Martin Cleanup and Restoration

Martin is a home rule-class city in Floyd County, Kentucky. Martin developed as a coal mining community in the early 1900s. Its first post office, established in 1910, was named "Bucks Branch" after a tributary of Beaver Creek, the stream that runs through the city. Some of the most popular restaurants in Martin are locally owned. Those include Fatboy's Pizza & Grill, El Potrillo Mexican Grill and the Triangle Market. Unfortunately on October 20th, 2022 Fatboy's Grill and Tavern caught fire! Firefighters say multiple crews were battling a towering fire, but the building was a "total loss" beyond fire damage restoration. Thankfully, they're coming back! Crews broke ground on the site July 13th, 2023. Loss is nothing new to the city of Martin. After suffering decades worth of flooding the city took action to move as much of Martin as possible out of the flood zone. Water damage restoration had become common practice every rainy season. Martin has flooded no fewer than 37 times since 1862 - four in the past decade alone. One of the most infamous floods was in 1957. Martin had a population of 1,100 on Beaver Creek near its mouth, damaged severely by backwater from Levisa Fork. Water reached the roofs of most business establishments in Martin. Contractors have carved out a flat spot on a mountainside overlooking downtown that is large enough to accommodate key government structures, including the fire department, city hall, post office, and the only school in town. The project is unusual but not unprecedented.