The City of LaFollette began as a dream in the minds of the city’s founders, Harvey and Grant LaFollette. Like so many others who would travel from other states to this area, the LaFollettes were struck by the abundant resources and beauty of the Cumberland Mountains and Powell’s valley and decided to make their home here. The LaFollette brothers were looking for business opportunities and arrived in the area about 1890. Upon surveying the area that is now the City of LaFollette, the brothers saw farmland and a few scattered dwellings nestled in the quiet gap through which Big Creek flowed. As the LaFollettes explored Big Creek Gap, as the area was then known; they observed iron deposits, timber stands and abundant coal and water resources located in close proximity. Recognizing a rare opportunity, the LaFollettes purchased over 37,000 acres and formed the LaFollette Coal, Iron and Railway Company.
