Van Lear, Kentucky

Van Lear is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Kentucky, United States.

History

Incorporated in 1912, the town was named for a director of Consolidation Coal Company (Consol), Van Lear Black. It owes its existence to the viable efforts of John Caldwell Calhoun Mayo. Mayo bought coal rights to land along Miller's Creek in Johnson County, which he later sold to Northern Coal and Coke, which in turn was later acquired by Consol.

Consol built five miles of railroad into the Johnson County property with money loaned by Van Lear Black's Fidelity Trust. Eventually five coal mines were opened and operated in Van Lear from 1910 through 1946. The vast coal deposits were mined from five underground mines around the clock. The miners included immigrant Irish, Italians and Slavs, as well as Appalachians and locals. The mines were integrated; both blacks and whites worked underground. During the boom years the population surpassed 4000.

In 1945 Consol merged with the Pittsburgh Coal Company, then divested itself of its Miller's Creek properties. The people who lived in company-owned housing were given first chance to purchase those homes and many did. However, most of the major buildings were torn down.

Van Lear today

Currently, Van Lear is an unincorporated community. There are no deep mines operating in Van Lear proper, although some mines operate nearby. Most of the residents work in locations outside Van Lear, including Paintsville, Prestonsburg, and Pikeville.

People work in mining, education, health care, government, and retail/service jobs. The present population of Van Lear proper is roughly 1600. The total population of the Van Lear postal district (including Butcher Hollow) is over 3000.

The Van Lear mines are referred to by country music singer Loretta Lynn in the title song of her "Van Lear Rose" album, and by Dwight Yoakam in "Miner's Prayer" from his "Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc." album. Lynn was born in Butcher Hollow and Yoakam in nearby Pikeville.

References

* [http://www.vanlear.org Van Lear website]