Monticello/Lake Cumberland

[Kichenwich]

Hi Nalabama!
Waco is just fine, and growing. Highway 52 is now four lanes! (Woo hoo, progress!) Just kidding .

The little community of Waco, although not quite thriving, hasn't shut down yet. We just recently built a new fire department, post office, and a few businesses. Waco actually extended it's "reach" into the Kingston area, but not as far as Dreyfus. Basically, Speedwell and Gumbottom are now considered Waco, as well as Moberly.

The feed store is still there, but is not in operation. The general store on the corner is now an auction house. The post office right down from that is now an animal hospital/vet center. We also now have 9,536 residents! I believe this population explosion was more of the incorporation of the other communities. There are several new neighborhoods, but still have enough farmland that we don't feel smothered. Bybee Pottery is still standing, and still in business (since 1845!) and tours are still popular with the schools and tourists. However, recently the pottery had to go "off sight" to get clay. They actually traveled about 3 miles to another farm for the white clay needed to make their wares!

College Hill has become quite populated. Several of the larger farms, including my husband's aunt's farm, was recently auctioned off. A few have been sub-divided. However, even these are in 5-10 acre tracts. These are still quite affordable. The average was like $25,000 for a 5 acre tract, with road frontage. Needless to say, they are selling fast, and being built up even faster. I swear some of the houses are built before the ink is dry on the deed!
You should come visit again sometime! Although there has been changes, it still has the same "feel" that it has had for decades.

[nalabama]

Kichenwich, sounds like Waco is really booming these days! Thanks so much for the update. A trip is planned to Frankfort for early February, so I'll have a chance then to vist Waco. Again, thank you.

[tuckerblt]

People in southern Kentucky are some of the nicest I've ever met. From Monticello to Burkesville, you'd be hardpressed to find someone that was difficult to work with. I'm sorry for the bad experiences in 2006. Hopefully it will be different upon your next visit there! Thanks!

[rxpwas]

Originally Posted by tuckerblt

People in southern Kentucky are some of the nicest I've ever met. From Monticello to Burkesville, you'd be hardpressed to find someone that was difficult to work with. I'm sorry for the bad experiences in 2006. Hopefully it will be different upon your next visit there! Thanks!

Another area not too far from there that is great (and on 1-75) is the London/Laurel County area. 70 miles from Lexington, 90 miles from Knoxville and only 40 more miles from there to Gatlinburg, and Somerset/Lake Cumberland/Rusell Springs, etc. area just to the west. Laurel River Lake is in Laurel County and in some places is arguably as pretty as Lake Cumberland or Dale Hollow. Also, Cumberland Falls just to south of London near Corbin.

[Bubblyandblond]

Originally Posted by Kingsnkali

I visited the area last summer to do some fishing and check it out for a possible retirement area. I liked Lake Cumberland and the folks at the resorts and docks. I was not impressed with the town of Monticello. Maybe it was just me and I hit it wrong. People just seemed cold and unfriendly there. I can't put my finger on it. I had Tennessee plates on my rental car (I'm from California) and I thought maybe THAT was it... The hotel people in town weren't friendly. The restaurant people weren't friendly. I even had a police officer in town pull up behind me as I was trying to back out of a parking spot after eating at a restaurant. The whole parking lot was empty and he just sat there blocking my exit. Good thing I looked in my rearview mirror and didn't hit him. He just sat there checking me out and looking mean and then slowly drove off. Weird. The funny thing was, I was the only customer at that restaurant. And I was one of very few people staying at large hotel in town with 95% of the rooms not occupied.

Does Monticello have a problem with tourists??? To be honest, I was glad to get out of there. The place gave me the creeps. I did NOTHING to any of those people but spend money in their town. I was treated much better on the other side of the lake in Jamestown Kentucky and also at the Dale Hollow State Marina to the south. I was also treated very well on the Tennessee side of Dale Hollow Lake and at Cordell Hull Lake. Very friendly folks. Even invited me out on their boats for fishing and the staff at Cedar Hill Resort gave me a fishing pole and tackle to use.

I will be back to the Cumberland/Dale Hollow region this spring for more fishing and maybe some real estate checking. I want to get a pulse on the area and more importantly, vibes on the people that live there. I'm not a city slicker and can certainly fit in and adapt to country living. I will be exploring Burkesville and other areas to get a feel for the land. I just hope Monticello was the exception rather than the rule.

i am from monticello i have lived here 14 years... you nailed this town on a dot on a bad day! this is im sure the drug capital of ky! we fight meth and the selling of pills... i love the looks of this town... it is so beautiful, the people are nice at times... i think our town gets a lot of people to look down on us... the best place for tourism is lake Cumberland, if you gave us a chance its a beautiful place... ky has so many things that would just blow you away... our town needs tourist to make it... thank you for your time... i apologize for your bad trip, god bless and hope you return soon! all of you!