Ketchen Land was formed by five partners in 1992 to purchase at auction approximately 7,000 acres formerly owned by Elk Valley Iron and Coal. Over the years, the company has added other tracts in the area totaling nearly 20,000 acres, and continues to pursue additional land holdings. For several years the company managed the timber assets, harvesting only a percentage of available timber on the land. During that time the company began pursuing leases for coal extraction and natural gas production. By 2009 both of those pursuits became reality, as Ketchen Land has two active mining permits and several others in process. Management of the land for timber production, recreational use, and dimension stone production all continue to be part of the Ketchen Land Management Plan.
The three remaining partners of Ketchen Land are committed to managing existing and future land and mineral holdings for the benefit of the stockholders, the community, and the environment. Current plans call for continuing expansion of mining activities and natural gas extraction.In addition, the company is pursuing the establishment of a silica mining site and processing plant to take advantage of the over 75 million tons of high quality silica available on the property. Likewise, the company has addressed a growing need in the industry by pursuing a permit for the installation of a landfill that can handle receipt and storage of coal ash. Ketchen Land Company continues to expand and grow through wise management of their land holdings in eastern Tennessee.