Odds, Kentucky and Van Lear County. (original) (raw)

Deep in the Heart of Somewhere
Number 1:
by John Troesser
Photo courtesy of the Van Lear County Historical Society

We came to know Odds, Kentucky from a recent letter from Danny Belvins, a Van Lear County historian and President of the Van Lear County Historical Society. In his letter he mentioned a connection to Odds, Texas and how former Kentuckians that settled that town would make the arduous trip home to attend reunions.

Consolidated Coal Mine #1 where Loretta Lynn�s father once worked

Offices of the Coal Company now house the Van Lear County Historical Society as well as the coal miner�s museum.

| When we found that Mr. Blevins had authored the Arcadia title on Van Lear County in their Images of America series, it gave us the opportunity to take action on a long-simmering project that we had placed on the back burner years ago � namely calling attention to the Arcadia project � an understated and unadvertised undertaking that is nothing short of organizing the collective �family album� of small town America (or at least those who want to be included). | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |

We are happy to make Odds the first in what is to be a long-running feature which we hope will introduce our readers to the cooperative efforts of local historians / authors and the people at Arcadia Publishing that make these titles available to us all. John Troesser
March 14, 2011