BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — A regional movement to preserve and promote Eastern Kentucky’s rich history added a new voice Thursday. The Eastern Kentucky Humanities Commission welcomed the Martin County Historical and Genealogical Society as its 33rd member organization.
The visit to Inez by EKHC co-founders Dustin Doyle and David Clinger marked another step in the fast-growing effort to unite historical groups across 40 counties into a coalition dedicated to sustaining history and cultural legacy.
“Everything east of I-75 is under our purview, so to speak,” Doyle said. “We started this initiative last year in July, and we have been very busy the last 11 months, going on a full year, meeting with curators and directors of different historical societies, organizations and museums. We’re constantly meeting with these people and sharing our story and a little bit about who we are and what we’re proposing to do for the humanities in eastern Kentucky. That’s why we’re here today.”
What began just a year ago as an ambitious idea in Morehead has rapidly evolved into a sweeping grassroots movement. Representing nearly 60 institutions across Eastern Kentucky, the EKHC is on a mission: to preserve, promote and, in the words of Clinger, “persevere.”
“Preserving Eastern Kentucky history and the humanities throughout the state is our main focus and goal,” Clinger said.
He compared the region’s museums and historical societies to “little islands,” each trying to stay afloat alone, often with shoestring budgets and skeletal staff.
“They’re all doing their own research and they use their own staff and volunteers,” Clinger said.
Now, EKHC is building the bridge to bring those islands together.
“We’re all banding together to promote, to market and to ensure the longevity of the humanities throughout Eastern Kentucky,” he said.
For Martin County, the partnership could open new doors. Clinger highlighted the remarkable legacy of Martin Himler, the immigrant coal operator who built an idealistic company town in Warfield. Fulbright Scholar Stokes Piercy will soon travel to Hungary to research Himler’s roots for a feature-length documentary — an international spotlight on local history.
“Martin County has a particular history,” Clinger said. “You’re in a very unique position here.”
He spoke passionately about the deeper meaning of preserving local heritage, saying it gives people a sense of their place in the world, which is especially important to young people.
“It’s such an important job that this organization does for your community and eastern Kentucky,” said Clinger. “A lot of people don’t understand that there is so much research and development going on right now. Historical organizations, societies, and foundations play an integral part in any type of research, any type of development.”
Funded through donations, the EKHC offers free support to member groups, sharing grant writing and digital marketing expertise, strategic advice, and networking opportunities so that smaller “island” institutions can pool resources, boost visibility and secure long-term sustainability.
“We are also representatives for the humanities in Eastern Kentucky,” Doyle said. “We have the power to lobby interests for every organization under the humanities field.”
Nearby member institutions include the Fred Vinson Museum in Louisa, the Highlands Museum in Ashland, and the Big Sandy Heritage Center in Pikeville. Clinger also pointed to the Pine Mountain and Hindman Settlement Schools as powerful examples of regional heritage in action.
The EKHC’s own origin story began with the modest Rowan County Veterans Museum in Morehead. Two years ago, it was a barely functioning repository — open one day a week by appointment, attracting fewer than 100 visitors a year. That all changed with a Vietnam War reenactment that drew a crowd of 1,500 and sparked a community revival.
“It really kind of set the momentum and set a fire in a lot of volunteers and a lot of the older people,” Clinger said.
The museum underwent an eight-month transformation. Today it welcomes 300 to 500 visitors monthly with guests from 38 states and 14 countries. Donations have soared and the museum now ranks among Kentucky’s premier military history institutions.
The EKHC is developing a regional museum trail to promote heritage tourism across Eastern Kentucky. This planned route will guide visitors through a curated weekend itinerary, spotlighting member sites in a cohesive experience.