The Story of the Property Known Around the Hole Wide Whirled
as Wiley’s Last Resort and Told by the Late Jim Webb…
WLR is a private nature & wildlife preserve near Whitesburg in Letcher County on top of Pine Mountain, the second highest mountain in Kentucky.
The Pine Mountain Trail Linear State Park passes through the Resort and The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come Trail entrance is across the US 119. The Resort is bordered by the 3000 acre Bad Branch Falls Nature Preserve and is 3.7 miles from the Bad Branch parking area.
Begun in the early 1930’s, The Pine Mountain Resort reached its peak of popularity in the late 40’s and early 50’s. On hot summer days as many as a hundred people would swim, hike and pic-nic at the Resort. The Bath House (now the Sand Bar & Gorilla) had changing rooms and a concession stand. There were row boats and other water activities including very popular Coon-on-the-Log contests. In the late 50’s the Resort became a private residence and was no longer accessible to the public.
Around 1969 the lake was drained and the Resort came into disrepair. Also around this time, The Pine Mountain Hotel, a beautiful old hotel above the Resort, burned down as did the Southeast Coal Co cabin. Too many structures on the mountain have burned down. It’s been an ongoing tragedy for what 50 years ago was the hot spot (no pun intended) of Letcher County. The spectacular views, the picnic grounds, Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Forest Fire Tower, Hotel, Resort, Little Shepherd Trail, hiking and other pleasures combined to make a trip to the mountain memorable for folks throughout eastern Kentucky.
In 1992 my family home just around the curve from the Resort, burned down. I lost everything I had and all of my family belongings and work. Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance refused to honor my $50,000 policy and offered me $21,250. They said my brother’s half of the house wasn’t insured because our father had left it to the two of us. My brother’s name wasn’t on the policy. I was never able to rebuild. Just this week (June 21st, 2004) the Kentucky Supreme Court refused to hear my appeal and Kentucky Farm Bureau has won after a mere 12 years. Watch out, they will hoo-doo you.
The dastardly luck continued. My Aunt Nan Lou’s house on top of the mountain burned in 1994. Having been captivated by the mountain since I was a kid and hating to live in the big city of Whitesburg, I was renting the big cabin at what is now the Resort. It burned down in 1995 and I lost everything I had again. The bank repossessed the property and auctioned it off. I lost the bid but the winner reneged. My good friend Ernie and my brother Robb helped and I was able to buy it. We cleared the trees out of the lakebed, plugged up the dam and began restoring the Sand Bar & Gorilla and the 1936 cabin. It’s a work in progress and continues as we speak.
Map of the Property from the mind of the late Jim webb.
We now have 3 canoes, 2 kayaks, 1 john boat, 1 poke boat, 2 paddle boats and 1 pontoon. There are hiking trails thru the woods up to the Sand Quarry and around. A Driving Range & 3 hole Golf Course (always remember “Golf” is “Flog” backwards) is in the works. Camping sites abound. But it is, of course, primitive and will always be.
It is a private abode and all events are private but, having been dismayed over the years at the terrible waste of such a wonderful place, I feel comfortable in sharing it with friends and family and do so upon occasion. The Tolly Ho House and my Great Grandparents’ 1850 Cabin will soon be Bed & Breakfasts that will provide alternatives to the primitive camping.
The Resort is dedicated to making the world a little bit better place, the preservation & perpetuation of wildlife, music, poetry, fun, fol-de-rol and communing with Nature.
If you’d like more information drop us a line.
Sincerely,
