during the 1880s, timber entrepreneur alexander arthur began buying up large amounts of land in the areas around cumberland gap, including much of the clearfork valley, with ambitious plans to establish a major industrial center. while arthur's schemes failed, the completion of a railroad line connecting the clearfork with jellico and middlesboro in 1905 opened the valley to major coal mining operations. a string of company towns, including clairfield, sprang up throughout the valley during this period. by 1910, three companies— king mountain coal, new jellico coal, and standard coal and coke— were operating drift mines at clairfield that produced a total of 750 tons of coal per day. after world war ii, increased mechanization and the advent of less-labor intensive surface mining led to a decline throughout the clearfork valley.