Archives In Appalachia Survey,  Articles

Archives in Appalachia 2020-21 Survey: Kentucky

November 23, 2021

This article appeared in the Volume 3, Issue 1 Spring/Summer 2021 issue of the Appalachian Curator. Click here to view a PDF of the full issue.

By Derek Whisnant and Gene Hyde

Introduction: 

The 2020-21 survey was administered through a combination of online research and contacting repositories via email and phone. The survey was done in two sections. The first section used the original 1985 survey to ask the following:

  • Is the repository still open ?
  • If so, have their been any administrative changes (name change, merged with another repository, etc.) ?
  • Is there a website or email contact?

Once repositories were identified, Derek sent them this email query:

We are working to update and expand on a 1985 survey, Archives In Appalachia: A Directory (Appalachian Consortium Press). The original survey was intended to serve as a tool for research in and about the Southern Appalachian region. The updated version will serve the same purpose and be published in the Appalachian Curator newsletter

For the 2020-21 updated version, we are reaching out to organizations such as yours that were either not in operation in 1985 or were not included in the original survey. 

The information we hope to include:

  • Does your organization currently have archival materials that pertain to Southern Appalachia?
  • Are these materials accessible to the public?
  • What types of materials are included in these holdings?
    • Ex: manuscripts, photographs, genealogical records, audio/video, artifacts, etc
  • What historical period is represented in the materials that relate to Southern Appalachia?
  • What geographical areas do the materials cover?
  • What general subjects do the materials cover?
    • Ex: family life, local history, military history, agriculture, genealogy, political history, etc.
  • Approximately how large are the holdings related to Southern Appalachia?

The second section of the survey involved locating collections not originally listed in the survey 35 years ago. Derek searched for the same kinds of collections (colleges and universities, public libraries, historical societies, etc.) identified in the 1985 survey, limiting his search to the Kentucky counties originally covered in the 1985 survey, then extending beyond those counties to locate more Appalachian content in other repositories.

Kentucky counties included in 1985 Archives in Appalachia survey
Kentucky counties included in 1985 Archives in Appalachia survey

 

A work in progress and the next steps…

This is very much a work in progress, and we need your help in identifying and contacting any additional Kentucky repositories with Appalachian content that we missed. Not surprisingly, we did not receive responses from some repositories which were likely closed due to COVID, and we are hoping to hear from them soon.

Please contact Gene Hyde (ghyde@unca.edu) if you have any information about repositories we might have missed.

The next state we’ll survey is North Carolina, again based on the order in the original 1985 survey.

