Connections between Knox, Bell and Harlan Counties

​Shared history and connection is a thing “mountain folks” like to establish. For outsiders this attitude is not easily grasp at first. Sometimes its importance is not recognize or even more profound, there is a missing link of previous experiences to help one draw connections. To understand some of our history and connections it's beneficial to try to see some of our shared history, people and moments. Stepping back and looking at history is always a good teacher. ​This week, the 90th Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival will be held after being cancelled in 2020 due to the Coronavirus. Lauren Bohl a Knox County native who is a graduate from Barbourville Independent School District was crowned Queen of the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival in May 2019, as she represented Union College. She is only the second Queen to ever be Crowned representing Union. The first Crown belongs to Patricia Parsons Bennett in 1950. Little did Lauren Bohl, or anyone know, she would earn another title and crown as the longest reigning Queen since World War II because of the pandemic. History is a precious gift that marks time and moments. Connections are pretty awesome too, especially when neighboring counties get to share and love on the people they discover, get to know, cherish and share. The 2021 Queen Candidate from Union College is another Knox County resident, Emilyann Taylor Wilson, Gray, Ky. Her escort will be David Ethan Miller, from Barbourville, Ky. Representing Barbourville High School in the Princess Coronation this year is Emmaleigh Bargo. ​The history of Knox County and Bell County is uniquely tied in other ways too. For example, Bell County was created out of land from both Knox and Harlan Counties. There wouldn’t be a Bell County if we had not been willing to share some land. Dr. Thomas Walker made his way through the Cumberland Gap to just outside of what is now the City of Barbourville. The Cumberland Gap National Park was the gateway discovered by Dr. Thomas Walker back in 1750. If you’ve ever heard of Lewis & Clark, just know that Dr. Walker explored that land here and in western Kentucky decades before them and his documentation of the Cumberland Gap Passage would become a highway of people as Colonel Daniel Boone and his frontiersman cleared the Warriors Path or the Wilderness Road as it would became famously known, in 1775. The Warriors Path followed along the Cumberland River, straight through Flat Lick and throughout Knox County. ​ ​The Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival began in 1931 because of the passion and dream of Anna Walker Burns. She wanted to find a way to honor her famous ancestor. For the record, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival started 4 years before the Kentucky Derby was organized and held her first race. The Daniel Boone Festival began in 1948 and we have some history here in the mountains of Kentucky, of which we can be quite thankful for and proud of. The KMLF is named for the beautiful Mountain Laurel which is a shrub with large clusters of small pale pine flowers that grow wild in Pine Mountain. ​One fact about us, our history and our connections, if you’ll give us enough conversation time, we will figure out a way to make us “all kin” and we will be able to explain it too, using your grandpa’s side of the family, more than likely. ​Life is a wonderful road of travels, moments and people. Shared history and connections make life more meaningful and give us plenty to talk about. Until then​

After long illness, I’m writing again - The Mountain Advocate, Barbourville, Ky

I don’t quite have the space to tell me story in one column but it did begin with a stubbed toe in October, 2014. The past 7 years of my life has been a mixture of memories branded into my life’s experiences, including time when I have no memory or recollection at all. Health challenges arrive at times with no advance warning and sometimes health issues appear so simple that there isn’t any panic or worry until you find yourself overwhelmed and totally confused by the quickness and onslaught of things you’d never even thought of before. Having battled health issue and after issue and having attempted to remain positive with a happy and positive outlook on life, situations and circumstances, 2019 doubled down against me and my ability to write was unexpectedly totally off the table, as I fought for life. With this column I am excited to return and share that my health has improved, and for the record, I am still alive, lol. I appreciate the many personal inquiries as to my health and those efforts same efforts expressed to the paper about where I went. Its excited to share a quick answer to that wonder and question. It is also exciting to return to writing “Until then”. I pray my column will be an encouragement for your daily life and I’m excited about sharing my life’s story through the Mountain Advocate. My columns have been about 4 things that I find make life valuable. People, places, experiences and books we read. Given the surprises that life can hand us, I have no guarantee about time, but his I know. Life is short no matter how many years we live on earth. Opportunities are unique. By not seizing the moments we have been granted in life, there is sure to be regrets if we do not act, when and while we can. Until then.