Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Paintsville (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: First Baptist Church, U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum, and Mountain Homeplace. Also, be sure to include Johnson County Public Library in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Paintsville (Kentucky).
Table of Contents
First Baptist Church
Church in Paintsville, Kentucky. First Baptist Church is a historic church on College Street in Paintsville, Kentucky.[1]
U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum
Museum in Staffordsville, Kentucky. The U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum is a museum in Paintsville, Kentucky dedicated to the country music entertainers who were born or lived near U.S. Route 23 in eastern Kentucky. Entertainers exhibited within the museum include Billy Ray Cyrus, The Judds, Tom T. Hall, Ricky Skaggs, Hylo Brown, Loretta Lynn, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Keith Whitley, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, Tyler Childers, Sundy Best, and Gary Stewart. It also has a gift shop and a large conference room that can be reserved for events such as concerts.[2]
Address: 100 Stave Branch Road, Paintsville
Mountain Homeplace
Museum in Staffordsville, Kentucky. The Mountain Homeplace is a living history museum located within Paintsville Lake State Park, in Staffordsville, Kentucky. The museum is a re-creation of a mid-nineteenth-century farming community and includes a blacksmith shop, one-room schoolhouse, church, cabin, and barn with farm grounds. These structures were all moved from nearby locations in the early 1980s to prevent them from being submerged underneath the planned Paintsville Lake. The museum officially opened in July 1995.
Tour guides and park workers wearing traditional period attire demonstrate old skills and crafts such as forging horseshoes, quilting, and tending to farm animals. There is also a Welcome Center, consisting of the Museum of Appalachian History and a gift shop featuring regional arts and crafts.
The In the Pines Amphitheater was built in the early 2000s and was modeled after the amphitheaters of Ancient Greece. The 700-seat facility is open year-round and annually hosts the Red Bud Gospel Sing.
The museum is open from April 1 through December 20.[3]
Address: 445 Kentucky Rte 2275, 41256 Staffordsville
Johnson County Public Library
Public library in Paintsville, Kentucky. The Johnson County Public Library is a public library serving the residents of Johnson County, Kentucky. The library's collection contains 44,236 volumes, serves a population of 23,827, and circulates 120,687 items annually. It is located at 444 Main Street in Paintsville, Kentucky and was established on February 3, 1947. Although the library lacks branch locations, it does operate a daily mobile book service.[4]
Address: 444 Main St, Paintsville
Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church
Church in Paintsville, Kentucky. Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church is a historic church located at 325 Third Street, Paintsville, Kentucky, United States. On January 26, 1989 the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[5]
Francis M. Stafford House
Historical place in Paintsville, Kentucky. The Francis M. Stafford House is a historic house located at 102 Broadway Street in Paintsville, Kentucky, United States.
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places not only for its architecture, but for its family's importance in the founding and development of Paintsville. In 1843, John Stafford, the original owner of the house, helped establish the city of Paintsville. Then in the 1930s, the Stafford family sold most of their 1,000 acres (400 ha) farm to the city, doubling it in size.[6]
H.B. Rice Insurance Building
The H.B. Rice Insurance Building is a historic building located in Paintsville, Kentucky, United States. The building was constructed in 1890 by Harvey Burns Rice, who in 1908, opened an insurance company in the building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 29, 1989.
The building is currently occupied by a local Mexican restaurant chain.[7]
Paintsville Public Library Building
The Paintsville Public Library Building is a historic building located at 305 Second Street in Paintsville, Kentucky. It was constructed by the WPA in 1934. The library closed in the 1940s and was replaced by the Johnson County Public Library on February 3, 1947, which utilized the building until the 1960s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 26, 1989. It now serves as the board of education for the Paintsville Independent School District.[8]
First National Bank Building
Building in Paintsville, Kentucky. The First National Bank Building, originally the Paintsville National Bank, is a historic structure located in Paintsville, Kentucky. The bank opened on May 5, 1902, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 26, 1989.[9]
First United Methodist Church
Church in Paintsville, Kentucky. First United Methodist Church is a historic church located at 505 Main St. Paintsville, Kentucky, United States. In 1989, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The congregation was established in 1865. The congregation constructed a wood-frame building at the corner of Church St. and Main St. This building fulfilled the congregation's needs until 1914, when the current building was constructed at the same location.
The current building was originally constructed at a cost of a mere $16,000. The most recent addition is a Family Life Center with gym and commercial kitchen and was completed in 2004 at a cost of approximately $1,200,000.00. The church is growing and offers three primary worship services: Sunday Morning 8:30 Traditional, Sunday Morning 10:45 Blended, and Sunday Evening "607" contemporary.[10]
Paintsville City Hall
Historical landmark in Paintsville, Kentucky. Paintsville City Hall was completed in January 1940 by the WPA, in order to house the city government, fire department, and police department of Paintsville, Kentucky. The structure is located at 101 Euclid Avenue in downtown Paintsville. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 26, 1989.
In 2007, most of the city's government offices were moved to the old Citizens National Bank Building, which is located at 75 Main Street.[11]