Bloody Harlan Kentucky: In The Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Kentucky
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
- Harlan Kentucky is known as Bloody Harlan for a reason- nearly a hundred years of bitter and violent labor disputes between coal companies and mine workers seeking to unionize. The song says you'll never leave Harlan alive, but watch this episode to see what locals are doing to save their town and adapt in light of the dying coal industry.
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Song Playlist:
Baptized and Buried by Will Harrison
Blacklake Waters by Northside
Bluegrass Bean by Undertowns
Bull's Head Bay by Roy Edwin Williams
Country Gold by Hunter Quinn
Dontcha Wanna by Gabriel Kelley
Lackawanna Trai by Roy Williams
Solstice Meander by American Legion - Zábava
Love hearing from you where we should explore next!
Hillsville, VA.
Itmann WV.
Lynch kentucky or benham kentucky both have some pretty cool looking areas
Born and raised in Harlan. My dad was a coal miner. Willard Hickey Sr. And my.mom coal miners wife. I left due to jobs. Miss Tway mountain and all the children hood memories with my sisters Shirley, Melissa and Peggy... brothers Jerry John Jack K.D. and Porky...I dream of moving back and wish they could do a coal miner ride to help with jobs or other factory jobs..
Listening to this may have just given me a vital hint on trying to figure out my Grandpa's childhood. His mom died when he was 8. From age 8 to 18, he was listed as a boarder at various locations in Washington.
By the time he he married my grandma, he was an explosives expert at Howe copper mine in Washington. My grandma was a McCoy from Kentucky.
I'm wondering if my grandpa was working for my grandma's dad..... 🤔
I am a black woman that is 48 years old from Lexington. My favorite trips each summer was not going to Los Angeles or Miami, though I love each place.Spending time in Harlan in the summer was SO special. Even now, as an adult, I love it there, as the people are very nice and hospitable . Thank you for sharing!!
My family has been in Harlan County for 200 years.....GOD BLESS EASTERN KENTUCKY.....I LOVE IT...
My family are Miracles and Greens from all over Bell C
I have only been there once, when I was 5y great grandmother died in Pineville a Hoskins
My grandfather came to Michigan for auto jobs
My father died in the Finley Coal Mine disaster in 1970. The mountains are my home. It’s in my blood. God Bless Kentucky.
🙏
Sorry for your loss.
My company transferred me to Ohio for about 3 months. Couldn't stand it. Walked outside and felt naked. Had to get back to SWPA. I sleep better at night
I’m from Harlan, seeing this small town now, really breaks my heart. It’s not the town I remember. I still love this town. When you meet people from the mountains you can either make a friend for life, or an enemy. They are the same every time you see them. Even invite you to eat with them. Love ‘em!!!!!!❤️
Not the same.☹
I used to live In Frenchburg KY, in Menifee County.
You are absolutely right that. Friends are good friends and enemies are forever out there.
I experienced both.
Love KY but, glad to be out of there now.
Was born there but wasn't raised is a shame to see these days
Good people!
Fun Fact: most people first heard about Harlan County from the show ''Justified'', but the show is actually shot in California, in a small town called Green Valley, up in the Sierra Pelona mountains.
I watched Justified and never knew that!
I’m from Louisiana, setting in my rocking chair on this hot summer day. I just love to look at the past.. the stuff that’s happening now in the southern states and all over the US make me want to vomit. I love the old days. We use to sit on the poarch listening to old stories the neighbor use to tell us. We slept with windows open. Take a bath with washing machine water when my mother was finished with her was washing. We had out house for our toilets. I don’t like some of the memories but we are living in such evil times. I love looking at pass life of people and how they lived
Poke salad is good stuff! I grew up picking and eating it.
My grandparents were from Harlan. Married 60 years and so kind. Miss them dearly.
It is so weird to see beer being dispensed when it was dry so long. My family is from Smith and Harlan was going to town for them. I know folks are strong there and they will survive. I pray Harlan continues to thrive!
Looking like the town is making a come back....... be well.
Did you by any chance know Alice and Marshall Smith? They were my Aunt and Uncle.
I’d live there.
i'm from Middlesboro, ky, i though the same thang about the Beer, it was a Dry county to, love the mountains
I taught at Smith in the early 70s, and I remember many Hamlin's. Loved those kids!
Good work man , an Irishman with a very close fondest for your place and your people …
Well done again 🇮🇪
We have a lot in common
Great to see another Irish person commenting on this video ❤️🇮🇪
My mining ancestors came from Ireland, it makes sense!
