Pineville is one of the oldest settlements in Kentucky, tracing back to 1781 and a settlement called Cumberland Ford. It was part of a tract of land once owned by Isaac Shelby, Kentucky's first governor. When Bell County was formed in 1867, Cumberland Ford was the obvious choice, but a courthouse was not completed until 1871. The settlement incorporated in 1889 as Pineville.
The economy is dependent on the coal mining industry and tourism at nearby Pine Mountain State Resort Park where the popular attraction "Chained Rock" is located, although there is some heavy manufacturing in the city.
[Source: Wikipedia]
