Our Town: Himlerville | Kentucky Life | KET

You won't find the name on a map anymore, but once there was a town called Himlerville. This Martin County town came into being in 1919 with the founding of the Himler Coal Company by Martin Himler, an immigrant from Hungary.
Soon over 200 houses were built for the growing Hungarian community. All the signs of early 20th century prosperity were there: a railroad, a bridge over the Tug River, a bank, a town hall, two newspapers (one in English, one in Hungarian).
The good times of the Roaring '20s would not last. The Himler Coal Company went bankrupt in 1928, and a flood nearly destroyed the town that same year. Miners finally abandoned the town during the Depression.
What was left of the town was renamed Beauty. Today the Martin County Historical and Genealogical Society is hoping to restore Martin Himler's house.
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[@tamelarich77]

Wow, never knew about this co-op. Thank you.

[@LeeBv9983]

My grandparents lived in Beauty, Geza and Theresa Zsoldos. They moved there in the 1920s. My grandfather didn't work in the mines but as a blacksmith repairing coal cars and large equipment. They truly believed in education. One son became a doctor, one a nurse (my mother), one did go into the mines but moved to Williamson when he was injured, two became high school teachers at Warfield H.S.
In the 1950s as a kid I spent every summer there from Chicago. Their house wasn't directly affected by the flood as it was high up well above Buck Creek, but they used to talk about it. All of the neighbors were Hungarian except one family.

[@travelinpack]

My dad lived there as a boy ... he just sent me pics of it falling down - makes me sick, heartbroken to see that it was not preserved.

[@522dalton]

My family on the Packs side lived there when I was very young. The only thing I remember was going down the stairs there. I think it was in the late 60's.

[@johnlitton5872]

My great grandmother, Delilah Chaffin, owned the Himler home on the hill in Beauty for some time before she passed in the 1960’s.

[@tipmaster9372]

I live right next to the broken-down haunted Mansion live right beside the church in the junkstore and you almost showed my house

[@Fuxser]

Hello from Norway!

[@randydamron4599]

my dad grew up there my dad passed away a few years ba ck he left my brothers and i land he owned we will never sell its like owning a piece of heaven we ride sidexsides on and around that land and my grandads land damron family

[@tonydalton8712]

Lol, the first house on the left past the shed I think is still there and people living in it!

[@integritytransport9332]

Back when Martin county was actually proud

[@imagineeverything5601]

That is were I live I live in beauty ky

[@imagineeverything5601]

I live beside the mansion that is now broken down

[@travelinpack]

imagine Everything so what happened? I thought the county was raising money to restore it? I’m am so bummed right now to see pics of it from this weekend with the upstairs story laying in the ground.

[@williambowen6471]

The house was never repaired and is now a huge pile of rotten wood! What a shame!

[@integritytransport9332]

Can’t even afford to pay for gas in the cop cars let alone restore that pile of rubble unfortunately

[@itsoktofart]

It was never saved it's fallen

[@slaviccomrade6182]

No it hasnt yet

[@travelinpack]

SLAVIC COMRADE yes it has...

[@tonydalton8712]

@@slaviccomrade6182 It gone now...

[@MrUtubePete]

Maybe Moscow Mitch can chip in to fix it up

[@jameshorn5224]

Oss cia garbage house