Harlan, Kentucky | What Happened To This Place?

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  • čas přidán 24. 08. 2023
  • With a soaring poverty level of over 41%, Harlan Kentucky is one of the poorest cities in America. Hidden away in the Eastern Hills of Kentucky, this place has suffered immensely from the decline in coal mining. At a population height of 5,122 people in the 1940's to just 1,641 in 2023 this city continues to decline each year with no recovery in sight. Although Harlan has a low cost of living, and relatively safe community, finding a good job is extremely difficult. Many businesses have closed over the years, amenities are few, and people simply have to move away to find better opportunities. Let's take a look at some of the most impacted areas.

Komentáře • 76

  • @saint.vitus.7775
    @saint.vitus.7775 Před 10 měsíci +20

    This town may have fallen on hard times - but the people still take pride in their homes and the town center itself. It looks like a clean safe place to live. May God bless them.

  • @dianamarie5663
    @dianamarie5663 Před 10 měsíci +25

    Interesting, even paced tour. No rushing or jerky camera work. I like viewing the businesses and there is actually a good amount of traffic in the commercial areas. Thank you and best wishes to the residents of Harlan.

  • @deborahmacdonald9319
    @deborahmacdonald9319 Před 10 měsíci +20

    100% Thumbs up for such a clean downtown. What a Contrast in this video. HOLA!

    • @hoodsnhollers
      @hoodsnhollers  Před 10 měsíci +1

      Hola Deborah!! So glad to hear from ya

  • @hnrqlds
    @hnrqlds Před 10 měsíci +21

    "You'll never leave Harlan alive" Also, Justified (aired on Fox and starred by Timothy Olyphant) took place there, hell of a TV show.

  • @bookmagicroe9553
    @bookmagicroe9553 Před 10 měsíci +16

    The downtown was clean, shows pride. The neighborhoods varied from dilapidated to decent. Even though collapse and
    nature are taking over some areas, I noticed there isn't tons of trash like so many other places. Best wishes to the people of
    Harlan, KY.

  • @mystikmello
    @mystikmello Před 5 měsíci +7

    I'm from Harlan. Yeah, its a small town with a lot of run down places and poverty.. but there are also nicer areas in the county. Its not just all dilapidated buildings :) . The nature there is absolutely beautiful, partly because there aren't so many people there to mess it up. Love my hometown!

  • @1940limited
    @1940limited Před 10 měsíci +8

    Downtown looks pretty good with many buildings seemingly renovated or even new. Lots of cars parked curbside, but all the sidewalks are empty. Where is everybody? Very strange.

  • @thefrankiepalmeri
    @thefrankiepalmeri Před 10 měsíci +20

    The fact any commercial business is operating at all here is actually dumbfounding. How the hell do 1700 people keep a city alive beyond gas, food and hygiene. Wild.

  • @lauralei6963
    @lauralei6963 Před 10 měsíci +33

    It was once a coal mining town. That’s what happened.

  • @RealArtfulDodger
    @RealArtfulDodger Před 10 měsíci +6

    Just wanted to say thank you very much for this video, for personal reasons. It's been 30 years since I have been to Harlan. Lived there for 10 years as a kid. It was going downhill before I left. To see downtown like this now, it's heartbreaking. I barely recognized it. You even drove by the housing projects in Sunshine where I lived. Another CZcamsr I watch who was just there showed none of the town and only interviews with locals that put a positive spin on life there, which was fine, but this is actually what I have been most curious to see. Thanks again.

  • @onrycodger
    @onrycodger Před 10 měsíci +11

    Such a drastic change since the early 80's. Those towns were still thriving then. It's so sad.
    I do however enjoy your videos because you show it as it is.
    As always, Thumbs up 👍

  • @dday9257
    @dday9257 Před 10 měsíci +7

    I watched Patty Loveless sing You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive on CZcams last night.

  • @michaellehmbeck8671
    @michaellehmbeck8671 Před 10 měsíci +3

    Thank you so much Hoods N Hollers for uploading this great video, I appreciate it!

  • @mrsk911
    @mrsk911 Před měsícem

    Harlan is a great little city! Everybody is so friendly and it’s absolutely beautiful!

