Historic Stearns Kentucky

Historic Stearns Kentucky. . Over one hundred years ago, in 1902, Justus S. Stearns of Ludington, Michigan bought 30,000 acres of virgin timberland in Southern Kentucky. When coal was discovered soon afterwards, the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company was in business. The company built the town of Stearns to serve as the hub of a logging and mining empire that during its heyday in the 1920s controlled over 200 square miles of land, built the Kentucky and Tennessee Railway, as well as the world’s first all-electric sawmill, and employed over 2,200 people living and working in at least 18 coal camps., Coal and lumber production are no longer a significant part of the economic structure of Stearns. Today, the economy is dependent on manufacturing and the blossoming tourism industry. The land that was once occupied by loggers and miners is now covered by lush vegetation and abundant with wildlife. Located about one mile west of U.S. 27 on Hwy 92, many of the original buildings still exist and are operated by the McCreary County Heritage Foundation (MCHF), Inc., a non-profit organization. The mission of the MCHF is to preserve, protect, interpret, and promote the social and material heritage of the people of McCreary County, including historic sites, historic buildings, artifacts of daily life, and the way of life of the people of this area., Captions , Top: Stearns, Kentucky, July 4, 1919 , Middle: Stearns, Kentucky, July 5, 1942. This photo was taken from the lawn of the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company Office building, which now houses the McCreary County Museum. , Bottom: Justus S. Stearns, founder Stearns Coal and Lumber Company, Stearns, Kentucky.