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I know here in Jackson County the education is awful. The county is runned by idiots that are only out for the money in their own pockets. The government has threatened coming in here and firing all the staff at the board of ed and fixing things.... but all i can figure is someone AGAIN got paid and nothing has happened.
Money will be spent on basketballs and footballs instead of computers and books. Smart kids are very much liked in school for getting the scores up, but otherwise ignored..... while the jocks are allowed to roam free out of class and never get into trouble because they have a game that night!
Winters can make it bad, it will snow less then an inch here and school will be closed for 3 days. Board of ed cant help that. Honestly some of the roads these buses have to snake down arent fit for anything but 4 wheelers. The roads are so shaded with trees the sun wont touch the road to melt ice, creeks running by keep them frozen.
There was an artical in the Lexington Hearld years ago making fun of Jakcson Co because they missed so much school. One of our local jounalist ( a New Yorker who married a man from Jackson Co) invited the writer at the Lex -Hearld to come as see for his self. She took him out in her front wheel drive down some of the roads on a day school got canceled and they were not half way done with her plotted tour he was begging to come back to town.
It is a simple life you have to want to live to be here. Some people have to haul water to their homes for sisterns. If there is a big snow the electric can be out for days. use to be you had to leave town ( 35 miles to walmart) for everything big..... still true but now thanks to the internet we order online.
Most people leave the county for work, but many choose to still live here because the hustle of city life just isnt appealing to us. We like porches with dogs under them, growing gardens and walking over to the neighbors and them a plastic save a lot bag full of tomatoes.
I wouldnt go as far as to say we are backward.... i will say we are old fashioned. Adhearing to things our grandparents did.
As for the druggies... well honestly i can say that it is usally because their parents were... and their parents did it because they were so depressed that they couldnt keep up with the jones' ( usally the more well to do people)
Poorer folks not on a check but do work, wont waste money on drugs... in the county the pay is min. wage to hard to come by.
I want to start out by saying that I have lived in both Harlan County, Lexington, and Louisville, KY. The posts I have read are both full of facts and full of opinions. Since I have lived in both areas, I will let you in on what I have learned from each area. Starting with Louisville; Louisville is the largest city in KY and you can tell, people are civilized, there is (to my knowledge) a good economy there. My brother has lived in Louisville for years and he loves it! I also loved it when I lived there too. Louisville is nothing buy city, however if you like country side, and outdoor activities Indiana offers beautiful parks and scenery. So you really get the best of both worlds.
Lexington is nothing but a college town. If UK was not in Lexington, it would barely exist. Don't get me wrong I LOVE UK, and there is a good balance of entertainment, jobs, and entertainment. However you are NOT living in a big city, and due to the college status you have different people living in Lexington. You have the well established citizens, then you have the citizens that graduated college, landed a job, and never got out of the mentality of a college student. However, I do agree that Lexington has a better economy than eastern KY. When I lived in Lexington I did not appreciate it. I wish I had the opportunity to live there again.
Harlan County Kentucky..... what can I say. Harlan is my hometown, so it holds a special place in my heart. Not all people in Harlan are hicks, not all people in Harlan are on drugs, and I can honestly say I have never met anyone who has married any relative, nor molested the goats (sheep are not very good lifestock in eastern ky ;-) ). Every person in the United States has that conception about one place or the other. I know KY is probably the most common place for the misconception, but from being from KY I always thought that was more common in TN. The facts about Eastern, KY....there are not a lot of jobs; healthcare, sales, service, and coal mines. That's about it, and even those are not plentiful. There are poor people everywhere, and I believe the post above about they live where their families are, is a good way to put it. People in Harlan are very family oriented.
As far as where you should live in KY. I would suggest to look at Central KY. There are better jobs, and I believe a better quality of Life. If you don't want to live in a really big city consider Lexington or Newport (directly below Cincinatti). If you do want a larger city Louisville is the way to go. If you want calm, slow, laid back lifestyle Eastern KY is where you should be. Even in the larger cities of Eastern KY such as Pikeville, London, or Corbin they might be a better option than the smaller areas such as Hazard or Harlan.
I recently moved back to Eastern Kentucky (voluntarily!) after three decades in bustling South Florida. I brought my husband who was born and raised in New York City along as well as his elderly mother- also a NYC long timer.
Long story short they are both exceedingly pleased with where we landed. Since I spent all my childhood and early adulthood here I am accepted, and so far these two have been grandfathered in right along with me.
Now Russell KY (outside Ashland) may not be the hicksville that most people think of when they think about Eastern KY, but it is still plenty slow. The major adjustment I have had to make is the lack of availability of many items that I was able to pick up locally before. Without online shopping I would not be nearly as happy.
The pace, the friendliness, the beauty of the land- I am seriously in love again and delighted that I moved back. The husbands wages are about half, but we did OK selling our Florida home so managed to buy the new one here outright so we are able to make ends meet.