Im a timothy born and raised in the hills of Harlan and I carry that pride in my heart like a fire to this day. Wallins Creek OG
My grandfather was a coal miner in Harlan. My father told me that grandpa came home bloody more than once from the bashing he took from the Pinkerton thugs that were hired by the sheriff to break up the strikes and threaten the union organizers. Grandpa eventually died from black lung. The mine owners went on to become oil tycoons, none of whom ever did time for the crimes they committed.
😔
Corporate tycoons still don’t though steal pensions and tax money from working and retired Americans.
What? They used to beat up people just because they went on strike?
@@heatherfulmore3412,yes
From a Scottish lover of Americana, thank you!
This is a great insight into Harlan, and South East Kentucky....
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
@@MountainRoots My pleasure!
i really like Appalachian towns, the hills, the rivers, the old towns, i think a lot of them have a lot of tourist potential...
they got great potential for people to create something from nothing. It wont be big industry and no one will get rich, but these little places are ripe for folks looking to start a community away from the degeneracy and filth that is the modern world.
See Asheville NC
The whole region is so beautiful. I grew up in Nebraska, which does have the Sandhills out west, but is otherwise featureless. Then moved to central Texas, which has a few nice areas in the Hill Country, but is otherwise featureless. Such deep valleys and lush forests stands out as exceptionally beautiful to me.
I liked the tattoo shop owner, Timothy and his doggid stubbornness and independent self determination.
Me too 😁
I am from a town 99 miles north on Hwy. 421 called Sand Gap. In 1953 a disaster occurred when a retaliatory bullet was shot into the black powder Temple at the Sand Gap mine killing 12 I believe and the injury many more. Men were running through the woods on fire. In my youth I lived directly above the old entrance to that mine. In those days our town was hopping with the population comparable to Richmond back in the early 90s. We have saloons and bars and a theater. Now it seems as sleepy retirement town comfortable and quiet but that was the end of coal mining in our town
Spent many summers in Harlan as a child in the 70’s. Last time i went down was early 2008. My great uncle and aunt lived on Rose Street. 406 Rose street. Otis (Gump) & Ellen King. He owned a tiny store that was next to their house back in the day. He gave out credit to folks, had the spool table with two chairs out front for checkers. Oh how i loved to come down from Michigan to enjoy the beauty of this small Appalachian town. My great grandmother Ruth King ran a boarding house not far from Harlan in Three Point, KY. That is where my father was born. I think she’s buried in Harlan cemetery. I remember walking the railroad tracks and the old bridge that went to town as we could walk there from Ellen and Gump’s house on Rose Street. Back in the 80’s, i met a boy down there who i crushed on for a few years after meeting him. Never saw him again, until facebook! hahaha …. funny how times have changed. loved the video!! liked and subscribed ..
Ah I love the memories! Thanks for sharing & watching!!
Loved the comment from that man who stayed there to fight for the town to not die. So much history to uncover in the Appalachias. It's something how poke draws such a crowd that it has its own festival. Mom loved her poke. Great job. Keep sharing.
In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone
"You'll never leave Harlan alive” 🎶 ~ Patty Loveless
Great video. I appreciate your featuring some local businesses. The people in that area have suffered economically for years.
Ty for giving Inked Up LLC a plug bro. Insta subbed! I love my people. We have everyone's back.
My heart applauds all Timothy and all those in Harlan and around Appalachia striving to keep their traditions alive and thrive in their communities. Thank you for sharing this video.
Well said!
You caught Harlan on a good day. I was there in December last year and man it was a spooky little burg. Downtown looks like a slice of inner city Detroit dumped in the hills. The people were nice especially at the Pizza Portal. I actually considered moving there, as the morbid atmosphere suits my gothic sentiments these days.
I feel you. There’s something alluring about moving to a run down creepy town.
My ancestors migrated from southwest virginia to eastern kentucky from the 1870s to the 1950s. I enjoy the places your series takes us. Thank you.
As a black man living in ky. Don't make this situation about race man. Many ppl in ky are having a hard time. I just hope these ppl can get the help they need. I wish there was something I could do. All people deserve to live with dignity.
Unfortunately everything and every aspect of Our Lives is now manipulated by race! It's worse now than it has ever been!
VERY well stated. We're all in this together.
Not one time did I hear anything racial in nature or disrespectful to any race of people .
