The Clearfork Valley remained sparsely populated throughout much of the 19th century, due mainly to limited bottomlands along the river for farming, poor soil, and the general isolation of the area.

In the years after the Civil War, the farmers living in the valley began selling timber and mining rights to outside entrepreneurs.

[2] During the 1880s, timber entrepreneur Alexander Arthur began buying up large amounts of land in the areas around Cumberland Gap, including much of the Clearfork Valley, with ambitious plans to establish a major industrial center.

While Arthur's schemes failed, the completion of a railroad line connecting the Clearfork with Jellico and Middlesboro in 1905 opened the valley to major coal mining operations.

[4] After World War II, increased mechanization and the advent of less-labor intensive surface mining led to a decline throughout the Clearfork Valley.