Why Establish a business in Letcher County?
For a load of reasons besides those listed for visitors and for new residents and retirees.
An available work force.
Coal is dying. That’s bad for us, and good for you. We have a ready-made work force for any company moving in here. A work force that would like to stay in Letcher County for the warmth, the beauty, the place, the culture. A work force that already knows how to operate complicated machinery and heavy equipment (coal mining has been high tech for decades). A work force that knows the place and the people. And a work force that is certified as work-ready-in-progress.
Coal is dying. That’s bad for us, and good for you. We have a ready-made work force for any company moving in here. A work force that would like to stay in Letcher County for the warmth, the beauty, the place, the culture. A work force that already knows how to operate complicated machinery and heavy equipment (coal mining has been high tech for decades). A work force that knows the place and the people. And a work force that is certified as work-ready-in-progress.
East Kentucky Gateway Industrial Park outside Jenkins, with lots of land to accommodate your needs, plus other places in the county to fit you in. Gateway park has both substantial space and a pre-built 47,000 square-foot building that you can house your business in. Click here and here for more information. Gateway also has a helicopter port (click here for FAA data on heliport).
A County that is in the process of being certified work-ready
A broad segment of the county is working, and working together, to make sure we have the kind of work force you need. It is being led by a citizen-composed Letcher County Planning Commission. Click here for more information about Kentucky's Work-Ready communities program.
A broad segment of the county is working, and working together, to make sure we have the kind of work force you need. It is being led by a citizen-composed Letcher County Planning Commission. Click here for more information about Kentucky's Work-Ready communities program.
The Appalachian Regional Commission
The ARC was formed specifically to improve the economy and living conditions of Appalachia. New business is a part of that, and they will be glad to work with you. To access their website, click here.
Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR)
SOAR is a joint effort of the governor of Kentucky and Representative Hal Rogers, the member of the House who represents Letcher County in Washington. SOAR is working on a number of initiatives to make Eastern Kentucky attractive to business, including broadband access across the region and to the outside. Click here for more information on SOAR.
SOAR is a joint effort of the governor of Kentucky and Representative Hal Rogers, the member of the House who represents Letcher County in Washington. SOAR is working on a number of initiatives to make Eastern Kentucky attractive to business, including broadband access across the region and to the outside. Click here for more information on SOAR.
Federal Promise Zone Grants
The federal government was designated certain areas of the country as Promise Zones, and the President has recently earmarked substantial money for a number of Eastern Kentucky counties that fall in the zone, of which Letcher is one. Any group that has a plan to bring jobs and prosperity has a shot at that money. Click here for information on business grants from the Promise Zones program.
The federal government was designated certain areas of the country as Promise Zones, and the President has recently earmarked substantial money for a number of Eastern Kentucky counties that fall in the zone, of which Letcher is one. Any group that has a plan to bring jobs and prosperity has a shot at that money. Click here for information on business grants from the Promise Zones program.
One East Kentucky
One East Kentucky is a Nine-County Regional Organization comprised of Private Businesses and local Chambers of Commerce. It is headquartered in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. The exclusive mission of ONE EAST KENTUCKY is to Recruit Industry and Investment –JOBS–to Eastern Kentucky through the implementation of a 5-Year Economic Development Strategy. Click here for more information about One East Kentucky and what they can do for you.
One East Kentucky is a Nine-County Regional Organization comprised of Private Businesses and local Chambers of Commerce. It is headquartered in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. The exclusive mission of ONE EAST KENTUCKY is to Recruit Industry and Investment –JOBS–to Eastern Kentucky through the implementation of a 5-Year Economic Development Strategy. Click here for more information about One East Kentucky and what they can do for you.
The Letcher County Planning Commission itself. That planning commission has a close link with our US Congressman, has worked successfully with him over almost a decade, and is now very close to bringing a federal prison to this county. They stand ready to help you get settled here as well. For more information about the Letcher County Planning Commission, click here. To contact the Letcher County Planning Commission, send an email to Co-chairman Elwood Cornett at the email address elwoodc@tvscable.com.
For information about bringing your business to Letcher County, email Joe Depriest, the former County Economic Development Director, at joedepriest@msn.com.
For information about bringing your business to Letcher County, email Joe Depriest, the former County Economic Development Director, at joedepriest@msn.com.
Banking Facilities: We have two local banks, Whitaker Bank and Community Trust Bank, operating in the county. If you like to do business with someone you know and see regularly around the county, then you may want to bank with them. For more information about Community Trust Bank, click here. For more information about Whitaker Bank, click here.
To communicate with Double Kwik, an established Letcher County business that can provide information about the Letcher County business climate, click here.
For information about educational facilities in Letcher County, click here for Letcher County Schools, here for Jenkins Independent Schools, and here for Southeast Community and Technical College.
Letcher County has a wide range of health care offices, ranging from individual doctors' offices through clinics to a hospital. For information about the latter, click here for the Whitesburg Appalachian Regional Hospital and here for Mountain Comprehensive Health Care.
To return to the main page, click here.
For reasons to visit Letcher County, click here.
For reasons to live or retire in Letcher County, click here.
For Letcher County attractions, click here.
For Letcher County history, click here.
For Letcher County Civil War sites, click here.
For Letcher County historic graveyards, click here.
For places to hear music in Letcher County, click here.
For scenes of Letcher County, click here.
For information about educational facilities in Letcher County, click here for Letcher County Schools, here for Jenkins Independent Schools, and here for Southeast Community and Technical College.
Letcher County has a wide range of health care offices, ranging from individual doctors' offices through clinics to a hospital. For information about the latter, click here for the Whitesburg Appalachian Regional Hospital and here for Mountain Comprehensive Health Care.
To return to the main page, click here.
For reasons to visit Letcher County, click here.
For reasons to live or retire in Letcher County, click here.
For Letcher County attractions, click here.
For Letcher County history, click here.
For Letcher County Civil War sites, click here.
For Letcher County historic graveyards, click here.
For places to hear music in Letcher County, click here.
For scenes of Letcher County, click here.