Cumberland Central Business District
National Register of Historic Places

Cumberland Central Business District

Cumberland, Harlan County, Kentucky
Listed
March 14, 1996
Type
District
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
96000282

About this property

The Cumberland Central Business District is a commercial historic district in downtown Cumberland, Kentucky. While Cumberland was first settled in the 1820s, the district was developed during the area's coal mining boom of the 1910s and 1920s, which came after the Louisville and Nashville Railroad built lines through the region. Two of the largest mines in Harlan County, at Benham and Lynch, were near Cumberland; Benham and Lynch were company towns, however, which made Cumberland the closest commercial center independent of the mining companies. During this period, downtown Cumberland added a bank, a theater, a bus station, and many restaurants and specialty shops. The local coal industry declined dramatically during the Great Depression, and many of Cumberland's businesses closed as mining companies and their employees left the region. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1996.

Location

Cumberland, Harlan County, Kentucky
36.97525, -82.99062

Categories

COMMERCEINDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Cumberland Central Business District

This page lists Cumberland Central Business District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Cumberland Central Business District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Benham Historic District
Industrial
2.4 mi
Lynch Historic District
Listed
4.3 mi
Pine Mountain Settlement School
Listed
10.8 mi
Caudill, C.B., Store
Industrial
11.4 mi
Whitesburg Historic District
Listed
13.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Evarts (Kentucky 1931)
1931Modern
14.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cumberland Central Business District listed on the National Register?

Cumberland Central Business District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Cumberland Central Business District?

Cumberland Central Business District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cumberland Central Business District?

The period of significance for Cumberland Central Business District is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Cumberland Central Business District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Cumberland Central Business District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Harlan County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Harlan County.

Explore HarlanCounty ›

More historic places in Kentucky

Browse all historic places in Kentucky.

View Kentuckyhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Kentucky history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Kentuckyhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Cumberland Central Business District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report