Butcher Hollow, Kentucky

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Childhood home of Loretta Lynn
Childhood home of Loretta Lynn

Butcher Hollow (also known as Butcher Holler) is a mining community located in Johnson County, Kentucky. Its main claim to fame is being the birthplace of country music singer Loretta Lynn.

Butcher Hollow is a part of the community of Van Lear. Van Lear is a former coal town that was constructed by the Consolidation Coal Company in the early part of the 20th Century. Van Lear was named for one of the directors of the company, Mr. Van Lear Black. Although most of Butcher Hollow lies outside of the old Van Lear city limits, the mailing address of those who have lived there has been Van Lear since the establishment of the Van Lear post office in 1909. Butcher Hollow is not a town in its own right, as is the common misconception among many tourists.

Today, thousands of tourists visit Van Lear each year to visit the former home of Melvin "Ted" and Clara (Ramey) Webb, the parents of eight children, four of which would grow up to have major recording contracts: Loretta Lynn, Peggy Sue Wright, Crystal Gayle and Jay Lee Webb. The house is generally open to the public and guided tours are given by another sibling, Herman Webb.

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