  • @sok_hai_official8366
    @sok_hai_official8366 Před 10 měsíci +3

    Beautiful forest landscape😊😊

  • @terralumenphotography1949
    @terralumenphotography1949 Před 10 měsíci +7

    Looks a lot better than places 3 times the size.

  • @tooge47
    @tooge47 Před 10 měsíci +4

    As Patty Loveless sang, "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive"

  • @rosseganjr9402
    @rosseganjr9402 Před 10 měsíci +6

    you should visit Hawkins county Tennessee on the side roads it is awful looking!

  • @jayjaynella4539
    @jayjaynella4539 Před 10 měsíci +4

    At least 3 pawn shops. Harlan must be near Olive Hill and Butcher's Hollow. Patty Loveless and Tom T Hall have written songs about Harlan. Always wondered what the place looked like. Now to Google earth for more viewing.

    • @KColleyTV
      @KColleyTV Před 10 měsíci

      Olive Hill is about three hours north of Harlan. It's fallen on hard times, but I really worry about Olive Hill in the next decade because Carter County (which has two high schools, one in Olive Hill) is consolidating West and East Carter to become one. This plan is expected to be in place beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

  • @northerntraveller3815
    @northerntraveller3815 Před 10 měsíci +10

    One of the saddest looking places you've done so far. Unfortunately it's a sign of the times. More and more towns will look like this in the coming years😢.

    • @williebeamish5879
      @williebeamish5879 Před 10 měsíci +3

      I'm afraid you're right. Unless they have a selling point for the rich, like lakefront views and beaches. Even then they need to be close to various amenities.

  • @bridgetmuehlberger5141
    @bridgetmuehlberger5141 Před 10 měsíci +6

    Was that still mail in the mailboxes outside the abandoned trailer home at the beginning of the vid? 😮

    • @1940limited
      @1940limited Před 10 měsíci +2

      Looked like it to me. Maybe houses are across the street and still lived in.

  • @robertdavis5714
    @robertdavis5714 Před 10 měsíci +5

    Looks better than L.A.

  • @CRUCIFi777
    @CRUCIFi777 Před 10 měsíci +7

    “You’ll never leave Harlan alive”.

    • @MsMercury
      @MsMercury Před 10 měsíci +1

      I see there are a few of us that watched Justified!

  • @retroroy8720
    @retroroy8720 Před 10 měsíci +1

    I remember Harlan back in the late 90's and early 00's. I spent more time in Whitesburg, Elkhorn City, and Pikeville whenever I did go into Kentucky though. I wonder if we'll see Whitesburg or Elkhorn City on this channel?

  • @johnmartin7182
    @johnmartin7182 Před 10 měsíci +4

    holey moley wow awesome content big fan

  • @williebeamish5879
    @williebeamish5879 Před 10 měsíci +3

    Lots of nice newer cars parked downtown there. Saw a 149k Land Rover in the mix, too. Tourists or residents?

  • @lindapietrasz8070
    @lindapietrasz8070 Před 10 měsíci +2

    Town sure has plenty of pawn shops and
    Rent-to-Buy places.

  • @MrsB197something
    @MrsB197something Před 10 měsíci +1

    Thank you for spotlighting these communities. I have alot of ancestors from thr areas you've covered and I appreciate you showing the homes and places these folks and others occupied. It is a shame and treasonous on my opinion how far communities on this nation have decayed without jobs, lives and families

  • @thejudgmentalcat
    @thejudgmentalcat Před 10 měsíci +5

    I'm disappointed...I didn't see Raylan Givens anywhere 😂

    • @1940limited
      @1940limited Před 10 měsíci +1

      I didn't see anybody anywhere! Where is everybody? Streets are full of cars. Buildings downtown look new or renovated. Not a soul around. One lone guy walking a street. Strange.

    • @MsMercury
      @MsMercury Před 10 měsíci +2

      😂😂 right? I don’t even see Boyd Crowder anywhere!

    • @karltork6040
      @karltork6040 Před 10 měsíci

      He's in Detroit now!!!