  • Appalshop Films, Inc.
    • Contact information:
      • URL: Appalshop
      • Address: 91 Madison Avenue, Whitesburg, Kentucky 41858
      • Phone: 606-633-0108
      • Email: archive@appalshop.org
      • Accessibility: public, appointment necessary
      • Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm
    • Staff:
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has extensive audio/visual, photograph, oral history, music, and document holdings pertaining to Eastern Kentucky and the Appalachian region from 1900-date. The holdings include materials on the institution’s history, family and community life, labor, religion, politics, radio, film, and music production, and newspapers. 
      • More information available online:
  • The Bluegrass Heritage Museum
    • Contact information:
    • Accessibility: public, admission fee
      • Hours: Monday-Saturday, 12pm-4pm
    • Staff: 
      • Sandy Stults: Museum Director
    • Holdings: 
      • This repository has artifact, photograph, oral history, and document holdings pertaining to Winchester, Clark County, and the Bluegrass region of Kentucky from the 1800s to date. The holdings include materials on local history, agriculture, music, military history, African American history, and industry.
  • Boyd County Public Library – Asheland Branch
    • Contact information:
      • URL: Boyd County Public Library
      • Address: 1740 Central Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101
      • Phone:
        • Circulation: 606-329-0090
        • Administration: 606-329-0518
      • Email: genealogy@thebookplace.org
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 1pm-5pm
    • Staff: 
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has manuscript, photograph, genealogy record, and newspaper holdings pertaining to the Appalachian region with a focus on Boyd County. The holdings include materials on family histories and genealogy, military history, community life, and immigration. 
      • About Our Collection
  • Breathitt County Museum
    • Contact information
    • Accessibility: yes, with supervision
      • Hours: 
    • Staff:
      • Janie Griffith, Director
    • Holdings: 
      • This repository has manuscript, photograph, newspaper, book, audio/video, and artifact holdings pertaining to Eastern Kentucky from 1839-2020. These holdings include materials on all diverse subject areas, including education, genealogy, politics, military, agriculture, community life, and business history.
  • Clark County Public Library
    • Contact information:
    • Accessibility:
      • Hours: 
    • Staff: Library Info
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has artifact, photograph, manuscript, record, newspaper, oral history, and book holdings pertaining to Clark County Kentucky and the surrounding region from pre-1800 to date. The holdings include materials on local history, local government, family and community life, church history, and genealogy.
      • Local History & Genealogy
  • Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
    • Contact information: 
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: open daily from 9am-4pm
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has extensive manuscript, newspaper, photograph, oral history, and administrative record holdings pertaining to the history of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.
      • Research
  • Eastern Kentucky University – Special Collections and Archives
    • Contact information:
    • Accessibility: 
      • Hours: archives currently closed as of September 9, 2020
    • Staff:
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has manuscript, organizational record, photograph, publication, and oral history holdings pertaining to Eastern Kentucky University and the Appalachian region from the 1800s-date. The collecting themes for the repository can be found here: Collections
      • About Us
  • Floyd County Public Library (main branch)
    • Contact information
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: 
        • Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:30am-5pm
        • Tuesday, Thursday: 8:30am-6:30pm
        • Saturday: 8:30-1pm
    • Staff: About Us
    • Holdings: 
      • This repository has photograph, document, oral history, newspaper, and genealogical record holdings pertaining to Floyd County, Kentucky.
  • Greenup County Public Library (main branch)
    • Contact info:
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday & Thursday, 9am-8pm; Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday, 9am-2pm
    • Staff:
    • Holdings
      • This repository has genealogy, census data, court record, family history, and newspaper holdings pertaining to the history of Kentucky with a focus on Greenup County from 1800-date. 
      • Welcome To Our Genealogy Room
  • Harlan County Public Library
    •  Active: yes, now Bryan W. Whitfield Jr. Public Library
    • Contact info:
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 9am-5pm; Tuesday, Thursday: 9am-8pm
    • Staff: http://harlancountylibraries.org/generalinfo2.html
    • Holdings 
      • This repository has genealogical record and newspaper holdings pertaining to Harlan County from 1910 to present. 
  • Henderson Settlement Mission
    •  Active: yes
    • Contact info:
      • URL: Henderson Settlement 
      • Address: 16773 Highway 190, Frakes, Kentucky 40940
      • Phone: 606-337-3613
      • Email: info@hsumc.org
    • Accessibility: 
      • Hours: Please call for hours. 
    • Staff: https://www.hendersonsettlement.com/meet-the-staff.html
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has manuscript, oral history, audio/visual material, and photograph holdings primarily documenting Henderson Settlement and the Frakes area. These holdings include materials on education, family and community life, local history, and religious and church history.
  • Hunt-Morgan House and Alexander T. Hunt Civil War Museum
    • Contact info:
