ANNUAL VAN LEAR TOWN CELEBRATION

The Annual Van Lear Town Celebration is a festival that is held on the first full Friday / Saturday weekend of each August. The town celebration is a time for all who live in Van Lear to celebrate the history and heritage of our town. It is also, a time when we welcome home those who have moved out of our community. Too, we invite everyone else to come and share in the fun!

The Van Lear Town Celebration was created when Danny K. Blevins and his cousin, Madonna "Webb" Kuhn were discussing ideas for the Van Lear Historical Society. Danny had noticed an article in "The Paintsville Herald" that was reprinted by Mr.Robert Marsh. The article told of the completion of the railroad bridge tying the railroad tracks from Van Lear to the "main line" in 1910. Blevins noted that 1985 would be the 75th Anniversary of the first commercial train load of coal to leave Miller's Creek. Ms.Kuhn said that she thought a celebration should be held. The historical society had already been holding yearly music shows in Wolfpen that were known as,"The Annual Pickin' and Grinnin' Music Festival". The idea grew and the music festival was transformed into, The Annual Van Lear Town Celebration.

The town celebration is the most important time of the year for the Van Lear Historical Society. It is during the celebration that the society makes a large portion of its operating funds for the next fiscal year. It takes a lot of money to support a non-profit organization and we urge everyone to attend the events we sponser during each celebration. Happily, we can report that the crowds are getting larger each year and new events are being added. Each dollar spent at society sponsered events during the celebrations help assure the Coal Miners'Museum and Rucker Park can remain viable fixtures in our town.

The Officers and members of the Van Lear Historical Society would like to extend an invitation to you to attend the next Van Lear Town Celebration to be held on AUGUST 5th & 6th, 2005. See you there!

NEWS FLASH !

The Van Lear Historical Society is pleased to announce that Lt.Col.Harry T. Stewart USAF (ret.) will be our Guest of Honor. Stewart is a Tuskegee Airman and flew during WWII as one of the famous,"Red Tails". Stewart was credited with downing three Nazi 109's in the skies over Europe. In 1949, Harry Stewart was one of a team of three to win the very first USAF gunnery competion.

Lt.Col.Stewart's connection to the community of Van Lear resulted from an accident that occurred 1949. Stewart bailed out of a P-47 and ended up on Daniels Creek suspended from a dead pine tree. The unmanned P-47 crashed on a hilltop in Butcher Hollow, near the childhood home of Loretta Lynn. Harry was rescued by local residents.His return will allow him to reunite with surviving members of the families involved in the incident.

Check this page often, as information will be added when available.

To make a suggestion, book an attraction or gather information :

Phone The Coal Miners' Museum at : (606) 789-8540

email : coalcamp@yahoo.com or admin@vanlear.org

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