/holiday-inn-express/73/, SoWhere Are You From? 62 (10) 1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1921. I was even sent back to Atlanta to attend Agnus Scott College, and didnt stay because I actually missed my family AND Harlan County. I guess Ive waited too many years to ask, but it would be nice if someone knew of him or my other Grandfather Bill Randolph. I worked as a car hop from Denny rays rite out of high school. By the way, Cumberland had the Novo Theater and the drive-in theater as well. Were isolated. They find it hard to believe we had no fast food restaurants. 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 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!! Oh the cheese made the best grilled cheese, My wife from Ohio and my 2 children even loved it. U take car cuz. The coal industry known for its boom and bust cycles was in a slump. Second, my parents lived in Harlan County their entire lives, as have aunts, uncles, cousins and many of my closest friends. My name is Julie Crowder-Ward. John. My mother is Drena Crowder-Leonard. Like much of Eastern Kentucky, the population has declined for decades. How do we know they dont live in a ghetto. I moved to the Tampa Bay area as a teenager and it was a bit of a culture shock. A convenient store replaced the gas station and stores. 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? They didnt know what to do with me! I knew Lisa vaguely. I know it well. born and raised in harlan ky live in northern. 10 Big Documentaries They Dont Ever Want You To See I knew the Clarks well. Much later in life we got married and we were on vacation going south to visit her sister who lived back home. John,I also remember those 1st grade field trips. I aint convinced about mccounty That is certainly true, but I must say that those unfortunates (if thats what they are) are the in minority.. You probably know others of my family, like my sister Lisa, that worked at the Enterprise for years and now works for Corrections and lives in Georgetown; or my cousins that went to James A.Cawood, Ruth Ann and Gary Cox. My dad was one of them, outside Tommy Lees barbershop. Thanks for the kind comments. Outside the Highsplint mine in Harlan, County, KY in 1974, United Mineworkers of America (UMWA) strikers and supporters confront state police and strike breakers. Before the union won the right to an election, one miner was shot dead by company security while having a beer with friends.
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