VAN LEAR, KENTUCKY

HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.

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.:

WELCOME TO VAN LEAR

THE LOCATION OF VAN LEAR, KENTUCKY

VAN LEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY INFORMATION

ANNUAL VAN LEAR TOWN CELEBRATION INFORMATION

Van Lear Websites by James "Tedo" Vaughan

VAN LEAR TOURISM INFORMATION

REGISTRY OF GRADUATES OF THE VAN LEAR HIGH SCHOOL

ICKY'S SNACK SHOP

THE VAN LEAR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

A SALUTE TO THE VAN LEAR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

TAKE THE VAN LEAR TRIVIA CHALLENGE

SCENES FROM VAN LEAR'S PAST

THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY (Assorted links.)

PAINTSVILLE, KENTUCKY

GENEALOGY AND RESEARCH LINKS

LINKS TO THE WORLD OF COAL

THE COAL MINER'S DAUGHTERS and their kin

MEMORY LANE

LOCAL and REGIONAL NEWS

LINKS to WABASH, INDIANA

Join the Van Lear Historical Society!

GUESTBOOK :

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ASSORTED LINKS ON VARIOUS TOPICS

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.

YAHOO!'S VAN LEAR WEB DIRECTORY

ZIP 2 YELLOW PAGES

U.S. POSTAL ZIP CODES

DOGPILE /SEARCH

SEARCH.COM

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CONTACT THE VAN LEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY :

THE VAN LEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. P.O. BOX 369 VAN LEAR, KENTUCKY 41265-0369

e-mail : editor@vanlear.org

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.

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