The Problem with Paducah

June 9, 2022

For some reason I forget how beautiful the Ozarks are with their deeply-green hardwoods, rocky outcroppings and rolling topography – like a gentler, mollified Appalachia.  After the flat, airless river country around the TN, OH and MS rivers, the sky hard and colorless as a marble, Ozark country was a welcome change – some passion and verve to the landscape. 

We stayed tour third night in Willow Springs, MO, off Route 60 – yes, that Route 60 – and ventured the next morning down to Branson, more out of curiosity than anything.  And while we did not make it to the “theater district”, we did see the more picturesque side of that small town.

Situated in a narrow valley along the peaceful White River, the downtown is dominated by two primary things: the river and the looming presence of the Hilton Hotel (and I assume convention center) with ancillary properties.  Thank goodness the main structure is beautifully designed – modern but warm and woodsy. As we traversed the riverwalk and lunched outdoors overlooking a dancing fountain, complete with fire cannons (really?), a small convention of big rigs was taking place in one of the parking lots.  Custom painted cabs, leather-quilted interiors and shiny, shiny chrome, the care of these big babies by their fussy owners rivaled any car show I’ve ever attended.

Which brings me back to Paducah (KY).  Our second night on the road was spent in Paducah. And the problem with Paducah is that the southern magazine Garden & Gun had given it a big write-up in their April/May 2022 issue. So I made the mistake of having expectations. 

In February of 1937, Paducah suffered a catastrophic flood when the Ohio river (which conjoins with the TN river here) rose legions above flood stage and wiped out 90% of the town.  So, in true typical bureaucratic fashion, the state and feds decided to erect a river wall to protect against another such occurrence – spending over $200 million and taking over eighty years to do it.  And the problem with that is, Paducah is so flat, you can’t see the river itself from anywhere – except within the walls themselves, which allow access.   

Paducah is trying to rebrand itself as an arts destination and thus a riverboat cruise stop.  But the pandemic was not kind.  It appeared that over 50% of the downtown storefronts were empty, its nearby convention & expo center empty and in need of paint.  And don’t get me started on the t-shirt wearing (“baby mama”), surly front desk clerk at the local Comfort Inn who didn’t want to give me an extra towel…

The food however was good, and local waitstaffs friendly.  Not many galleries survived, but the one we perused featured absolutely stunning fiber arts, in honor of the national quilting museum nearby.  The intense detail, intricacy and sophistication of design were amazing.  I hope the town is able to revive.