• Newspaper
  • Community

  • Founded

    The Middlesboro Daily News was first printed in 1911. The city of Middlesboro sits just inside the Cumberland Gap, along U.S. 25E, and is believed to have been built inside a meteorite crater.

    Circulation

    Daily 2,000

    Publication Days

    Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

    The Market

    Middlesboro is an excellent community of 10,000 people and retail trade center for several contiguous counties in southeastern Kentucky where Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia converge. Our office is about 2 miles as the crow flies from the famous Cumberland Gap, a key passageway through the lower central Appalachians explored by Daniel Boone during Colonial times. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is on the edge of town.

    Key Executives

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

  • Market

    Located in beautiful Southeast Kentucky, Middlesboro is in an ideal location on U.S. Hwy. 25E. Campuses of Southeast Community & Technical College and Clear Creek Baptist Bible College have campuses in and around the city and there are several industries located in the area. It is part of Bell County.

    Geographic location

    Middlesboro is about 45 miles south of the Corbin exit on I-75. It is approximately 132 miles south of Lexington. It covers about 8 square miles within the larger county, which covers about 361 square miles.

    Population

    Total immediate market: approximately 27,300.

    Climate

    The Southeast is known for its warm, humid summers and Middlesboro 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. Bell County typically averages about 50 inches of rainfall each year and about 10 inches of snow.

    Major employers

    Manufacturing, education.

    Education

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

    Culture

    Bell County has several historical and outdoor sites that attract tourists throughout the year. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located in the county with its many activities and Pine Mountain State Resort Park provides much to do and see as well. Many homes and buildings are on the National Historic Register. Middlesboro is home to the Middlesboro Country Club, the oldest continuously played golf course in the country, founded in 1889, the same year as the town. Wasioto Winds golf course also makes Bell County its home. Bell County is home to the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival, an annual May event that is a premier tourism and historic event in the Commonwealth. The weekend of festivities culminates in the KMLF Queen Coronation beside the beautiful reflecting pool in the outdoor amphitheater of Pine Mountain State Resort Park.

    Recreation

    Sightseeing, hiking, golf, fishing, kayaking, ziplining.

    Interesting tidbits

    The popular Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located in the county, as well as Cannon Creek Lake and the Cumberland River – all of which offer abundant opportunities for outdoor activities.

    Area information

    Bell County Chamber of Commerce
    189 N. 20th St.
    Middlesboro, KY 40965
    606-248-1075
    www.bellcountychamber.net