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History · Kenvir

Kenvir in old photos and postcards

Postcards, papers and photographs of Kenvir from public archives, woven together by decade. Neighbors fill in the gaps.

12old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Kenvir’s archive · credits on each photo

What stands out about Kenvir’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Old housesHalf of Kenvir’s homes were built before 1938.A town in old photos12 old photos, postcards and papers.
★ What stands out · The story

How Kenvir came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Kenvir.

Read it all →

Kenvir was founded by the Black Mountain Coal Company in 1919 on Yocum Creek, a tributary of the Clover Fork. It was named for its closeness to the Kentucky-Virginia border. In January 1921, the Dizney post office was moved to serve the area, and was renamed to Kenvir, with Roscoe Weaver as its postmaster. The Kenvir post office continues to serve the area with the ZIP Code 40847. At its peak, Kenvir had a population of 5,000, two schools, a hospital, five churches, and a movie theater.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Kenvir, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1940s12 items
Bedroom in home of Murray Price, miner, six people sleep in these two beds. One larger boy is missing in picture. He...…1946Bedroom in home of Murray Price, miner, six people sl… Child of Murray Price, miner, asleep on couch where he normally sleeps at night. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31... -…1946Child of Murray Price, miner, asleep on couch where h… Coal produced by these two mines is labeled. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky1946Coal produced by these two mines is labeled. Black Mo… Dan Moore, miner, in company hospital receiving visit from family members. He has double hernia. Black Mountain... - NA…1946Dan Moore, miner, in company hospital receiving visit… Dr. R. S. Howard, company doctor, giving intravenous injection of Aminophylline for miner's asthma to James E. Lee.... …1946Dr. R. S. Howard, company doctor, giving intravenous … Front porch and family of Furman Currington, miner, who lives in company housing project. Two of family are not in... -…1946Front porch and family of Furman Currington, miner, w… Front porch of home of Murray Price, miner. They have running water inside, have lived in this house 2 years (, it)... …1946Front porch of home of Murray Price, miner. They have… Front porch of home of Virgil Price, miner. They have lived here 12 years. Have 4 children, 2 beds, pay rent $10 per...…1946Front porch of home of Virgil Price, miner. They have… Furman Currington and his son, miners. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky1946Furman Currington and his son, miners. Black Mountain… G.W. Hall, district field worker UMWA gives oath to miners joining union. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31, Kenvir... …1946G.W. Hall, district field worker UMWA gives oath to m… Home of Carl Ruth, miner, who lives in company housing project. Rental is $10 per month. Black Mountain Corporation... …1946Home of Carl Ruth, miner, who lives in company housin… Home of miner in company housing project. Notice drainage in street. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir...…1946Home of miner in company housing project. Notice drai…
1950s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Bedroom in home of Murray Price, miner, six people sleep in these two beds. One larger boy is missing in picture. He...…
Retake this viewBedroom in home of Murray Price, miner, six people sleep in these two beds. One larger boy is missing in picture. He...…, 1946

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Kenvir’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

Famous people close to Kenvir

Nobody well known was born in Kenvir itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Nick LacheyAmerican singer, actor, producer and television… · b. 1973
Morgan WallenAmerican country singer · b. 1993
Peggie CastleAmerican actress who specialized in playing the… · b. 1927
Juanita M. KrepsUnited States Secretary of Commerce · b. 1921
Louise SlaughterAmerican politician · b. 1929
J
Joe MaggardAmerican actor, voice artist, director, writer,… · b. 1955
Help out

Finish Kenvir’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewBedroom in home of Murray Price, miner,…: stand where they stood+15 Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

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From Wikimedia Commons (12) and Wikipedia. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

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