HARRODSBURG, Ky. — The word “transformational” is being heard a lot these days in Harrodsburg and for good reason. Apple’s recent announcement of a $2.5 billion investment in the small Mercer County city is poised to change the region in ways residents could only dream of before.
At the heart of this investment is a manufacturing facility producing key components for Apple products right here in Kentucky. Rumors swirling around town suggest Corning, the longtime glass manufacturer in Mercer County, may add between 300 to 400 new jobs. The hope is that number could reach 1,000 new opportunities for locals.
“If the rumors are true, it would be great for the community,” Milton Hammons, a local business owner and food truck staple said. “It’s going to boost the economy here, and we need it badly.”
Corning has been a cornerstone in Harrodsburg since the 1950s and has been a pioneer in glass innovation, including the creation of Gorilla Glass used in Apple’s iPhones.
The announcement caught many by surprise, but in a positive way.
Greyson Evans, executive director of the Harrodsburg-Mercer County Industrial Development Authority, sees the partnership as a landmark moment.
“Corning has been on the leading edge of innovation for a long time here,” Evans said. “For Apple to decide to build an innovation center here alongside Corning and put its flag in Kentucky, that’s huge.”
Downtown Harrodsburg comes alive one Friday each month as Main Street is blocked off for food trucks, local breweries, craft vendors, and live music. It’s an event that brings the community together, and now, there’s a new energy in the air. Hammons’ grill is heating up, the fire trucks gleam, and music fills the streets.
“When something like this comes to town, it gets people talking,” Hammons said. “It can only boost the whole county economically and just across the board.”
The importance of the partnership was underscored this week when Apple CEO Tim Cook presented President Donald Trump with a piece of glass manufactured in Harrodsburg at the White House. It was a symbolic reminder of how this small Kentucky town is playing a big role in global tech innovation. For Harrodsburg and Mercer County, the future is looking bright and transformational.
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