Middlesboro Information (Lexington, Louisville, Somerset: transplants, home, job market)

[LPOP02]

My wife and I will be retiring in a couple of years and are trying to decide if Middlesboro would be a good area for us. Can anyone give us some general information on what the hospital (and hospital in Pineville, which is nearby) is like, whether Middlesboro is a good area to live in (how is crime, cost of living, etc.)? Anything you can tell us would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Sandhillian]

Can I tag along on this thread? I would be interested in knowing about the schools and religious tolerance, as well as the questions posed by LPOPO2. Thanks!

[karenkaye]

yes, we're looking to retire to Middlesboro ky or cumberland gap/harrogate tn towns. any information re the prevous posts would be greatly appreciated.

[EricOldTime]

My cousins husband is from Middlesboro, I guess I could ask him about the area..

[tamaralj]

I hear the churches around there are BYOS.....bring your own snake. Ha! There is a snake handling church there, they had a reality series about it for awhile on TV. It's a pretty area with a low cost of living, and mountain views. It's gotten good reviews from when I researched it. Right around Cumberland Gap. Bordering TN, and VA. Couldn't tell you about the hospitals and things though.

[EricOldTime]

Originally Posted by tamaralj

I hear the churches around there are BYOS.....bring your own snake. Ha! There is a snake handling church there, they had a reality series about it for awhile on TV. It's a pretty area with a low cost of living, and mountain views. It's gotten good reviews from when I researched it. Right around Cumberland Gap. Bordering TN, and VA. Couldn't tell you about the hospitals and things though.

I thought there were Pentecostal Holyness snake handling churches in a few areas in eastern Kentucky, not just Bell county around Middlesboro, but that one is I think the most weel known. Used to be some in Pike, Knott and also Perry counties around Hazard too I think....at least at one time....am I wrong?

[hogsrus]

Probably more snake handling going on than we know about. It's not the kinda thing they publicize. As for me, the only good snake is a dead snake.

Middlesboro is one of the largest cities in Southeastern Kentucky with a population of (I'm Guessing) about 14000 +/- and the population of Bell County as a whole about 40000 +/- including Pineville which is the smaller of the two cities. I don't know much about the Hospitals that I can say for sure. I have heard both good and bad which is like most anything. It's not the place I would look for a Heart transplant if you know what I mean. Pikeville Medical Center would be a better choice for that.

Middlesboro has been known to flood from time to time but, since the Cumberland Gap tunnel was built and the Army Corps of Engineers worked on flood control it is not as much a problem as it once was. Pineville has flooded in years past but a flood wall was built back in the 80's to take care of that with gates that close to keep water out of the city again by the Army Corps of Engineers. I don't think the walls have ever been used for flood control (other than testing) since they were built if that's any indication as to how often Pineville floods. If I were looking to buy a place in either city I would enquire about flood plane areas first and foremost.

As for Religion, you will find several so called Denominational Churches and lots of people will attend services and a lot will not. Those that do attend will bring it up in conversation and will sometimes ask where you go or ask you to attend but, don't attempt to cram it down your throat as some here would suggest. Church is a way of life for many.

Schools...well I don't know much about the school situation other than they love their football. I haven't had any young'uns in school for many years. But, I would think, as most places, as good as they are, they probably have room for improvement. Bell County High school is a relatively new building being on Log Mountain between Middlesboro and Pineville. Middlesboro has it's own School system operated by the City. It's a big event when Bell County and Middlesboro play football.

Middlesboro is built in an asteroid crater and was originally designed by the British many years ago but, gave up on the idea for some reason. It is a very unique city for South Eastern Kentucky. Middlesboro is home of the oldest golf course in the Nation. An 8 hole course again designed by the British many years ago.

Coal is or was a major source of income for Bell County. Bell County has the oldest State Park which is Pine Mountain State Park near Pineville and the famous chained rock. It has a great lodge with great views of the surrounding Mountains and, I can't forget, a great restaurant.

Just through the Cumberland Gap Tunnel is Harrogate Tenn. It's a small College town with Lincoln Memorial University. I have some relatives and friends that attended LMU and went on to other Universities to continue their education. Other than that I can't say much about Harrogate to be a fact.

Us 25E runs through Middlesboro, Pineville and Harrogate and traffic can be quite heavy with traffic on holiday weekends especially when the Nascar race takes place in Bristol, also it's a good short cut from Corbin off I-75 to I-40 or I-81. I think, Knoxville is only about 60 miles from Middlesboro more of less.

Middlesboro seems to be of interest so, that's my two cents. If I think of anything else I'll let youns know.

[Serious Conversation]

I think Corbin is around 40-50 miles from Middlesborough. It's quite a ways from the tunnel to 75.

Middlesborough has decent shopping for a city its size, but it's also very, very isolated. I know there's a Penney's, Wal-Mart, Food City, and 4 screen theater. It's a long way back to Morristown and probably further to Knoxville.

LMU has a very well respected nursing program.

It would probably be a decent area to retire to

[censusdata]

My grandpa moved from Harlan Co to the Norris Lake area in TN. Several of my cousins live in the small towns in TN just south of Middlesboro.

Pros:

Great scenery, best in KY IMO. Cumberland Gap Nat Historic Park is just out of town as is Pine Mtn State Park (chained rock).

Good amount of shopping by SE KY standards. They have about as much as Somerset.

Decent size hospital, though for non routine stuff I'd go to Knoxville or Lexington

Cons:

Limited job market

Pockets of poverty, drug abuse, and widespread poor health

Not many transplants there. If you live there you're mostly from there

A couple hours to Lexington or Knoxville, a good 4 hour drive to larger cities like Cincinnati or Louisville

[hogsrus]

Not to be picky or nothing but, that's Middlesboro not Middlesborough.