Located halfway between St. Louis and Nashville at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers in western Kentucky, Paducah is a waterfront city steeped in history and buoyed in the present by a vibrant arts scene. In February the National Trust for Historic Preservation deemed Paducah one of the nation’s “Dozen Distinctive Destinations” for 2011, a program begun in 2000 that recognizes cities and towns offering visitors an authentic historical and cultural experience. The trust cites the small city’s (population 27,000) “lively creative environment” and “artfully celebrated” history in its designation. Historic downtown is a pedestrian-friendly area where the streets are lined with shady trees, brick sidewalks, locally owned eateries, boutiques and antique shops just a stone’s throw from the riverfront.
Don’t miss
National Quilt Museum
Quilts can be bed covers or wall hangings, but always works of art. You don’t have to be a quilter to appreciate this museum’s dedication to the preservation of this traditional art form. Many of the quilts on display dazzle the eye with their color, design and representational images. Since opening in 1991 the quilt museum has become one of Paducah’s marquee attractions and was designated by Congress in 2008 as the National Quilt Museum of the United States. Each April downtown Paducah becomes a mecca for quilters as they converge from all over the globe for the American Quilter’s Society Annual Quilt Show & Contest. The quilt show will be held April 27-30 at the Paducah Expo Center, the Julian Carroll Convention Center and the new AQS Pavilion.
Lowertown Arts District
One of the reasons for Paducah’s recent national recognition is its innovative Artist Relocation Program, which has helped bring about the revitalization of its oldest neighborhood, Lowertown. Since 2000, the program has offered established and emerging artists financial incentives to move into the neighborhood, resulting in an energized community where artists live, work, play and invite others to join in. This once derelict part of town is now humming with activity. The Lowertown Arts District is a short trolley ride away from downtown. Check out the resident artists’ studios and galleries in Classic Revival and Italianate homes and take a break at Etc. Coffeehouse. A good time to visit would be for the Lowertown Arts & Music Festival held May 20-22.
Flood wall murals
Being a river town, Paducah has seen a lot of flooding. Markers on buildings downtown show the heights the waters have reached during the great floods of the past. In 1996 mural artist Robert Dafford and his team began work on a series of paintings on the city’s flood walls along the riverfront depicting the rich history of Paducah, from the time of the Native American chief the city is named for through the modern age. Today the flood wall murals are an unforgettable highlight for visitors and locals. You could easily spend an afternoon gazing at the artistic and historical details in the paintings and forget that one of the nation’s major waterways rolls by just on the other side.
River Discovery Center
Housed in Paducah’s oldest building across the street from the flood wall murals, the River Discovery Center contains many interactive exhibits relating to the city’s maritime past. Any tour of the riverfront would be incomplete without a visit to this museum. The center is part of the “Save America’s Treasures” project, a partnership between the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
If you go:
Paducah is approximately a 6.5-hour drive from Atlanta via I-75 and I-24.
Stay:
● Fox Briar Inn at Riverplace. Contemporary-style efficiencies, suites and loft spaces in a restored historic red brick building within view of the river. Rates $145-$350. 100 Broadway, Paducah. 270-443-7004, www.foxbriarinn.com.
● The Mary Jane Inn. For a more intimate experience, the Mary Jane offers a guest suite in a house built in 1873. Located in the heart of the Lowertown neighborhood, the suite has 15-foot high ceilings, a sitting porch and its own garden. Rates start at $95. 502 N. Sixth St., Paducah. 270-556-8240, www.maryjaneinn.com.
Eat:
● Starnes Barbecue. A Paducah institution housed in a small, green cinder-block building on the outskirts of downtown, famous for its vinegar-based sauce and chopped pork and beef sandwiches served on grilled slices of white bread. Native Paducahans living in other parts of the country are known to mail-order the sauce, or stock up on it when they make return visits home. Full meals under $10. 1008 Joe Clifton Drive, Paducah. 270-444-9555.
● Cynthia’s Ristorante. Tuscan-style cuisine using locally sourced ingredients in historic downtown near the riverfront. If there’s a wait, take a seat at the eye-catching bar, a work of art in itself featuring a colorful tile mosaic. Main courses start at $13. 125 Market House Square, Paducah. 270-443-3319, www.cynthias ristorante.com.
Visitor info:
● Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau. 128 Broadway, Paducah. 800-723-8224; www.paducah.travel.
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