Serving Paintsville, KY

When settlers first arrived in the area that would later become the town of Paintsville, they encountered debarked trees near a salt lick that had been beautifully painted by Native Americans. From then on, the area would be referred to as Paint Lick Station, officially becoming Paintsville later in 1843.

For a town whose very name implies its rich history, it's no surprise that Paintsville features a lot of attractions that celebrate that history. Coal mining was once a major industry in and around Paintsville. The Van Lear History Museum, otherwise known as the Coal Miners' Museum, is located outside Paintsville in Van Lear and features lots of interesting displays and exhibits on the history of coal mining in the area.

The culture of Paintsville features a strong heritage of music-making. The US 23 Country Music Highway Museum memorializes many local artists, like Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle, and Hylo Brown - with fascinating exhibits. The museum is also a great place to pick up country music albums. The area stands very proud that the famous "Coal Miner's Daughter" called Johnson County her home. You can also visit Loretta Lynn's childhood, located in Butcher Holler just seven miles southeast of Paintsville.

The first Saturday in October is when Paintsville holds the Kentucky Apple Festival. First held in 1962, the festival goes on for a week. It's where you can find delicious street food and old-fashioned homemade apple pies, not to mention apple butter traditionally cooked in cast-iron kettles. Naturally, there's musical entertainment, in addition to a flea market.

Paintsville is just as wonderful a place to live as it is to visit. Whether you are fishing on the beautiful waters of Paintsville Lake or exploring local history, there's always an adventure to be had here. And we here at Hutch Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram are proud to call Paintsville, KY home!