Everybody is having a hard time right now , however I know that it’s not much going on in Harlan .
Most any Humane and compassionate people respect and honor these hardworking god fearing people .
But everything isn’t race related poverty is color blind
A black man saying don't make it about race is utterly hilarious
@@willmach
You tube is an awesome channel gives artist a chance to share some great history and culture of all races .
Unfortunately it hasn’t got any say so about how people interpret a topic .
I’m with you on the how this guy thought this had anything to do about a racial issue .
HaHaHa
You can’t fix stupid it’s comments like this guy made that just sheds a sad picture of the mind set and mental state of humanity .
Everybody gets a Trophy
Gosh this made me so nostalgic and home sick. My daddy was from here and we went back and forth living between there and Tennessee. I miss it!
My dad side of the family is from there. We stop by in 2003 . We stayed over night and had a nice time. I heard that My Great Grandfather died in the mine. We had a lot of history in Harlan. I got a rock out of the water. We wrote on it? Ralph, then it said turn over. It said Were have you been? He love it. We lost him that year. Thank you for sharing this video. Ralph J Adams 1926/2003.
My mom was born and raised in Knox County, about 45 miles from Harland. I remember growing up hearing my Grandparents, Uncles and the old tobacco farmers that lived down the road talk about how violent those miner strikes would get. Only thing my grandpa had to show for digging coal his entire life was black lung! Those mining companies treated their workers like shit!!
I'm sure they did, that's why we have MSHA today to protect miners from that kind of abuse.
My kids dad ( deceased) grew up in jellico. My daughter lives in Corbin. A friend of mine named Judy Johnson grew up in Harlen Kentucky.
My grandfather died of lung disease from mining. I have an uncle alive right now with only one functioning lung...that was a thankless job and they are so underappreciated.
So was I
Yeah my brother has black lung
My grandfather's family ( Harlan Davidson) was from Harlan I've never been there but I really want to go thanks for sharing this video
Good job young man, we should never forget the past, those that do, are doomed to repeat it.👍
Wow… yet another piece of Appalachian history I knew nothing about! I love the heart that Timothy, and people like him, have for their towns.
The grit in folks like Timothy undoubtedly forged by living in a spartan community like Harlan. Another informative and quality video…kudos!
My hometown
My dad was born in Chevrolet holler in 46. He stayed in Harlan county until 66 and then went to Vietnam. I still have lots of family there.
I've heard of that Holler, never been there though.
Did he come home with a brand new plan?
Great Video - I have been to Harlan and to Hazard probably 40 years ago. I have always been interested in Appalachian history. Their struggles have been many but the spirit there is so strong. Super people!!!
My Grandfather was a coal miner and my Mother was raised in Harlan. I was there when I was younger so I was excited to see what it looks like today. Thank you!
My family is from Harlan and were coal miners who moved to Texas in 1930 because of black lung disease. I traveled back to Harlan for the first time at the age of 64 to see my home land. What a great place. Thanks for showing me places I did not get to see.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
I’m a Yank but had the opportunity to know people from Harlan KY. I’m 84 so I go back ways. They are real people!!!
Gripping work, Josh! Thank you so much. 🙏
I'm hoping to visit this place one day. Thanks for sharing.
My mom was born and raised in Harlan. I finally get to see it. Thank you
You're welcome, thx for watching!!
my wife was born in Harlan county in the 1950's. Her father was not going into the mines. so, he moved the family away. They still go back to visit. Good people.
Last time in Harlan was a few years ago during covid. Stopped in the Pizza Portal and there was a chalkboard sign --- "Due to covid we are short staffed. If you are impatient, inquire about a job application within." Love it - Only in Kentucky ! 🤣
The clear message --- don't whine or bitch if you are not willing to be part of a solution. 💪
Great video! Difficult to defeat the Irish, Scot descendants in Appalachia!
Aye! You can say that again. We don't quit.
Harlan is my hometown and I still have family there and do visit. Harlan High School is my alma mater. It’s saddening to see how much it has declined, even during my 26 year old life. I remember when the Poke Sallet festival wasn’t contained to that parking lot, it was that parking lot and almost the entirety of downtown. There is a lot of history in Harlan and could be a fantastic tourist destination with the right person leading the effort. My grandfather was in the coal wars and is in a documentary that was done about it. However, there is also a drug issue in Harlan. People go missing and you never see them again. Look up the story of Tyler North. You should also visit the Benham Schoolhouse Inn in Cumberland.
