The purpose of this site is to memoralize that fascinating community and the people who lived and worked there.
Little remains; concrete pillars of the swinging bridge, thirteen pillars that was foundation for the first community church, and the home of Harry Carmichael and family.
Though the plant closed in 1957 most important is that a few descendants of the 2000 residents remain and it is our purpose to preserve and restore what we can and to archive photographs and personal memories of that extraordinary place, time, and people.
Keepers of the Flame
Jack LeSieur
Chris Carmichael
Becky Lane Goad, Library Ladies
Madge Raymer
Blogs, Articles, Links
The Kentucky Rock Company mined bituminous sandstone, better known as rock asphalt. It is composed of silica sand that is saturated with oil. Major deposits in Kentucky were found in Edmonson Co. along the Nolin River.
Primarily used in road construction, it could be applied without heating and mixing. Kentucky Rock Asphalt Co. (KYROCK) was the world's largest producer of natural rock asphalt from 1920 until it closed in 1957.
The company town of Kyrock included hotels, church, hospital, theater, post office, commissary, railroad, electric & water systems, and school. More than 2000 people depended on KYROCK for their livelihood during WWI and II and the Great Depression.
With the death of the company superintendent, Harry St. George Tucker Carmichael, quality control declined and petroleum based asphalt became cheaper to produce.
The town was unincorporated in 1966 and the current population is around 160.