Hemphill, Kentucky

Hemphill is a Letcher county community on Yonts Fork at the mouth of Quillen Fork about ten miles northeast of Whitesburg. It was perhaps first known as Jackhorn – the source of that name is not known – and that is the name of the post office. The Hemphill name was applied by the Elk Horn Coal Corporation which built a coal camp there circa 1914. The name comes from Alexander Hemphill, who was involved in financing Elk Horn Coal. Elk Horn Coal was created by the merger of three older companies which traced their origins to the 1880s.

The Jackhorn post office opened in 1916.

The old Hemphill Grade School building is now home to the Hemphill Community Center.

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© 2024 David C. Elbon