Whether or not you know it, knives have been an important part of history. Every important figure used a knife almost daily for one reason or another. In the middle Appalachians, we have a few very important historical figures and they are Dr. Thomas Walker, Daniel Boone, Joseph Martin, Chief Bob Benge and a few others. 

​

We'll start with the beginning. Around 1750, a physician and explorer named Thomas Walker explored the gap that became known as the Cumberland Gap. Along this trail, Joseph Martin established a small settlement called Martin's Station. Daniel Boone wouldn't explore the area for almost 20 years later, but he further expanded the trail into Kentucky. Then came the Cherokee-American wars, which caused intense anxiety amongst the settlements. This is when two of the most significant events happened.

​

Daniel Boone sent his son, James Boone with a group of settlers to Kentucky. Before their arrival, the group was ambushed near Wallen's Creek and James Boone, along with Henry Russell, another fairly well known settler, was captured. They were both killed by a Cherokee named Big Jim, near the Powell River on October 9th or 10th, 1773.

​

One of the most fearsome Cherokees was actually a Scot-Irish/Cherokee named Bob Benge or Chief Benge. He assembled a group of raiders that attacked, killed and plundered settlers and settlements. He even raided settlements  from southern Ohio, all the way to Northern Georgia. Finally, he was ambushed during a raid in Wise County, Virginia in 1794 and killed. His scalp was was sent up through the ranks, all the way to President George Washington. 

​

Time passed, the Cherokee were killed off or sent away on the Trail of Tears. A lot of us here in the area are descendants of Cherokee and I myself am. My great grandmother was a full blooded Cherokee that married a white preacher and that was my great grandfather. It is incredibly sad, that the land the Cherokee loved and cared for was taken from them, but this is where history leaves us.

​

The Civil War came about in 1861. Several battles were fought in the Jonesville, Rose Hill and Cumberland Gap area. In 1863, the Harlan County courthouse was burned and was among 21 others to be be burned before the war's end. In 1864, the Union soldiers in the area burned the courthouse in Jonesville, Virginia. 

​

The next big thing to come along was coal. Mining was and is, very dangerous. The miners wanted unions to change the way mines operated and paid, but this lead to a split in factions. In Harlan county, a war happened. In 1931, miners fought against mine operators and the guards who were hired privately. An undetermined number of casualties occurred, but 5 recorded deaths are known. 

​

Then again, in the 70's, the coal lead to more fighting. This started at the Brookside mine in... well, Brookside, Kentucky (now Ages Brookside). This strike lead to a few skirmishes, a few shootings and ultimately a better deal with the UMWA. 

​

The bituminous lifeblood of the area once flowed again filling furnaces, trains and even forges. 

​

The area has produced many brave men and women, authors, artists, politicians (as good as they can be) and the area is slowly picking back up. Whether you love it or hate it, this is home to some. 

​

​

​

​

​

​