A 3.5 miles (5.6 km) strip of Coal County was taken from the Pontotoc District of the Chickasaw Nation.

Lehigh tried to sue because more people voted than were registered, but no court would hear the case.

The first coal mine opened on Chief Allen Wright's land.

The industry activity peaked between 1910 and 1916 but declined sharply after World War I.

[3] Agriculture replaced mining as the main economic activity of the county.

Even this business encountered severe difficulty in 1921–1923 when a boll weevil infestation wiped out the cotton crop.

[3] As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,295 people, 2,350 households, and 1,604 families residing in the county.

[16] The following sites in Coal County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: