Harlan in Harlan County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
History of Harlan County Kentucky
Photographed by Tom Bosse, September 4, 2021
1. History of Harlan County Kentucky Marker
Inscription.
History of Harlan County Kentucky. . Harlan was first called Mount Pleasant. The town is situated in the valley between Big and Little Black Mountain, at the confluence of the three forks of the Upper Cumberland River. It is located at the junctions of two important highways, U.S. 421 and U.S. 119, and is the county seat of Harlan County. Settled in 1819, the town remained a small backwoods village for over a century. With the coming of the railroad in 1911, the town developed into a major distribution center. Harlan County is one of Kentucky's most rugged mountain counties as well as historically being one of the states leading coal producing counties. The county was formed in 1819 from sections of Floyd and Knox counties. The 60th county established in the state,, it is bordered by Bell, Leslie, Perry and Letcher counties in Kentucky and Lee County, Va. The 469 square miles of mountainous land ranks Harlan 17th in size among the 120 Kentucky counties and also makes it one of the most scenic areas of the state. It was named in honor of Major Silas Harlan, who was killed while leading his men into battle against the Indians at the Battle of Blue Lick on August 19th, 1782. Harlan was a native of Berkley County, VA. He came to Kentucky in 1774 at the age of 22 and made a name for himself while serving under General George Rogers Clark in the Northwest Campaign in 1779.
Harlan was first called Mount Pleasant. The town is situated in the valley between Big and Little Black Mountain, at the confluence of the three forks of the Upper Cumberland River. It is located at the junctions of two important highways, U.S. 421 and U.S. 119, and is the county seat of Harlan County. Settled in 1819, the town remained a small backwoods village for over a century. With the coming of the railroad in 1911, the town developed into a major distribution center. Harlan County is one of Kentucky's most rugged mountain counties as well as historically being one of the states leading coal producing counties.
The county was formed in 1819 from sections of Floyd and Knox counties. The 60th county established in the state,, it is bordered by Bell, Leslie, Perry and Letcher counties in Kentucky and Lee County, Va. The 469 square miles of mountainous land ranks Harlan 17th in size among the 120 Kentucky counties and also makes it one of the most scenic areas of the state. It was named in honor of Major Silas Harlan, who was killed while leading his men into battle against the Indians at the Battle of Blue Lick on
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August 19th, 1782. Harlan was a native of Berkley County, VA. He came to Kentucky in 1774 at the age of 22 and made a name for himself while serving under General George Rogers Clark in the Northwest Campaign in 1779.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is August 19, 1782.
Location. 36° 50.735′ N, 83° 19.361′ W. Marker is in Harlan, Kentucky, in Harlan County. It is on East Clover Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Harlan KY 40831, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kentucky and in the Cumberland Plateau. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking
Credits. This page was last revised on September 15, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 6, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 2,508 times since then and 133 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 6, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
