Hemphill Memorial

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Hemphill Coal Mine Memorial

Written by Joanna Adams Sergent

There is a very quiet place in Letcher County in the Community of Hemphill, Kentucky.   The Monument is a remembrance of all the Letcher County Men who died in the coal mines.  A very moving monument to two coal mining disasters in Letcher County that happened two days apart killing a total of 26 men can also be seen.    There are four black marble monoliths that have the names of each miner’s name listed.    The monument is located in Hemphill beside of the Hemphill Community Center.

The Worst Coal Mining Disaster of Letcher County

Two gas and coal dust explosions in the Scotia Mine, the Scotia Coal Company located in Ovenfork, Letcher County Kentucky.  The first explosion was March 9, 1976  in which 15 miners lost their lives and 91 miners escaped the disaster.  The second explosion was on March 11, 1976 in which 11 men died and 2 escaped.

There is also a replica of a coal mine that can be seen under the stage that is located there.

Rest easy coal miners…the day is done.   ~~ Kentucky Tennessee Living.

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