Emma (Floyd Co.)

County:

Camp Status:

Begin Year: 
1914
End Year: 
1926
Post Office Address/Status: 
Operated 1908-1989
Coordinates: 
Latitude: 37.635000000000
Longitude: -82.700000000000
History: 

The community of Emma lies on both banks of the Levisa Fork, 3 miles SE of Prestonsburg and established on the homestead of early pioneer /settler /store keeper John Graham around 1805. Graham was a surveyor for Colonel James John Floyd for whom the county of Floyd was named for. The community developed around the Graham homestead, with the coming of the C & O RR and Post Office, est. in 1908. The eastern section of Emma is known as Alvin; and is located at the mouth of Cow Creek which flows into the river. Alvin had its own post office from 1914 to 1930. The bridge connecting Emma is officially named the Flo Weddington Memorial Bridge. The naming of the community has been debated with some locals claiming that it was named for Emma Langley (the wife of the notorius Congressman John Langley). Others have reported that it honors Emma Taylor, wife of Ruben Taylor, a prominent real estate broker. The railroad station originally known as Woods Station was given the nickname of "Wild Hog Station" as allegedly a local resident was accused of stealing hogs.
     Sadly, the worst school bus accident in the history of the United States occurred near the community of Emma, devastating and forever changing the lives of its residents and the entire region.  On the morning of Feb 28, 1958, around 7am, school bus driver John A. DeRossett began his usual run from Cow Creek to Prestonsburg, stopping along his route to pick up children in the communities of Sugar Loaf and Emma. The bus load of children would never arrive at its destination. Instead, it plunged into the icy waters the Levisa Fork of Big Sandy River. Twenty-six children and the bus driver lost their lives in the worst bus accident in the history of the United States.

     -Written and submitted by Lisa Stumbo, Director of ECHO-Big Sandy Community and Technical College, on 4/14/2014  lstumbo0004@kctcs.edu

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