Moving to the Pikeville area (Lexington, Louisville: home, wedding, buy)

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by pop5300

What do you mean?

Pikeville is probably the best town in Eastern Kentucky to live for someone who is not originally from the area.

What other Eastern Ky towns would you suggest?

London is the only place in eastern Kentucky I'd bother to live in. But that's just me.

[Pretoria]

I, too, am coming out in April to visit the area and interview. Are there places I should hang out at or drive to to get the flavor of the town? Is there a mall? Any other restaurants you recommend in addition to Applebees? what about the churches there?
Thanks!

[pop5300]

Most of the churches there are Free-Will Baptist, but there are also United Baptists and the Church of Christ has a strong presence there.

As for restaurants, the only place I really ate there is the Peking Resaurant, they have delicious chinese. The Dairy Cheer had good hamburgers and onion rings. Off the top of my head I can't think of any other noteable restaurants.

I used to live about 40 miles from Pikeville, and would visit there every now and then.

There is no mall there, but there are shopping centers, one of which includes a JCPenney--if it is still open?

There used to be a small "real" mall in South Williamson about 30 miles away, but havent been to it since 1994.

A nice side trip would be to visit the Breaks Interstate Park in Elkhorn City Ky about 30 miles away. There is a small railroad museum there.

If I can think of anything else I will post it.

Eastern Kentucky is definitely very rural and countrified, I hope you enjoy your visit.

[mtmn90]

I see lots of posts here inadequately describe and represent Pikeville. I grew up there and left for college in 1967. My brother lives there and I visit twice a year. It's friendly and the people are very nice. Yes, there's some drugs. Name a place that doesn't have some problem with drugs. Many amenities are present including great medical care, a 4 year private college and a school of osteopathic medicine. Folks are helpful and treat others the way they would like to be treated. I went to grade school and high school in Pike County. Many of my high school classmates have become lawyers and doctors, nurses and teachers. (I became a doctor and now teach at Stanford University). It's a beautiful area of the country. It may be stepped back in time a bit, but that's refreshing. Everyone I know there has a computer, knows how to use it and go against the grain of thinking that says that all the people are hicks. Just not true. People who slap at Pikeville either don't really know the area or they simply need some people that they can feel superior to.

[JLT_OT]

I'm 29 years old, married with one child. I left Pikeville for three years while working on my Master's degree and missed it so much. I LOVE it here and wouldn't live anywhere else. I couldn't imagine raising my child anywhere but here.

[Miss Blue]

I love Pikeville too, JLT..Came from Dayton, Ohio 30 years ago because my h had a job opportunity here..I was ready to get my 4 children out of the big city environment..I have never regretted it.. I love all of Kentucky and it hurts me to see our own fellow Kentuckians bash us and insult our life choices, as is done so often on this forum..

[RamblinRoseRanch]

Originally Posted by blue62

Hi, animallvr..I live here in Pikeville, by choice, because I have been there and done that in the cities..I hope you will take a look at some of the links I am providing..Pikeville is not the backward, drug infested poor white trash town that has been described in so many places on this forum by people who have never lived here, visited here or even driven through here..

I believe it's a backward, drug infested poor white trash (but driving a new caddy!) town and I was BORN there, lived there for the first fourteen years of my life, still have family there and visit only when my Mamaw can't get down here to see us.

Ky is a beautiful state, just not that part.

[Miss Blue]

Originally Posted by RamblinRoseRanch

I believe it's a backward, drug infested poor white trash (but driving a new caddy!) town and I was BORN there, lived there for the first fourteen years of my life, still have family there and visit only when my Mamaw can't get down here to see us.

Ky is a beautiful state, just not that part.

This is why I seldom post in the state that I love so much..Nearly every post I make about my part of the state receives at least one and often several hate posts like this one..It hurts very much to see the wonderful hardworking people that I am proud to call neighbors being stereotyped like this..I have yet to see a hate post about other parts of this State from the good people of Pikeville..This person surely doesn't mean put her/his precious mamaw in this stereotype, I pray not..

[RamblinRoseRanch]

Of course I didn't put my grandmother in there! In reality, Pike County IS drug infested. I'm only 32 years old and the majority of my graduating class is either a. dead b. selling c. living off the government d. in jail .

Coming down the mountain into Pike County is one of the most depressing things ever.
Pikeville it's self- i've never lived there. My entire family are residents of the county, as was I. Almost everyone i've ever known there, and I mean the people aged in their sixties and younger, are either on disability, welfare or drugs.

I remember going to the SS office as a child, with my father who'd had THREE heart attacks in the early 80s, in the mines, and seeing people get out of their new cars, take off their jewelry and stuff it in the glovebox and go on into their welfare and food stamp appointments. As a matter of fact, the majority of people I know relish in living the way they do- a trailer in mama's backyard, getting government checks.

Do you know how long it took to get that WalMart? The *coming soon* sign rotted, several times, before it was built.

The high school I attended... our air conditioning was provided by the broken windows. There were fights everywhere and the air hung heavy with smoke from the potheads.

The deaths from coal truck accidents, my asthma, the strange diseases and cancers that young people, far to oyoung to be that sick- contracted. You can't tell me that's circumstantial.

Oh, the people there love their families, don't you forget that. But a stranger? In their eyes, you're better off dead.

And don't be of a different race than white bread either, and expect to be welcomed outside the town. I didn't see a black person until I went to Pikeville. There were none in my area, no hispanics either.

I've talked to several others who have made it *out* and they too,praise God for the werewithal to do so.

The air is cleaner, the people nice, there are JOBS and things to DO in TN. Why do you think most of the people that leave Pike County, come here? Specifically, the Douglas and Cherokee Lake areas? I'll bet if you think about it, everyone knows someone who has left there for here. Or vacation here.

Pikeville may be a wonderful town for some, the county itself is a pit.

[JLT_OT]

Originally Posted by blue62

I love Pikeville too, JLT..Came from Dayton, Ohio 30 years ago because my h had a job opportunity here..I was ready to get my 4 children out of the big city environment..I have never regretted it.. I love all of Kentucky and it hurts me to see our own fellow Kentuckians bash us and insult our life choices, as is done so often on this forum..

Glad to hear you love Pikeville too blue. Hopefully, all the "big city folks" and other "uppity" people will believe all the negative posts and STAY OUT. We don't need those kind anyway. Some of my friends who went to medical school in Pikeville talk about how a lot of people who moved here for med shool always bash Pikeville. I say if you don't like it then move-there's other schools out there. We especially don't need our "compassionate" doctors holding this attitude.