Lynch is a city in Harlan County, Kentucky, United States. It was plotted in 1917 by the US Coal and Coke Company as a company town to house workers at the company's nearby coal mines. It was named for the then head of the company, Thomas Lynch. By the 1940s Lynch had a population of over 10,000 and had such amenities as a hospital and movie theatre. The population declined dramatically in the 1960s and 1970's as mining techniques shifted to less labor-intensive methods. In the 2000 census, the city population was 900. The 2008 population estimate had Lynch's population at 820. Lynch is the nearest city to Kentucky's highest point, Black Mountain, elevation 4,145. Sitting at an elevation of 1,716 feet above sea level, Lynch is Kentucky's highest incorporated city.