| County Introduction |
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| Bell County was established in 1867 and named after Joshua Fry Bell (1811-1870. He was Danville lawyer, a congressman and a Kentucky legislator. The county seat is Pineville. |
| County Origins |
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| Bell County, Kentucky was formed from Harlan County and Knox County. It was originally known as Josh Bell County. |
Roadside Historical Markers
Roadside historical markers introduce the history of each Kentucky Highlands County. These markers provide interesting facts about many important events, people and places throughout the Highlands.| Marker Title | Marker Location | Marker Information |
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| The Wilderness Road | South of Pineville, US 25-E | Opened Kentucky and the West to rapid settlement and major development. First wagon road built by Kentucky (1796), Crab Orchard to Cumberland Gap. A principal highway, maintained as turnpike (toll road) for 80 years. |
| Colonel Arthur Campbell | Middlesboro, US 25-E | Grave of Colonel Arthur Campbell (1734-1811). Statesman, Revolutionary soldier, justice, legislator, County Lieutenant. Sons, James and John, killed in War of 1812. |
| Joshua Fry Bell | Pineville, Courthouse lawn, US 25-E | Bell County formed from Harlan and Knox counties, 1867. Named for Joshua Fry Bell, 1811-70, Congressman, Ky. Sec. of State. Comr. to Peace Conference in 1861 and state legislator. He was great-grandson of Dr. Thomas Walker, explorer of Kentucky wilderness, 1750. |
| A Masterful Retreat | Cumberland Gap, US 25-E | During the Civil War, Cumberland Gap was held alternately by Union and CSA armies. USA forces under Gen. George W. Morgan occupied it June 18 to Sept. 17, 1862. Cut off from supplies and surrounded, Morgan with 9,000 men retreated successfully to Greenup on Ohio River, 200 miles in 16 days over mountain roads, and despite the harassment of CSA Morgan's Raiders. |
| Invasion and Retreat | Pineville, US 25-E | On route of Gen. E. Kirby Smith's Confederate invasion of Kentucky, fall 1862, concurrent with that of Bragg to the west. At Richmond Kirby Smith defeated USA, then occupied Lexington, Sept. 2. The Battle of Perryville prevented CSA plan to take Central Kentucky. Kirby Smith's army joined Bragg's, moving through here, Oct. 19-24, on return to Tennessee. See map other side. |
| Middlesborough | Tourist Info. Center, North 20th St., Middlesboro | English colony founded in 1886 by Alexander Arthur. Project financed by English company, the American Association, because of timber and rich mineral deposits here. Almost 100,000 mountainous acres in Va., Tenn., and Ky. purchased for the settlement. Town was named for Middlesborough, England. Railroad to Knoxville and Cumberland Gap tunnel built by the company. |
| Mountain Vision | W. Cumberland Ave., Middlesboro, US 25 | Alexander Arthur, 1846-1912, an outstanding figure in history of Middlesboro. He came here in 1885 to prospect, discovering coal and iron ore deposits. President of American Association, formed to carry out his plans for a mining and manufacturing city. Watts Steel and Iron Company was one of the largest concerns, having blast furnaces, brick works, steel mills. Presented by American Assoc. Limited. |
| Oldest House | N. of 19th St., Middlesboro, US 25 | Built about 1800 in Yellow Creek Valley, the second brick house in the county, and the oldest one still standing. The bricks were made from clay by slave labor. Home of Rev. John Calvin Colson, "Patriarch of Yellow Creek Valley," preacher, teacher, lawyer, doctor, farmer, miller, merchant, "being gifted along these lines but not educated for such pursuits." Presented by Chamber of Commerce. |
| Middlesboro Golf Club | Middlesboro, at Golf Club, US 25 | One of the oldest in US, founded 1889. The present nine-hole course located on site where original was laid out by the English developers who came 1886 and brought the golf game to this mountain region. In 1899, a financial crash in England took most of the immigrants home, leaving the club with only sporadic golf until 1916, when it was reorganized by local citizens. Presented by Kiwanis, Lions & Rotary Clubs. |
| Wallsend Mine | Pineville, US 25-E | The first to begin operations in Bell County, starting in 1889, with 1500 acres of coal land. Extension of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to this area in 1888 marked the beginning of a new industrial era. This mine was not a financial success until it was purchased by Wallsend Coal and Coke Co., 1904, a Ky. corporation, but stock held mostly in England. Presented by Pineville Chamber of Commerce |
| Henderson Settlement | S. of Pineville at Bert Combs Forestry Bldg., KY 190 | Rev. Hiram M. Frakes founded this Methodist Settlement in 1925. Begun in a cabin with 13 students, it became an institution for spiritual and educational development of mountain youth. Frakes guided and influenced the entire Middle Laurel Fork Valley. Their simply expressed gratitude for his work was, "Parson, we're glad you came." Settlement is 17 miles west on KY 190. |
| Watts Furnaces | Middlesboro, US 25-E at KY 441 | Stood 1/2 mi. SW. A pair of blast furnaces built by the Watts Steel and Iron Syndicate, Ltd., 1890-93, and operated until 1898. Each iron shell stack was 75 ft. high with a maximum inner diameter of 17 ft. Using coke fuel and local ore, they had a planned capacity together of 400 tons of iron daily, converted to steel at the same site. See the other side. |
| Cumberland Ford | KY 66 & Pine St., Pineville | One of the most important points on the Wilderness Road marked by Daniel Boone in 1775. Ford first used by Indians, then by early explorers and the Long Hunters. After Boone opened the way west, more than 100,000 settlers used the crossing as a gateway to Ky. During Civil War ford occupied by both Union and CSA troops because of its strategic location. |
| Kentucky-Tennessee Boundary | At Kentucky-Tennessee Boundary | The easternmost boundary between Ky. and Tenn. began at seven pines and two black oaks, surveyor's point of reference, about 11/2 mi. south of Cumberland Gap. Surveys by Steele and Looney (1821) and Matthews (1826) were among those run before controversy settled by Cox and Peebles, 1858-59. Stone-marked line became official boundary between the two states. |
| Naming of the Cumberland River | Pine Mountain State Park, at Harbell Rd., 1 mi. S. of Pineville, US 25-E | Near this site where the creek enters the river, on April 17, 1750, Dr. Thomas Walker first viewed the river he named for the Duke of Cumberland. Known as the "Narrows," this area became a significant gateway for travelers on the Wilderness Road. Presented by Bell County Fiscal Court. |
| Historical Items For Sale |
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