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After spending lavishly on Christmas presents and air tickets to visit friends and family over the holiday season, many people don’t have much spending money left come the first few weeks of the new year. However, if you live in or around Paintsville, don’t despair, as there are many fun things you can do for free, or almost free, in the area. Here are a few examples:
1. Samuel May House
If you are interested in architecture, take the 20-minute drive out of Paintsville to Prestonsburg and pop by the Samuel May House, which is a Federal-style residence that was built in 1817 by Samuel May. The house serves as testament to the talent and expertise that May, a Kentucky state representative, had as an architect and builder.
Nearly all the walls in the house, including the interior partitions, measure four bricks deep, which lends the house a unique look with its deep window sills. This unusual building technique is also the reason the structure has remained so well-preserved over time.
2. East Kentucky Science Center
Those with an interest in science may enjoy a visit to the East Kentucky Science Center, which is also located in Prestonsburg. The center features a 40-foot dome with a Spitz Sci-Dome projection system, where visitors can enjoy laser light shows set to music. If you’re into space, stars, and distant planets, drop by the Varia Planetarium where you can explore the universe.
3. U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum
Although some folks may not view a visit to the museum as a fun activity, it can actually be an informative and interesting way to kill a few hours. If you’re into country music, the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum is well worth a visit. For a small fee, you can learn about the lives and careers of the most famous country singers from eastern Kentucky, such as Billy Ray Cyrus and Loretta Lynn.
4. Mountain HomePlace
The Mountain HomePlace is yet another museum you can visit in the area. However, as it is a living museum located within Paintsville Lake State Park, it offers a slightly different experience. The museum consists of several buildings, such as a blacksmith shop, a church, a one-room schoolhouse, and a cabin that were brought to the park from nearby locations. A barn and the surrounding farm grounds complete this recreation of a mid-nineteenth-century farming community.
To add to the realistic feel of the museum, tour guides and park workers dress up in the traditional clothes of the period and engage in a few typical activities of the time, such as quilting and tending to farm animals. Visitors can also view the Museum of Appalachian History at the Welcome Center, and purchase regional arts and crafts at the gift shop.
Even when you’re cash-strapped, you don’t need to sit at home. Whether you’re interested in space, country music, history, or architecture, there’s always something fun you can do for free, or almost free, in and around Paintsville.
Image via Pixabay.com
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