Vicco, Kentucky, nestled in the Carr Fork Valley in eastern Perry County, gained national fame in 2013 when it became the smallest town in the country to pass a ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. It was the first time I’d heard of the former coal mining town, which was renamed Vicco in 1923 for the major employer in the area – Virginia Iron Coal and Coke Company.* The New York Times likened the town to a “coal miner’s Vegas” for the bars and other attractions – including two movie theaters – that entertained hardworking miners and their families in the 20th century. Vicco sits below the main road (Kentucky 15) now, so my detour down Main Street was deliberate.
Historic Main Street in Vicco, Kentucky.
Main Street meanders along the railroad tracks, and both transportation routes are shadowed by the curves of Carr Fork. The creek runs to the south of Main Street. One and two story brick and stone buildings, altered over time, face out on Main Street. Businesses still occupy the ground floor of most of the buildings, and apartments were originally located on the second story.
A circa August 1937 photo of Vicco, with the State Theatre on the left and the Pastime two doors down. Photo from WSGS Radio Hazard Kentucky.
Two movie theaters brought the outside world to Vicco prior to World War II. The State Theatre was built at some point before 1937. The building burned in 1938, leaving just the stone Pastime Theater.
Facade of the Pastime Theater, now an antique store.
The Pastime is a popular movie theater name (Falmouth, Kentucky has the New Pastime). It opened in 1926 and movies rolled inside the 350-seat theater until 1979.
A detail of the marquee on the facade.
Though the theater retains its marquee, the central bay has been modified and resized, with concrete blocks to either side of the current modern doors. I imagine originally it was slightly recessed, and maybe even had a small ticket vestibule.
I’ve been in many coal camps across Kentucky and talked to lots of former miners. It’s a hard, dangerous job, and was even more so when Vicco boasted two new movie theaters. Escapism was necessary, and hours spent watching stories unfold on a flickering screen made a difficult occupation just a tiny bit easier.
*The community was originally known as Montago, christened such for the nearby Montgomery Creek and the Montgomery Creek Coal Company.
Incredible that it is still there. I love the old picture.