Not being from the south I have never heard of the Poke Sallet Festival. The video for some reason doesnt want tho explain what it is. I would like to know what the Poke Sallet Festival is about as I am greatly interested in the history of our country.
I love my home town Harlan my thank you so much for sharing
I was born and raised in Harlan Kentucky God bless you and keep you safe and meet your every need Peggy Lynn Smith from Corbin Kentucky I love in Corbin Kentucky now a few hours away from Harlan thank you
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Love this video, my family hails from the mines of Aflex Kentucky
I grew up in Kentucky. My daughter lives in Corbin. My Deceased husband grew up in jellico. I love these videos. I live in Texas now . I haven’t been home in years . Thanks for the video. I’m subscribing. Hopefully more Kentucky , Tenn , Virginia,travel videos .
I live in London Kentucky
Nice 👍
That's interesting..... In 98 I met some gentlemen from Corbin that offered me a bussiness opportunity..... These guy's had bought the old grade school and were building utility building's from scrap materials they were salvaging from an Ohio door manufacturer..... At that time Mr. Carter told me they had built and marketed over 7000 building's as well as they had a sign company with bucket trucks and maybe some more businesses..... He showed me the gym and said they rented it out to folk's for reunions and whatnot..... All of this was very intriguing to me as well as the school was comparable to the one I attended in the early seventies..... I google mapped the area some year's ago and if I was viewing the right area it seemed that the school, gym and other structures were gone..... Fire maybe?.... Idk?..... We bought enough materials to build 3 10'x12' building's and they have proven to be superior to other utility building's...... Corbin seemed as nice and comparable to our town's here in Central NC...... Maybe a bit colder......
Born in Kentucky raised in Texas. Ky called me home 5 years ago. It's in our blood KY will call to you to come home.
I'm from Lee County VA...all my family/ were also. Went to Harlan many times. My grandpa passed away at the hospital in Harlan.
Lookout for Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder! Makes me wanna rewatch Justified again 😁
I am here because am a fan of Justified. This was an interesting video, i liked hearing the history. The town looked nice i thought, it is clean the buildings and houses looked after. The man with the tatoo shop was friendly.
Love your channel man! I am from coastal Maine and I’m fascinated with the Appalachian culture.I just love driving through the hills of WV,Ky&Te and watching your videos makes me want to jump in my truck and head back down!Great stuff,keep it coming!
So glad you like it! Time for a road trip?
Born and raised in Harlan, KY. My ancestors were some of the first settlers of Harlan.
Fascinating, love that old family history!
It aint Applachia by go to Wilkes-Barre PA to see a big Harlan. I lived there in the 50's with my Grandparents. My grandpa was a miner with the Glen Alden coal company in Ashley. He never drove a car, walked to work everyday and never missed a day. Miners kept this country going for decades. I have great memories of their ways and way of life.
Love Kentucky. Real people who would give you the shirt off their backs. Nothing like poke salad but you have to know how to cook it. Some is poison. Mother in law made the best with lard and a couple of eggs. Beats spinach. Add cornbread and you've got a meal. 💕🇺🇸
Love poke salad
Grew up in Harlan and go back pretty frequently. Great video
As a truck driver I visited harlen to pick up a load of lumber from a saw mill back in the 90s. People were down right hospitable.
You sound surprised.
My family was born and raised in Harlen, thanks for posting haven't seen the place in 30 years.
I had a blast there miss that town
I love Harlan Kentucky! They are just laid back people. I am from West Tennessee and I go to Harlan Kentucky every year and have for about 12 or 13 years.
I go up to Harlan from time to time as I enjoy the drive from Middlesboro.
Really well produced video. I enjoyed this a lot. Greetings from WNC.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
I distinctly remember back directly before WW11, My Dad had started out in the KY National Guard. they were taken to go into Harlan to hunt down "shiners"...guys immediately told their commanders that they would NOT go up into those mountains. They, Like my Father, had Kin up there. I remember his "trepidation" about going into a place that you probably come back from then.....
My grandfather and great Grandfather lived in Harland KY.
I lived in a small town called Muldrough. The people in k.y. are so awesome They really keep it real.
*My dad and his dad, my grandfather was from Harlan Kentucky..*
My family is from Harlan KY. Loved this episode. My uncle Joe Meadors is now the Mayor, but my family has been there for 100s of years.