      • URL: Hunt-Morgan House
      • Address: 201 N. Mill Street, Lexington, Kentucky
      • Phone: 859-253-0362
      • Email: info@bluegrasstrust.org
    • Accessibility: public, admission fee and advance registration necessary
      • Hours: open from March through mid-December
        • Wednesday-Friday, Sunday, 1pm-4pm; Saturday, 10am-3pm
    • Holdings: 
      • This repository has artifact, memorabilia, and document holdings pertaining to Lexington, Kentucky from 1800-date. The holdings include materials on family and community life, business and industry, and the Civil War. 
      • History
    • Accessibility:
      • Hours: 
        • Monday, Thursday: 8:30am – 6pm
        • Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:30am-5pm
        • Saturday: 10am-2pm
    • Staff:
    • Holdings
      • This repository has microfilm, census, genealogical record, newspaper and photograph holdings pertaining to Jackson County, Kentucky and the surrounding region. 
  • Jenkins Public Library
    • Active: yes
    • Contact info:
      • URL: Jenkins Public Library
      • Address: 9543 Highway 805, Jenkins, Kentucky 41537
      • Phone: 606-832-4101
      • Email: jenkinslibrary21@gmail.com 
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday, 9am-7pm; Tuesday-Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday, 9am-4pm
    • Staff: Staff
    • Holdings: Over 3,000 volumes of genealogy reference materials. 
  • Johnson County Public Library
    • Contact info: 
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:30am-5pm; Tuesday, Thursday, 9:30am-8pm; Saturday, 9am-2pm
    • Staff: 
      • Karen Daniel: Director
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has extensive genealogy, photograph, newspaper, and census record holdings pertaining to the Appalachian region from the late 1700s-date with a focus on Johnson County Kentucky. The holdings include materials on the Civil War, family and community life, and property ownership.
      • Patricia Patton Kentucky Room
  • Laurel County Library
    •  Active: yes
    • Contact info:
      • URL: Laurel County Public Library
      • Address: 120 College Park Drive, London, Kentucky 40741
      • Phone: 606-864-5759
      • Email: lisa@laurellibrary.org
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm
    • Staff: Department heads
    • Holdings: 
      • This repository has manuscript, oral history, genealogical record, audio/visual, and photograph holdings pertaining to the Southern Appalachian region from before 1800 to date. The holdings have a focus on local history in particular. 
  • Lexington Public Library
    • Contact info:
    • Accessibility: public, appointment required
      • Hours: 
    • Staff: Library Contacts
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has book, newspaper, document, census, and photograph holdings pertaining to Kentucky with a focus on Fayette County.
      • Genealogy & Local History
  • Middlesboro-Bell County Public Library
    • Active: yes
    • Contact info: 
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9am-6pm; Saturday, 10am-4pm
    • Staff: Staff
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has manuscript, oral history, genealogical record, and photograph holdings pertaining to Appalachia from 1866-date. The holdings include materials on local history, genealogy, and business and industry. 
  • Pineville-Bell County Public Library
    •  Active: Yes – Pineville Branch of Bell Co PL
    • Contact info:
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9am-6pm; Saturday, 10am-4pm
  • Three Forks Historical Center
    • Contact information:
      • URL: Home
      • Address: 500 Kentucky Hwy 11 North, Beattyville, Kentucky 41311
      • Phone: 
        • 606-464-2888
        • 606-464-5038
      • Accessibility: public
        • Hours: 
          • Monday-Friday, 10am-2pm
          • Saturdays by appointment
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has artifact and photograph holdings pertaining to Beattyville, Kentucky and the surrounding region. The holdings include materials on business and industry, indigenous groups, local history, and military history. 
  • Transylvania University Library – Special Collections and Archives
    • Contact info:
    • Accessibility: public, appointment only
      • Hours: Monday-Friday, 1pm-4:30pm
    • Staff: 
      • BJ Gooch: Special Collections Librarian
    • Holdings: 
      • This repository has rare book, institutional record, manuscript, photograph, newspaper, and correspondence holdings pertaining to Transylvania University and the surrounding region from the 1600s-date.
  • University of Pikeveille – Frank M. Allara Library Special Collections and Archives
    • Contact info: 
    • Accessibility: 
      • Hours:
    • Staff:
      • Edna Fugate: Archivist
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has manuscript, correspondence, photograph, artifact, and audio/visual holdings pertaining to the history of the University of Pikeville and the surrounding region. 
      • Archive Catalog
  • Whitley County Public Library
    • Contact information:
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours:
        • Monday, Thursday: 9am-8pm
        • Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 9am-6pm
        • Saturday: 9am-2pm
    • Holdings
      • This repository has photograph, oral history, genealogical record, newspaper, and book holdings pertaining to Whitley County, Kentucky from the 1800s to date.
  • Wolfe County Public Library
    • Contact information:
    • Accessibility: public
      • Hours:
        • Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9am-4:30pm
        • Tuesday, Thursday, 9am-6pm
        • Saturday, 9am-1pm
    • Staff:
    • Holdings:
      • This repository has government record, genealogical record, newspaper, and school yearbook holdings pertaining to Wolfe County and the surrounding region from the 1800s – date.

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