The railroads and coal industry permanently changed both the economy and culture of Floyd County, Kentucky.

Floyd County, named for Kentucky pioneer John Floyd, was formed in 1799. Originally encompassing all of the Big Sandy River Valley and much of eastern Kentucky, the boundaries included portions of what are now Pike, Martin, Knott, Magoffin, and Johnson Counties. Because of its river access, Floyd County developed earlier than many counties in eastern Kentucky; Prestonsburg, the county seat, became a major river port and center of trade in the region. With the coming of the railroad in 1903 and the coal industry, the county rapidly grew, in no small part thanks to the rapid rise in population due to the migration of white Americans from around the country, European immigrants, and African Americans from southern plantations and coalfields. What had been an agrarian, white population suddenly took on a whole new face, one more reflective of the nation. The history of coal production plays a large role in this book, particularly the Wheelright Coal Camps, but we know how much Kentucky has given to contribute to the story of America.

Author: Lisa Perry, Wheelwright Historical Society
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC)
Published: 05/17/2010
Series: Images of America (Arcadia Publishing)
Pages: 128
Weight: 0.7lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.40w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780738585727

About the Author
Perry, Lisa: - Lisa Perry is a researcher involved in documenting the coal history and racial heritage of Floyd County. The Wheelwright Historical Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of southern Floyd County.