I took a road trip last weekend. On the way home I wound my way through Paducah, Kentucky. Paducah is home to the most beautiful rest stop in America. A former plantation house has been restored to its architectural glory and now offers hospitality to all travelers at the junction of several highways in the western section of the state of Kentucky. I have always thought that any town that provides such a lavish welcome must be an extra special place. Since I had no one along to protest the detour, I meandered through town and was not disappointed.
Paducah is an All-American city featuring so many characteristics that illustrate what is good about my country.
It sits at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers with the Mississippi very close by. Being a High Plains girl, I am fascinated by river cities and fell in love with the river wall displaying panoramas representing the area.
I love an American Main Street where buildings of various styles and purposes stand shoulder to shoulder.
Where architecture and details give unique personality to individual cities.
Where the structures stand the test of time and remind us of our history and of an economy before Walmart did all it could to wipe away Mom and Pop and their regional favorites.
Where individuality is expressed and enhances the whole. Where there are gentle reminders that this nation has been a nation of immigrants since its founding.
Where we are free to believe as we do and speak as we wish.
Where we celebrate our strength along side our neighbor, not at our neighbor's expense.
Where hard work is its own reward, and at the end of a long day it does us good to come together and laugh, or even cry in response to some sort of art or entertainment that moves us as one. Because at the end of the day, there is still so much more we share in common than things that separate us.
As always, May, your photos are stunning. One of my ideas was to make a coffee table book full of architectural details. You've done it. I'll probably never visit Paducah, but you've made it come alive.
ReplyDeleteIt is the details that speak to me. I love architecture to begin with, but it is so easy for me to lose myself in the details. A little escapism I guess!
DeleteI love this post! I'd like to see one day when all the news reports were just like this. :-)
ReplyDeleteIsn't this town a charmer? Just made me feel good---and felt about a million miles away from current headlines.
DeleteI always love your travel posts. Your photos capture such particular nuances of what you experience and your words convey how you felt being there for those of us who were not. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. I do love the architectural details!
Deleteroad trip!
ReplyDeleteso much to the photos. not only a different place at a different time, but a different world. (what is a world if not the manner that people related themselves to the others around them), I was talking to someone just the other day and the conversation went to 'the old days' and we (collectively) remembered that there was a time, not really that long ago when the stores closed at 6pm on Saturday evening. ...for the weekend.
if that doesn't constitute another world, I can't imagine what does
fun TToT
Thank you for giving me a glimpse of this town and your country through your eyes.
ReplyDelete:-)
Lovely road trip post.