If you don’t live in or around Paintsville, Kentucky, you may not know much about this city. Here are a few fun and historical facts about Paintsville for those who want to get to know the city a bit better.
A Wet City in a Moist County
Paintsville is a city that’s located in Johnson County, which is a moist county. This type of county falls somewhere between a dry county, where the sale of alcohol is prohibited, and a wet county, where alcohol is freely sold. In a moist county, the sale of alcohol is mostly prohibited, except in certain situations. In Kentucky, this mostly happens in one of two ways.
The first is where a dry county or a city authorizes limited sales of alcoholic beverages in restaurants, as long as 70% of their turnover is derived from food sales. The second situation is where a city in an otherwise dry county votes to permit the sale of alcohol within that particular city. In 2009, Paintsville voted to allow stores within the city limits to sell alcoholic beverages for the first time since 1945. Today, the city is the only wet city in the otherwise dry Johnson County.
Why the Name Paintsville?
In 1812, Rev. Dalton Ray Chandler II purchased the trading post referred to as Paint Lick Station, which he laid out as the town of Paint Lick Station in 1826. In 1834, the town was formally established under the name of Paint Lick Station, and nine years later, in 1843, it was incorporated as a city under the name of Paintsville. During this year, the city also became the seat of Johnson County.
What Festivals Are Hosted in Paintsville?
Since 1962, the city has hosted the annual Kentucky Apple Festival during the first full weekend in October. Traditional events include the Miss Apple Blossom pageant, the Apple Festival Parade, an old-fashion costume contest, car shows, live concerts, and school competitions in mathematics, art, and spelling. Visitors can also view the terrapin trot, which is a turtle race, and a rubber duck race on Paint Creek referred to as the Ducky Derby.
Another annual event in Paintsville is the Spring Fling that has been taking place in May for about 20 years now. This festival features more than 70 vendors, a parade, a dunking booth, and lots of games.
Which Notable People Hail From Paintsville?
Quite a few well-known figures were born or lived in Paintsville, such as:
- Willie Blair, a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1990 to 2001
- Jim Ford, a singer-songwriter
- Venus Ramsey, Miss America of 1944
- Chris Stapleton, a country, rock and bluegrass musician
- Tyler Childers, a country, rock and bluegrass musician
- John Pelphrey, Kentucky’s “Mr. Baskerball” of 1987
These are just a few fun and historical facts about the city of Paintsville. If you’re ever in the area, pop around to Paintsville and get to know the city a bit better. Featuring stunning historic architecture, a beautiful state park, Southern-style comfort food, country and bluegrass music shows, and interesting museums, the city is well worth a visit.
Image via Pixabay.com
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