Visit our new pop-up free site at: www.vanlear.org
ABOUT THIS SITE :
THIS SITE IS THE OFFICIAL INTERNET HOME OF THE VAN LEAR
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. IT WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED DURING THE
PRESIDENCY OF JAMES "JIMMY" KELLY. THE SITE WAS CREATED AND IS
MAINTAINED IN VAN LEAR, KENTUCKY.
THE FOUNDING OF VAN LEAR :
VAN LEAR,KENTUCKY WAS INCORPORATED AS A CITY IN THE YEAR
1912. THE TOWN WAS CONSTRUCTED BY THE CONSOLIDATION COAL COMPANY ( CONSOL ). IT WAS NAMED IN HONOR OF A WEALTHY MARYLAND BUSINESSMAN
NAMED VAN LEAR BLACK, WHO WAS CONNECTED WITH "CONSOL". THE VAST
COAL DEPOSITS WERE MINED BY FIVE UNDERGROUND MINES THAT OPERATED
AROUND THE CLOCK. THE MINERS WERE A COSMOPOLITIAN MIX OF
IRISH, ITALIAN, SLAV, AND NATIVE KENTUCKIANS. THE WORKERS INCLUDED
BOTH WHITES AND BLACKS. VAN LEAR GREW TO A POPULATION OF OVER
4,000 DURING IT'S BOOM YEARS (AT THE TIME A POPULATION GREATER
THAN THAT OF THE COUNTY SEAT OF PAINTSVILLE.)
VAN LEAR AT PRESENT :
PRESENTLY,VAN LEAR IS AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE NO OPERATING DEEP MINES IN VAN LEAR PROPER, BUT
SOME MINING IS GOING ON NEARBY. MOST RESIDENTS OF VAN LEAR
WORK IN LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY. MANY WORK IN
THE CITIES OF PAINTSVILLE, PRESTONSBURG, PIKEVILLE AND SO ON.
WORKERS OFTEN ARE EMPLOYED IN THE AREAS OF MINING, EDUCATION,
HEALTH CARE, GOVERNMENT, AND VARIOUS RETAIL SERVICE OCCUPATIONS.
THE PRESENT POPULATION OF VAN LEAR PROPER IS ABOUT 1,601.
THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE VAN LEAR POSTAL DISTRICT IS OVER
3,000.
NOTE: The Van Lear Historical Society is not responsible
for the content of sites produced by parties outside the V.L.H.S.:
NOTE:TO SEARCH FOR A VAN LEAR PHONE LISTING IN THE LINKS BELOW
YOU MUST CHANGE THE TOWN FROM VAN LEAR TO PAINTSVILLE.
TO FIND INFORMATION CONCERNING MOTELS IN THE VAN LEAR AREA
SEARCH PAINTSVILLE, PRESTONSBURG AND INEZ, KENTUCKY.
THE VAN LEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
P.O. BOX 369
VAN LEAR, KENTUCKY 41265-0369
e-mail : coalcamp@yahoo.com
Phone : (606) 789 - 8540
THE VAN LEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. IS A NON-PROFIT
(501C-3) ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORY
OF THE TOWN OF VAN LEAR,KENTUCKY.