Really glad you liked it, thanks for watching!
Excellent regards from the UK.
Thank you!!
Gainesboro, TN has a Poke Sallet festival too. My wife was actually Poke Sallet Queen back in the day. 😄
No kidding?!
Wow. 22 courthouses. I never heard that before. I live in Easter Kentucky and I've never been to Harlan.
@Rose Mitchell nope it's still up there, nobody deleted it. Thanks for sharing your information with the rest of us 👍
Great video 📹
You're Killing it Brother! Great video!! Any time you want to wander down this way give me a hollar.
If you are still in Harlan next weekend, I would love to meet up. There’s an old mine camp that was build by shackleford coal, later became sigmon coal company. Long history of this place nearing the VA KY line in Holmes mill Kentucky
Hi! New here. Just binge watched all 10 videos in your Appalachian series after "Welch" turned up in my feed. I really enjoyed all of them. Looking forward to more. Subscribed! 😊
My Family is from there.Still have many cousins living in the area.My grandmother lived in Wallins Creek.
My mom told me all about this, and about Bloody Harlan. My grandfather was a coal miner during that time, with the strikes. It was brutal from what I hear.
Pause: “ road circus”, funnel cakes,stop,get funnel cakes,continue.
Love these small towns in any part of the states
Much better than any city life!
Introduction is the same way my family came through in the Gap and lived in Harlan before moving further into Indiana, they were with others from the same area, neighbors, family and their enemies!
Poke Salad yum yum my Mother made it for us kids growing up. I had to watch this I haven't been to Harlan Kentucky in many moons
Such awesome narration, enjoy your video's. I love Harlen and its people, they're humble and welcoming! I miss delivering mine equipment and supplies, to the mine and tipple at the end of town. I couldn't pass up the restaurants in town. God Bless, (Glen).
Where my family is from!!!! They are all out in the hollers but this is where my family’s story began
Shout out Eastern Ky. Born to lose, but always findin ways to survive.
I really like this video, beautiful country, clean, and peaceful did not see rundown buildings and no graffiti. Reminded me of when I was l0yrs old and living in Petersburg, VA (1955). The only question I have is why the guy was wearing a sidearm.
A lot of people do that, quite common actually.
Harlan County born and raised.. 🙋♀️❤🙏
Great channel! Your channel is informative than a professionally made channel. I’m now binging on my 4th episode and wanting to Rv across America again.
Love it! Go for the road trip!!
Good stuff! Keep it up!
Thanks, will do!
The music @ 5.30 sounds Irish, thanks for sharing 😊
Every other weekend from 1981 to 1994 I was in 421 between Richmond and Manchester, KY. visiting my grandparents. Lotsa wonderful people and beautiful scenery. Each season has its own form of beauty.
Eastern Kentucky catches a lot of flak, maybe, and it does have problems, but the people I met were just great, and I never had a minute's worth if problems the many times I was there.
I knew of poke sallet from reading Joan Hess' series "Maggody", and where I live it's called poke weed. It grows all over my yard and the birds love it. Thanks, MR!
You're welcome!
I've enjoyed a couple of jeep trips there, to play in the 7,000 acre Black Mountain offroad area.
Harland used to be a moonshine rich county. I worked for some moonshiners doing developments down in North Georgia and although they had moonshine of their own, they sent one of their estate hands up to Harland because they believed the Harland moonshiner could make better shine than they could. Elmore Leonard's novel THE MOONSHINE WARS was set in Harland and if you read, that is a delightful read with an ending you won't see coming.
Fascinating story & thanks for the book suggestion!
Just ate at Portal Pizza it was great and the Trash shop was also great. The owners were so very nice and informative.
My grandfather was a Baptist preacher in Louisa Kentucky for about 60 years my father was born and raised there and I have been there Kentucky is a beautiful place
Born and raised in Louisa, still live close to my roots.. Nothing beats the old Kentucky people.. we a strong bunch..
definitely enjoyed the video; great job!
Ahhhh your videos keep getting better and better!!!! I love this series so much!!! Start a PayPal for sure! Love all of the history behind this town. Also, I loved that you incorporated some interviews with locals😊 Can’t wait for the next one to drop! Feels like the anticipation of waiting for your favorite show to drop new episodes every week🤎
Mcconnell became super rich off kentucky, it's such a beautiful state but has been ignored for years.
1st heard about Harlan from the great Tyler Childers, I've been intrigued since, with both mentioned of course.