Co-op: Coal, Community, & House 52

Co-operative, Kentucky, born in 1920-22 in the vast riches of a virgin forest in the heart of McCreary County seemingly overnight, was brought together by timber and coal. The Co-op Coal Mine thrived for 28 years. Like a desert rose that springs from nothing, Co-op blossomed and then suddenly was gone with no evidence it ever lived.

Step back in time and see how these children and their families lived in a world without the conveniences we take for granted today. It was a time of innocence. This community, in the beautiful Daniel Boone National Forest, glimpsed the outside world through only radio and television and weekend dads once the mine closed. Even though these families were forced to move on, they share a bond that will forever remain strong until the last person is standing.

The author shines a light on this community of Co-op, on a forgotten time. It's not the whole story, but a snapshot of hardship, struggles, and joys of a poor people. This is Co-op's story through the eyes of one young boy who lived in Co-op from birth (1951) to age 13 (1964).