  • @user-ys2wp4cr9g
    @user-ys2wp4cr9g Před 5 měsíci

    Nice library downtown, 2:25

  • @blueamenaa749
    @blueamenaa749 Před 10 měsíci +2

    It's so sad. It looked so cool and full of life.❤❤❤

  • @cherrylove3656
    @cherrylove3656 Před 10 měsíci +3

    as I mentioned before watching these video's make me wonder what's going on in this country. that we aren't being told.

  • @brycewiborg8095
    @brycewiborg8095 Před 10 měsíci +2

    I would cut through Harlan on US 25E. Haven't recently. Thank you.

  • @emc129
    @emc129 Před 10 měsíci +5

    That town has a lot of deep dark secrets or maybe I watched too much Justified.

  • @lindapietrasz8070
    @lindapietrasz8070 Před 10 měsíci +1

    Thanks!
    Did I ever mention how much I hate packing and moving?
    📦📦📦📦📦🚚
    Summer'll soon be over and you will have to go back to navigating through the ice and snow.

    • @hoodsnhollers
      @hoodsnhollers  Před 10 měsíci +1

      Thanks so much Linda!! I was wondering if you made it to the destination yet lol not looking forward to snow!

    • @lindapietrasz8070
      @lindapietrasz8070 Před 10 měsíci +1

      ​@@hoodsnhollers
      Oh no, I am still in the packing phase. 🙄

  • @Robmancan1987
    @Robmancan1987 Před 7 dny

    The interstate is what happen to most places here in south eastern Kentucky. The only towns like this that are thriving are next to an exit.

  • @patriotaRBC
    @patriotaRBC Před 9 měsíci +1

    I'm here because of "Justified"

  • @gpt465
    @gpt465 Před 3 měsíci

    Miss that place❤

  • @laretdenton9768
    @laretdenton9768 Před 10 měsíci

    Wonders never cease

  • @Weather_Nerd
    @Weather_Nerd Před 10 měsíci

    Beauty town, wish I could’ve seen it when it was thriving

  • @57monoshock
    @57monoshock Před 10 měsíci +1

    Is the Bunny bread factory still there ? I remember that from when I was a kid.

  • @Elainerulesutube
    @Elainerulesutube Před 10 měsíci +2

    😢

  • @litoreggie
    @litoreggie Před 10 měsíci +2

    I think it looks pretty nice , then again, I’m from Pennsylvania 🥴

  • @JamesWest_III
    @JamesWest_III Před 10 měsíci +1

    Raylan Givens lived there

  • @gabe5946
    @gabe5946 Před 10 měsíci +1

    Don’t get to far from your bottle of water 💦 😳 way to hot out there

  • @Runfromthepolice1234
    @Runfromthepolice1234 Před 10 měsíci

    Gotta go to Springfield Ohio whenever you are back in Ohio 🙏🏽✌🏽

  • @jerrydemain2346
    @jerrydemain2346 Před 10 měsíci +1

    VERY SAD!!

  • @jerryrick9030
    @jerryrick9030 Před 9 měsíci +2

    Try growing up there. Trust, it wasn't fun

  • @JayAR-15
    @JayAR-15 Před 10 měsíci +1

    No Coal Mines

  • @humberger2011
    @humberger2011 Před měsícem

    😢😢😢😢

  • @willtaylor0104
    @willtaylor0104 Před 10 měsíci

    There are some beautiful places in Harlan. Also, there are more millionaires "than you can shake a stick at."

  • @hollertrotter
    @hollertrotter Před 9 měsíci

    Harlan is much more preferable than San Francisco.

  • @shirleymitchell1947
    @shirleymitchell1947 Před 17 dny

    Most of the young people left.Drugs moved in.

  • @thesixpkamerican1
    @thesixpkamerican1 Před 10 měsíci

    rental shops, payday loans, counseling services, pawn shops, and empty buildings.. America is dying

  • @mikedavis2969
    @mikedavis2969 Před 10 měsíci +3

    Coal is NO longer King ...

    • @r.pres.4121
      @r.pres.4121 Před 10 měsíci +1

      And these small Appalachian towns never diversified their economies beyond coal.

  • @michaelanthonyvideos
    @michaelanthonyvideos Před 10 měsíci

    Hopeless