Historic Perry County, located in South Eastern Kentucky, is a strong coal community that was founded as a small settlement in 1792 by Elijah Combs. It was named in honor of U. S. Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero during the War of 1812. Although this beautiful mountainous area now thrives on coal production, it began humbly as a stop for mail carriers and travelers passing through, with only one post office. The county has grown greatly through the years.

There are many interesting things to see in Perry County. One of the most eye-catching landmarks is The Mother Goose House— an architectural rarity that has been covered by The New York Times, Oprah Winfrey, and Home and Garden Television. George Stacy began construction on the house in 1935 and saw it through to completion in 1940. Mr. Stacy and his wife lived there for many years and it now serves as an apartment with three bedrooms, a spacious living room, kitchen, bath, and dining room.

Mountain Credit was a finance company opened by Whitaker Bankcorp, Inc. in 1988 and after merging with The Bank of Whitesburg in 2001 was re-named Whitaker Bank-Perry County. After success as a full service bank, an additional branch was opened at Morton Boulevard in 2005. However, the Whitaker’s history in Hazard began much earlier than the establishment of these two facilities. As a matter of fact, some of Elmer and Jack Whitaker’s earliest business endeavors were born in this area. So, not only is Whitaker Bank a Part of Perry County, Perry County is a part of Whitaker Bank.

Whitaker Bank actively participates in the community by donating funds to local schools, sporting events, and charitable organizations. We have also spearheaded fundraising events for the Relay for Life and the March of Dimes. Our employees also actively volunteer their time each year to various community causes.

Hazard is home to a vast array of activities, events, and attractions. The 3^rd weekend of each September is The Black Gold Festival, a 3-day event that all Perry Countians look forward to. The festival is a celebration of our rich history with coal and the continuing impact that it has on our community. It is a great place to find handmade craft and homemade food, along with a concert by you favorite country music artist at The Hal Rogers Center & Hazard Forum. If you need something to do the other 362 days of the year, we have that covered also. Whether you’re interested in fishing at Buckhorn Lake, skateboarding at the Perry County Skate-Park, or space exploration at The Challenger Learning Center, we guarantee that boredom will never be knocking on your door!