In 1870,
land developerAlexander A. Arthur moved to the area from
Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He laid out a town, based on consolidated
land parcels. In 1876 the area was called Butcher Springs and with the creation of a post office the town became known as Arthur in 1890. Alexander Arthur was key in having a railroad from
Knoxville to
Middlesboro, Kentucky be installed through Arthur, allowing his namesake to develop into a
railroad town. The town shipped coal, ore and other minerals.[2]
As of 1901, a school, Wester College, was located in Arthur. The school was operated by Dan Wester and all grades were taught. The school burned down in the 1910s.[3]
Geography
The
Powell River travels through the Arthur.[4] The river flooded the area in March 1826.[5]
Amenities and attractions
Arthur Methodist Church was organized and the first church built in 1914. Located on
Old Highway 63, the current church was built in 1947. As of 1986, the church had 56 members.[6]
The community has two cemeteries: Chumley Cemetery, which is maintained by a board of trustees comprising six Arthur residents, and Sowder Cemetery, which is located on private property and primarily serves as the final resting place for the Sowder family.[7]