Just over 100 years ago (1909) Rev. William Worthington was sent on a task that changed the southern part of Jackson County, Kentucky forever, Rev. Worthington was looking for a piece of land on which to locate a school. His vision was for some sort of technical school to help promote his vision of "complete living for the mountain people." The story is told of how Rev. Worthington found a possible location near the community called Annville and how he went up to the highest point on the property and sat under an Oak tree. He took out a piece of meat packing paper on which he proceeded to sketch out his vision for the property. The center piece of the drawing was a large grand classroom building to be called Lincoln Hall. The beautiful property with its rolling hills and large meadows was purchased and the Annville Institute started that Fall.

Rev. Worthington's vision lives on. A hundred years later the Institute is closed but the campus now is the home of five non-profit organizations that still strive to make a "complete living for the mountain people".