(Information is taken from “The History of Jenkins, Kentucky” compiled by Jenkins Area Jaycees in honor of the Sixtieth Anniversary Homecoming Celebration, 1913-1973).

 Jenkins, located at the foot of Pine Mountain in Letcher County, Kentucky, is unique in its development as compared to other small towns; because it didn’t come into existence by a small settlement over a period of years.  Jenkins was planned and built for men who came to mine its coal.  In the fall of 1911, the Consolidation Coal Company (“Consol”) purchased one hundred thousand acres of coal lands in Pike, Letcher and Floyd Counties.

 Plans were made for the extension of the Lexington and Eastern Railroad from Jackson to a point on the north fork of the Kentucky River selected as the sight of a town, named McRoberts in honor of Samuel McRoberts, director of Consol.  Plans were also made and a site selected for a town named Jenkins, in honor of George C. Jenkins, a director of Consol.

Trees on the company’s land were cut down to build the hundreds of homes and other structures needed for their employees and operation of the mines.  Nine saw mills and machinery for brickyards were brought in and installed, as were steam and electric outfits.  A railroad and wagon road were built across the mountain to Virginia to bring in the necessary equipment for mining and building, as well as food supplies for the town. Once everything was in place, Consol was ready for business and had an output of several thousand tons of coal per day for shipment.

 Consol began construction of the town of Jenkins  It is not clear if it were planned that way or just developed; but Jenkins was made up of four small towns, incorporated under one small township:  Dunham, Burdine, Jenkins and McRoberts.  When Jenkins was spoken of, it referred to all four townships; though each section was built separately.  McRoberts is no longer part of Jenkins.

 They paid transportation to any who would move to the area to work in the mines.  Housing furnished by the company was built from lumber and other resources already in the area.  Most of the houses were two-story two-family residences with eight to ten rooms.  Bosses houses were usually had one story with three to six rooms.  The houses had toilets (“outhouses”) and some had wash houses.  They were later equipped with electricity and water by hydrants in front of the house.  One hydrant would furnish water for several families.

View of Jenkins Lake currently

(Click on thumbnail for enlargement of Jenkins lake)

Note:  Jenkins Lake provided the source for the power plant.  The power plant that sat in front of the dam was later the local theater, but is now gone.  It provides a stopover place for migrating ducks and geese.  Some have decided to make it a permanent residence, nesting and raising their young, much to the delight of visitors to the lake.  They will come eagerly for bread crumbs when you walk toward the lake.  There's also good fishing from its banks.