SB-80. Martin County
#80 is MARTIN COUNTY (named for Congressman John Preston Martin; county seat is Inez). Where do you eat & who do you visit? #KY120Game
— with Jared Smith and 18 others.
— with Jared Smith and 18 others.
- Charlotte Flanary and 2 others like this.
Katie Mueller First of all, I'd like to thank Jared and Travis for allowing me to have the floor.
Martin County is, in my opinion, highly underrated. While very poor and without popular attractions like the rest of our Commonwealth, you'll find hidden natural beauty unlike anywhere else in Appalachia, as well as a rich pocket of genuine mountain traditions still in use daily-not just for show or novelty. The hollers are full of rock shelters still littered with Native American arrowheads and bits of flint, and from the high ridges in spring, the over abundance of blooming redbuds and dogwoods create a color mist rivaling any Paul Sawyier print. Bottoms are plumb full of blooming Queen Anne's Lace, Goldenrod and Joe Pye, and you'd be hard pressed to find any family who wouldn't invite you in for simple, traditional cooking and very likely some way long winded chatter about this and that, possibly a quilting lesson and definitely the best gardening tips you'll ever be taught. Route 40 cuts right through some of the prettiest low-and-high land you'll ever see.
You'd be missing a fine meal and a fine time FULL of raucous stories if you skip out on Mickey John's restaurant (ask him about Alabama with Eddie). You also ought to stop by James E. Webb's place for some genuine, world class Bluegrass and see his handmade mandolins (and his 30 pound cat). Down the road about a mile you've just got to stop in and pester Lee Mueller, who will regal you no doubt with every political fact you've *ever* wanted to know, as well as make you some chili (too hot if you ask me) and tell you the best stories about baseball, golf, and eastern Kentucky history you'd ever want to hear. Then you can sit outside on the back patio and see a sky almost absent of light pollution and watch star shows like you've never seen. The Duncan's are lovely people, we've all been to Mr. Booth's lovely home; I think if you threw in my suggestions and put the kibosh on preconceived notions, there'd be a much healthier appreciation for The Best County in the Commonwealth.
That is all (for now).
- Travis M. Scott Katie, you've been working on this one for a while lol. Most of my favorite Martin Countian's are in exile at the moment, but if they're ever around, I'd call Alvin Fletcher, Jessie Lynn, and Kevin Smith (who it's not letting me tag for some reason), As Matt, said, Miss Ida's is great, as is the Dairy Bar, and Cloud Nine Cafe' up at the airport. Also, Martin County native Angaleena Presley is getting ready to release her debut album "American Middle Class" later this month, and from what I've heard of it, it's going to be on my "Top 10 of 2014" list for sure.
Jessie Lynn As a Martin County native, living the expat lifestyle in Lexington,Haha. I miss those mountains, the beauty they hold, and the gracious people who still reside there. It truly is a wonderful place to live.
Jeff Noble Wow. That's in response to Katie Mueller's very well written tribute to Martin County. Sherman, that goes on the inside front cover of the book as a teaser. I haven't been in Martin County since 1995. I need to get back. I see she mentions Route 40. Before the US highway numbering system, KY40 was the main drag across the state, now numbered as US60 from Louisville to Frankfort and US460 from Frankfort all the way to Painstville. The section from there to Warfield (at one time the Martin County seat) is all that is left of this original cross-Commonwealth highway.
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