Fiddle Bow, Kentucky
Unincorporated community
Fiddle Bow is located in Kentucky
Fiddle Bow
Fiddle Bow
Fiddle Bow is located in the United States
Fiddle Bow
Fiddle Bow
Coordinates: 37°16′18″N 87°39′29″W / 37.27167°N 87.65806°W / 37.27167; -87.65806
CountryUnited States
StateKentucky
CountyHopkins
Elevation
515 ft (157 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CST)
GNIS feature ID507993[1]

Fiddle Bow is an unincorporated community located in southwest Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States.[2] It was populated as early as 1913.[3] The town takes its name from a black oak tree that once lived in the area that had the appearance of a violin bow. A notorious highwayman, Micajah Harpe (AKA Big Harp), one of the Harpe brothers, was reputedly executed in the area.[4]

Mining and resource-extraction activity

Fiddle Bow was home to an underground coal mine owned by the Pittsburgh and Midway Coal Company. As of 1980 it had a production capacity of 250,000 tons a year.[5] A strip mine was also located at Fiddle Bow with a production tonnage of 11,767 tons in 1980.[6]

In 1986 water from an old mine created what locals dubbed the "Fiddle Bow Geyser", with water spraying more than 50 feet in the air from a vent pipe.[7]

Oil was discovered at Fiddle Bow in 1968.[8]

References

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fiddle Bow, Kentucky
  2. ^ Field, Thomas Parry (1961). A Guide to Kentucky Place Names. College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky. p. 91. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  3. ^ "Fiddle Bow Items". The Hustler. September 23, 1913. p. 9. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  4. ^ "Kentucky's Fiddle Bow District". The Kingston Daily Freeman. December 30, 1938. p. 14. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  5. ^ Technical Bulletin, Issue 1627. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1980. p. 150. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  6. ^ U. S. Coal Mine Production by Seam. McGraw-Hill. 1980. p. 179. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  7. ^ "Water from old coal mine creates 'Fiddle Bow Geyser' in Hopkins". The Courier-Journal. AP. February 22, 1986. p. 7. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  8. ^ Oil and Gas Field Code Master List -- 1982. Energy Information Administration, Office of Oil and Gas. 1982. p. 128. Retrieved December 5, 2020.


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