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Paintsville, Kentucky, and the surrounding areas are steeped in history, and there are many places of interest to visit. Here are four locations that are worth a look.
1. Stafford House
Stafford House in Paintsville is the oldest house in Johnson County with the rear of the building having been constructed in around 1843 and the front completed in 1888. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural brilliance and its importance in the founding of the city of Paintsville.
The place was built for John Stafford, who was instrumental in establishing Paintsville. The house was named after Francis M. Stafford, son of John, who inherited the property. In the 1930s, the Stafford family sold the majority of the 1,000-acre farm to the city, doubling the size of Paintsville. The house has been renovated and is now open for tours.
2. Mountain HomePlace
Located in Staffordsville, Mountain HomePlace is a working 1850’s Appalachian farm. The 27-acre farm features historic buildings including the double-pen family cabin, a double crib barn, the Fish Trap Church, a one-room schoolhouse, and a working blacksmith shop. Workers dressed in authentic costumes give demonstrations and do the daily farm chores.
The administrative building houses a gift shop where you can buy reproductions of Appalachian crafts from the mid 1800s. In the auditorium, a video show describes the history and lives of the early Appalachian settlers. The Mountain HomePlace is open from April 1 through October 31.
3. Butcher Hollow and Loretta Lynn HomePlace
You don’t have to be a country music fan to visit the birthplace of Loretta Lynn, the coal miner’s daughter who became known as the Queen of Country Music, and her sister, Crystal Gayle. Located in Van Lear, 10 miles from Paintsville, the Loretta Lynn HomePlace is nestled between two mountains in “Butcher Holler.”
To arrange a tour of the rustic homestead, you will need to call on Webb’s Grocery, Van Lear’s General store that is more than a 100 years old and currently owned by Loretta’s brother, Herman Webb. The store was made famous in the movie Coal Miner’s Daughter, the story of Loretta Lynn. When you enter the store and the home, you feel like you have stepped back in time.
4. Coal Miner’s Museum
While you are in Van Lear, you should visit the Coal Miner’s Museum, which is operated by the Van Lear Historical Society. The building was once the headquarters of the Miller’s Creek division of the Consolidated Coal Company and housed the company doctor’s office and Icky’s Snack Shop, a store and restaurant run by Richard “Icky” Wetzel in the ’40s and ’50s.
In the museum, you’ll find collections of mining implements, Van Lear school memorabilia, and a model of the town as it was during the boom years of the mining industry. The restored Icky’s snack shop is now the museum gift store.
These four locations give you a real sense of how the Paintsville region developed, and a look into the history of the people who lived here.
Image via Flickr by Southern Foodways Alliance
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