Oven Fork is an unincorporated community in Letcher County, Kentucky. Oven Fork is located on U.S. Route 119 and the Cumberland River 4.2 miles (6.8 km) south of Whitesburg.[2]

Oven Fork, Kentucky
Former post office
Former post office
Oven Fork is located in Kentucky
Oven Fork
Oven Fork
Oven Fork is located in the United States
Oven Fork
Oven Fork
Coordinates: 37°03′33″N 82°48′31″W / 37.05917°N 82.80861°W / 37.05917; -82.80861
CountryUnited States
StateKentucky
CountyLetcher
Elevation
1,631 ft (497 m)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code606
GNIS feature ID508766[1]

The first of two post offices to serve the community was established on February 6, 1879, with David M. Collier as its postmaster. It closed at an unknown date. The second Oven Fork Post Office was established in the spring of 1945, with Winnie Sumpter as its postmaster. It closed in January 1993.[3]

The community may have got its name from a brick oven that produced bricks for the chimneys of the homes in the area. Or for Germans that lived in the area that baked bread in the open.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Oven Fork". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ State Primary Road System: Letcher County (PDF) (Map). Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  3. ^ Rennick, Robert M. "Letcher County - Post Offices". ScholarWorks Morehead State.
  4. ^ Rennick, Robert M. "Letcher County - Place Names". ScholarWorks Morehead State.