Introduction Fred T. May Biography At the request of officers of Pike County Historical Society, LLC, Fred T. May will provide a series of articles from his research on early Pike County records of general interest to the organization.  In 1983, Fred began research on his May ancestors in Eastern Kentucky.

Throughout Pike Counties history there have been several taverns located in different areas of this large County. The majority if not all lodging was usually located at a residence of a citizen living in his own dwelling. It was law in the State of Kentucky and listed in county records

Bethlehem Plans Big Pike Mine Jenkins, Ky., Oct. 25—The giant Bethlehem Mines Corporation, one of the three largest mining firms in Eastern Kentucky-announced plans here Friday for developing a “multimillion dollar” underground coal mining and preparation plant in southwestern Pike County. The modern plant and mine will be located on

In 1913 a group of so-called boosters toured eastern Kentucky and stopped in county seats.  These visits just so happened to coincide with the newly booming coal industry in the mountains. Judging from the elevation from which this picture was taken, the photographer was probably standing on the platform or