• Newspaper
  • Community

  • Founded

    The Harlan Daily Enterprise, serving Harlan County, KY, was first published in 1901 as the Harlan Enterprise and began publishing in 1928 as the Harlan Daily Enterprise.

    The newspaper is named in honor of the city and county, which it serves. Those entities were named for Silas Harlan who was killed in 1782 while leading the advance party at the Battle of Blue Lick, the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War.

    Circulation

    Daily 2,000

    Publication Days

    Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

    The Market

    Harlan is a city of about 2,000 people an hour northeast of Middlesboro in Kentucky’s coal-mining region. Harlan County has 28,000 people, is known for its mountain culture and folk and country music tradition.

    Key Executives

    Bill Sharp, publisher; Debbie Caldwell, regional editor; Lisa Gray, circulation manager.

  • Market

    Located in the picturesque mountains of Southeast Kentucky, Harlan is a beautiful town and official seat of its namesake county. Coal mining has historically been the major industry; however, other industries are making their way into the area. There is a community college in Harlan County. There are several cities within the county: Harlan, Cumberland, Benham, Lynch, Evarts and Loyall.

    Geographic location

    Harlan County is about 150 miles southeast of Lexington, Kentucky, and sits on the Kentucky and Virginia state line. It is approximately 65 miles northwest of Kingsport, Tennessee. It covers about 468 square miles. The headwaters of the Cumberland River are located in Harlan County, as well as the highest natural point in the Commonwealth of Kentucky – Black Mountain.

    Population

    Total immediate market: approximately 28,000

    Climate

    The Southeast is known for its warm, humid summers and Harlan County certainly has its share. However, the rest of the year is quite seasonal, with the area enjoying complete, fall, winter and spring weather as well. Summer’s average high is in the mid- to upper-80s. Mild winters with occasional cold snaps make the area ideal for many residents. Harlan County typically receives about 50 inches of rainfall each year and about 10 inches of snow.

    Major employers

    Mining, industry, education.

    Education

    Harlan County has many schools — public and private — serving pre-school through high school students. In addition, Harlan County is home to a campus of Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College.

    Culture

    Harlan County has many historic sites and cultural activities that attract tourists throughout the year. The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum is located in Benham and several buildings within the area are on the National Register of Historic Places. Many outdoor activities are available at sites such as the Black Mountain Off-Road Adventure Area, Cranks Creek Lake, Martins Fork Lake and Kingdom Come State Park. Pine Mountain Settlement School is located in Harlan County and focuses on Appalachian and environmental education.

    Recreation

    Sightseeing, hiking, off-road riding, bicycling, fishing, hunting.

    Interesting tidbits

    The 1976 Academy Award-winning documentary “Harlan County, USA” depicted the Eastover/Brookside coal miners’ strike, and Harlan County was the setting for the FX drama “Justified.” Several songs have been inspired by the area, including “Harlan Alive.” “The Voice” season nine winner Jordan Smith hails from Harlan County as well.

    Area information

    Harlan County Chamber of Commerce
    115 N. Cumberland Ave.
    Harlan, KY 40831
    606-573-4717
    www.harlancountychamber.com