SECO, KY
Seco, in Letcher County, was operated by the South East Coal Company from 1915 until 1957. Their coal was marketed under the brand name "Tepee." South East Coal also operated a mine and coal camp at the other end of this lease, which they named Millstone. A December 1, 1925 article in The Coal Trade Bulletin states that the company houses "are well built, well placed and well maintained, with fenced lots and concrete walks. None but white labor is employed, and orderly conduct is a requisite of continued redisence. There are no police officers, yet the circuit court has had no case from these towns in the past five years. The company has never had any labor troubles since its organization in 1915. All of which shows the character of the management, as well as the congenial conditions which simple discipline creates and maintains."
Thankfully, the South East Coal Company store has been restored. At one time South
East Coal also provided a recreation building containing a movie theatre, drug store, billiard room, and shoe shine parlor. There were also a hospital and high school.
Extant "shot gun" company housing at Seco, KY.
A picture of Seco coal camp houses and company store taken when the town was young.
Image courtesy of bottleredhead
Image courtesy of Mick Vest
Circa 1925 The Coal Trade Bulletin image via Google Books