Kentucky

Peyton’s Store, Kentucky

In the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky, there is a small community called Peyton’s Store. At the center of this rural area stands a truly unique house.

The Storied Old Taylor Distillery Awaits Its Renaissance

For decades, the Old Taylor Distillery near Frankfort has endured a precipitous decline from its halcyon days as a jewel of the Commonwealth’s bourbon industry.

January and Wood Company

I miss the January and Wood Company in Maysville, Kentucky. Dating to 1834, the firm was a cotton mill that diversified into synthetics. It closed in 2003.

Waveland

Waveland was constructed between 1797 and 1800 in Danville, Kentucky. After being abandoned for several decades, it is slated for restoration.

Nestled amidst the storied distilleries that comprise the Kentucky Bourbon Trail lies Old Crow Distillery, a once-proud producer of such esteemed whiskey brands as Old Grand Dad, Bourbon DeLuxe, and Sunny Brook. Alas, the distillery’s operations fell silent in 1987 when it succumbed to a buy-out from the formidable Jim Beam corporation, its competitor.

The Fading Echoes of the Eastern Kentucky Railway

Amidst the verdant hills and winding waterways of northeastern Kentucky, the Eastern Kentucky Railway (EK) once stood as a vital artery, its iron rails spanning 36 miles and connecting the communities of Riverton and Webbville.

Knobs of Kentucky

On a melancholy February afternoon, I embarked on a sojourn through the knobs of Kentucky, meandering along the back roads that whisper of bygone eras.

The Paducah-East Cairo Line: A Remnant of Railroad History

Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad’s 34-mile Paducah-East Cairo line was constructed in 1902-03 between East Cairo and Paducah, Kentucky and abandoned in 1943 after a wooden trestle burned.

Buckeye School

When I attended the University of Kentucky, I traveled the back roads of my state – a lot. On one of my excursions, I came across the abandoned Buckeye School. Back then, its lot was filled with relics of the past, namely automobiles. Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover and Volkswagen carcasses lay scattered around the several acre lot. But I never went inside the actual school, and despite my vows to find the owner of the property – I graduated from school and moved away.

Now, nearly six years after I left, I decided to try my luck again en route to a wedding.

Krypton Loadout

A while back, I ventured to Krypton, Kentucky to visit a small closed surface coal mining operation and explored a loadout.

Frenchburg Presbyterian College

The Frenchburg Presbyterian College in Frenchburg, Kentucky was the first high school in Menifee County and offered a broad education for 50 years.

Lexington Mall

Take a stroll back in time with a before and after of the Lexington Mall.

Big Lovely Mountain Rail Trail to Open

On June 15, Kentucky’s newest rail trail will open between West Van Lear to Royalton along the former Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Dawkins Subdivision. The 18.5 mile Big Lovely Mountain Rail Trail will be open to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians. One of its highlights is the 662-foot Gun Creek Tunnel and several trestles.

Unearthing a Forgotten Relic: The Schoolhouse of Trimble County

In the aftermath of my photographic expedition at the Milton-Madison Bridge, as I traversed the winding roads of Trimble County, Kentucky, an unexpected discovery awaited me. Upon turning onto a side road, I serendipitously happened upon an antiquated schoolhouse, a vestige of a bygone era.

The Role of a Railroad YMCA

Railroad YMCA’s were once staples in the United States, offering lounges, recreational amenities, restaurants and a safe and convenient place for rest for the myriad of railroad employees. Russell, Kentucky is one such instance of a town that offered a YMCA.

Orangeburg House

Located along Stone Lick Creek north of Orangeburg, Kentucky is this quaint and simple farmhouse has newer gingerbread detailing.

The Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter

One of the more infamous UFO encounters in Kentucky is the Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter, otherwise known as the Hopkinsville Goblins Case. Occurring in the fall of 1955 near Hopkinsville and Kelly, Kentucky, the event centered around a rural farmhouse belonging to the Sutton family.

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