Middlesboro, Kentucky
From the awe-inspiring Cumberland Gap Tunnel to the scenic views of both the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and Pine Mountain State Resort Park, visitors are in for some very unique treats when traveling to Middlesboro, Kentucky and Bell County. For golf enthusiasts there's the Middlesboro Country Club, the nation's oldest continuously played golf course. Nature lovers can bask in the beauty of the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park - the second largest historical park in the

nation - which features "the Gap," an 800-foot-deep natural break in the Cumberland Mountains, or visit the Pine Mountain State Resort Park, Kentucky's first state park

Those looking for a truly unique landmark in Middlesboro (originally named Middlesborough after the city in England) can make a stop at the Coal House, built in 1926 out of 42 tons of bituminous coal and then step next door to take in the sights of the Bell County Coal Mining Museum, an outdoor museum that features coal mining equipment from the 1960s.

View other attractions here.

Bits of History

The town is home to the Middlesboro Country Club. Founded in 1889, the 9-hole course is one of the oldest golf courses in the country. The club also claims to be the oldest continuously played course in the nation. Pianist Ben Harney originated ragtime music in Middlesboro in the early 1890s, inspired by the fusion of African-American and local music styles heard in the community's saloons.

The city was incorporated in 1890 as "Middlesborough", named after the town of Middlesbrough on the south bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. However, the U.S. Post Office began using the spelling "Middlesboro" in 1894. Both spellings are used interchangeably.

Middlesboro is the hometown of actor Lee Majors and stage and movie actress Susan Kingsley.