Black Mountain, KY : the story of Benham and Lynch

America's Most Endangered Mountains - Benham and Lynch KY on Black Mountain

Pledge to Help End Mountaintop Removal. Visit:
www.iLoveMountains.org


- - - COMMUNITY STORY - - -

Benham and Lynch are nestled in Harlan County at the foot of Black Maintain, Kentucky's highest peak. Established as "coal camps" in 1911 and 1917 respectively, they were towns built to support the coal mining operations of two corporations: the Wisconsin Steel division of International Harvester and the US Coal and Coke Company. (Coal camps were towns where every building, home, school, and store was owned by a company. They typically paid the workers in script that could only be used at the company store.)

Benham and Lynch were "captive" mines. Neither had to rely on the fluctuations of the coal market to sell the coal they mined. To maintain a stable workforce, these coal companies provided a better quality of life than found in most coal camps. For example, by the 1940s, approximately one-third of the graduates of Benham High School had completed at least one year of college.

In 1945, Lynch's population of 10,000 was reportedly the world's largest coal camp. Today, with one-third of the residents being African-American and many others tracing their ancestry to Eastern Europe and Italy, Lynch is one of the most diverse communities in Appalachian Kentucky.

As the years passed, the coal companies sold their property in the towns to town residents, but kept ownership of the surrounding mountains (and the coal in them). As larger machines were invented, coal mining methods transitioned from underground tunneling to mountaintop removal.

In the past two decades, Harlan County residents have joined together to protect the upper parts of Black Mountain from logging and mountaintop removal. During the most recent event in 2007, local residents drew on the expertise of local United Mine Workers of America members, the Lynch City Council, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and the Kentucky Resource Council to successfully prevent coal mining activities under the Lynch water system.

Currently, the residents of Benham and Lynch are concerned about a proposed 692 acre strip mine threatening the towns and their efforts to develop cultural heritage tourism. Many are also working to develop renewable energy resources and are looking at ways to reduce their energy consumption.

To support Carl and his community contact:
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
(606) 878-2161 • www.kftc.org

KFTC works with people to organize in their home communities across Kentucky, helping everyday community members become extraordinary community leaders.

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[Pertelot]

when I first saw american ski resorts on google earth I was astounded... I couldn't believe someone could allow destroy mountains in such a way to make so many slopes as wide as highways, and definitly a few coal will always persuade somebody to take it out of anywhere

[methodistgirl]

Hello, I live in Madisonville,Kentucky

west of where you live. I live in a

coal mining region and I agree with you.

Years ago,the coal was mined underneath

the city. I'm 47 years and my dad worked

for Peabody Coal.

methodistgirl

[Snakehunter0930]

Ill say one thing about the water in Harlan. I lived up in Baileys creek in Evarts and it was the best water in the world.

[manisdrillingcompany]

well i work all the way from hazard kentucky to lakecity tennessee for coal mines for core drilling but as of know im in clairfield tennessee working for kopper glo fuil company

[shadylady639]

I'm so against this mountain  top removal and I love my mountain water also

my dad Charles (Buck) Maggard fought for stuff like this for so many yrs. they come in and take what they want and we will pay the price for it .

[MrKycoalminer]

This message coming from a man that openly says he made his living mining coal. Now that you have retired you turn against it? I don't understand

[TheTrifire]

@davelex08 when ya get the usa to goto those other powers i hope you can pay the lite bill for the love of god read up of stuff befor ya post

[TheDollhouseMuseum]

Very interesting video. --The Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville, KY

[davelex08]

what a shame...wake up people...this is 2010, coal is archaic, there are many new re-newable energy sources, hydrogen, solar, etc that coal companies and eatern, ky policitians dont want you to know about. Im sick and tired of people defending the rape of KY and saying coal keeps your house lit, the sun lights my house and my car is a hybrid, dont need you or your coal.

[davelex08]

try the sun or hyrdogen....welcome to the 21st century

[ruracinme50]

My dad's family is buried on Black Mountain.

[donttrustsnowmen]

Allow coal miners to grow HEMP on the mountains so they still will have a job that WONT run out or dry up,and NO waste will enter the soil or water,they will make great $ and provide a service to all.Good for the tree huggers and coal miners!!U can also make Hemp Oil to use instead of coal and oil.