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    Van Lear Historical Society Coal Miners’ Museum

    4.3 (3 reviews)

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    2 years ago

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    Webb's Grocery

    Webb's Grocery

    5.0(6 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    If you want to tour Loretta Lynn's original home in Van Lear, Kentucky you must stop by Webb's…read moregrocery, pay a $5 entry fee, and follow the tour guide in your car a mile or so to the home. The young man that runs the store is a distant relative of Loretta Lynn. But for folks in this community this store is one of the only stores within many miles of their home. He has a few Loretta Lynn's souvenirs such as t-shirts and magnets. But there is also canned goods, soda, and water for sale. The store is very old and was a railroad company store when it was originally built. I believe he told me it was around a 125 years old. He has done a great job of keeping this place up as it did not have that old smell that you find in a lot of places. Of course you will also find a ton of Loretta Lynn memorabilia throughout the store as well as other older relics of times past, such as an old Pepsi clock, soda bottles and signs. It was a quaint old store that takes you back to simple yet tough times for many Americans in the late 1800s to early 1900's. I loved it!

    A true little country store with a huge history. Lots of Loretta Lynn memorabilia to view, and…read moresome souvenirs available for purchase. If you're planning on touring Loretta's homestead, get your ticket here. (Tour is conducted by Loretta's family members, and is FABULOUS!) Between the store and the homestead you can see what's left of the actual coal mine her daddy worked at. In a world of new & improved construction, this is a place that will make your heart smile.

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    Webb's Grocery
    Webb's Grocery
    Webb's Grocery

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    Kentucky Coal Mining Museum

    Kentucky Coal Mining Museum

    4.0(6 reviews)
    56.8 mi

    I'm not from Harlan County but in my time living here I have come to see how much mining and the…read morehistory of mining is deeply woven into the fabric of this region. So I knew at some point I had to check out this museum. My mother came along with me and we enjoyed each of the little vignette-type displays representing mining life. As much as this is a museum of coal mining and the coal mining culture, it is also a flashback to earlier American culture. I enjoyed the recreations of the old 1940s kitchens and the display of the old physician's equipment. It's also important that the museum showcases the x-rays depicting the Black Lung that now is just as representative of the coal life as anything else. In a region where coal is still King, this museum was a great way to look back at how far it's come and see how much has been lost.

    This museum was worth the six hour drive to give my daughter and myself a better understanding of…read moreour heritage in the coal mining industry. We went in knowing very little and came away with a good understanding of mine operations, life in a coal camp/town and the unique economics and politics that surround the industry. The mock mine in the basement was fun to crouch down and crawl through. Very well done! Mandy and Phyllis were very professional and helpful in gathering materials for me to take home and add to my family history. This museum is both educational and fun. A must see for all ages interested in history, Appalachian culture and the obvious---coal mining industry.

    Photos
    Kentucky Coal Mining Museum - A portrait of past Coal Miners (my favorite picture)

    A portrait of past Coal Miners (my favorite picture)

    Kentucky Coal Mining Museum - A very spacious educational center for exploration of Coal Mine

    A very spacious educational center for exploration of Coal Mine

    Kentucky Coal Mining Museum - Building of Coal Mining Museum

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    Building of Coal Mining Museum

    Northeastern Kentucky Museum

    Northeastern Kentucky Museum

    4.0(1 review)
    44.5 mi

    This is a small museum and store near Carter Caves State Park. The collection is housed in an…read moreolder building that gives little indication after ones initial observations to separate it in time from the 1940's or 1950's. On closer inspection a single window air conditioner connects the property to more recent times. Our excitement builds! This is the kind of place that excited me as a child - the kind of place that has not been commercialized and sterilized by the expectations of modern pampering - the kind of place we anticipate exhibiting and selling unique items. My sons and I pulled into the gravel parking lot and could not have been more excited to stop. We were on our way to meets my parents for a visit at Carter Caves and decided to stop in just for a moment to give things a quick look. If it checked out we'd come back in a couple of hours for a complete tour. We were the only ones there at about 12:30PM. Wide variety of items immediately drew us in. The collection ranged from Native American through WWI, WWII, and Vietnam (and more and more). Some of the collection is exhibited in a library fashion such as the large collection of magazines and posters. The magazines and some of the exhibited items are for sale. Other portions of the collection, like most or all of the Native American exhibits are strictly not for sale. We spoke briefly with the owner, Mr. Jim Plummer, and we promised to return in time to enjoy the whole collection before he closed at 5PM. When we returned we went through the place as carefully as we could for perhaps 90 minutes. The boys enjoyed the dinosaur teeth and Megalodon teeth and began putting together their purchase requests. I spent a decent amount of time admiring the Nazi Germany items and the American Civil War items, but my real interest was with the Native American collection. I have been through many of Ohio's Native American museums many times including the Ohio Historical Society Museum, Serpent Mound, Fort Ancient, and the Hopewell Cultural National Historical Park (as well as Ohio County Museums) and this collection was spectacular in comparison. The artisan artifacts made of pottery, copper, and slate were fascinating. The emphasis of the collection was ceremonial items though a wonderful collection off utilitarian items was exhibited as well. This time we were one of perhaps three or four groups of people touring the museum and store. We we now required to share Mr. Plummer's attention with other folks interested in the original issues of Life magazine, Nazi knives, and a group of ladies very much interested in the modern collection of jewelry Mr. Plummer has for sale with the assistance of his girlfriend's artistic eye. Each lady seemed excited about their purchase and successively vied for Mr. Plummer's attention and his Southern charm. We look forward to returning soon and speaking more with Mr. Plummer. If you plan a visit, please be sure to engage him with questions about the exhibits. If you do you will be welcomed with a wealth of information from a knowledgeable historian. I am certainly a fan of this place, my rating is based off of the expectations and location. Obviously this museum in not on par with the Smithsonian Museum or the Musée du Louvre but my rating is based on comparable exhibits. The Native American collection would rate 5 stars.

    Van Lear Historical Society Coal Miners’ Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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