My NYC yankee boy of a husband is now outside chopping wood and having the time of his life hiking in our woods and catching an eyeful of deer every morning.
I'm probably going to ruffle some feathers with this post but that's not my intent. I'm just trying to understand this aversion to Eastern Kentucky that a number of posters feel.
I've lived in Wisconsin all my life, within 50 miles of where I was born and raised. I never felt a need to leave because I had a job, a home and I enjoyed spending time with my parents, brothers and sisters. I never felt this great need "to better myself" and move to a larger city because living in a larger city doesn't make me better. It's what's inside of me. I'm an intelligent woman with good values and feel my priorities are in the right place. The northern part of Wisconsin is somewhat deserted and I'm sure there are people who wonder why anyone would live there. It's very beautiful but slow paced and jobs are harder to come by. I have no desire to live there but I don't feel I'm better than the people who choose to make that area their home. We all make our own choices based on what is best for each of us.
Yes, there are people in the eastern part of Kentucky who are on welfare, are lazy and on drugs. Are there none of these people in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Hopkinsville or any of the larger cities? Has anyone ever considered that maybe these people stay there because that's where their families are? Maybe they like the slower pace and the beauty all around them.
When I move to Kentucky in June, I plan to live in the central part of the state. I'm basing that decision on the fact that there are more jobs in that area and I have to work. It's not because I think the people in the eastern part of the state are stupid, lazy and unfriendly. I know that I could make friends with people there because that's how I am. You have to reach out to others when you move, regardless of where it is.
I really would appreciate input on this from all parts of the state as I'm trying to understand this whole thing. Kentucky is known for it's friendly people and
this aversion to the eastern part of the state just doesn't fit in with that.
I just wanted to tell you that I am from Eastern Kentucky, Hazard to be exact. I am sitting in my two story four bedroom 3 bath house on my brand new dell laptop computer. I own two 2007 dodge rams and a 2006 Lincoln Navigator. I am not bragging but I am just telling you that this part of Kentucky is not a bad part at all. It is just that there are A$$ Holee producers in big cities who has noone else to pick on for the week so they pick the "poor" people of Eastern Kentucky. There have been numerous documentaries, Movies, and television shows showing the poor people from here but there are more doctors and nurses in this town than there are needy people. I will tell you one thing though, there my be a few poor people in this town and area of Kentucky as well as there are in any part of the United States. But they know how to go out and work and put a roof over their families head rather than cover their babies and children up with newspapers on a curb somewhere trying to keep them warm.
I just wanted to tell you that I am from Eastern Kentucky, Hazard to be exact. I am sitting in my two story four bedroom 3 bath house on my brand new dell laptop computer. I own two 2007 dodge rams and a 2006 Lincoln Navigator. I am not bragging but I am just telling you that this part of Kentucky is not a bad part at all. It is just that there are A$$ Holee producers in big cities who has noone else to pick on for the week so they pick the "poor" people of Eastern Kentucky. There have been numerous documentaries, Movies, and television shows showing the poor people from here but there are more doctors and nurses in this town than there are needy people. I will tell you one thing though, there my be a few poor people in this town and area of Kentucky as well as there are in any part of the United States. But they know how to go out and work and put a roof over their families head rather than cover their babies and children up with newspapers on a curb somewhere trying to keep them warm.
Hello! I have been attempting to move to Hazard for quite sometime. However, I haven't been too successful although I have visited several times and I have friends in the area. I've applied at the community college, and I have attempted to acquire employment in the Perry Schools system as well as other nearby counties . After visiting, I really developed a sense of fondness for the people. I have two MA degrees in Education and English and a secondary teaching license from another state (which I could convert to a KY license). I'd love to live there, but I haven't been able to land anything yet. Take care!!!
My Mom is from West Virginia and my Dad hails from Bell County, Ky, so I've got solid Scoth-Irish, Appalachian blood coming from both sides. Most all my kinfolk are in Southeastern Ky; Middlesboro, Pineville, Harlan Co., Corbin, London, etc. I'm only able to visit once or twice a year, but I love getting back to the place my family is from. Even though I was raised just outside Nashville, TN, I have history in KY; beloved memories of playing in the creek down in the hollers and hiking up Pine Mountain all afternoon. Shooting beer cans off fence posts and using the outhouse at my MaMaw's because she didn't have indoor plumbing.
As an adult, I have strong ties to family and can totally understand my most people stay in that area, living in poverty and having little to no desire to rise above. What I don't get is why they shun those that do leave and try to achieve more than what's available in Appalachia. My Dad loved his hometown and family, but whenever he tried to being improvements to the area, he was thwarted by those that believed he was acting 'high and mighty.' He built a house and let a favorite uncle live there rent free until they trashed it and burned it down. Dad built a sawmill to employ other family members that were having a hard time and it, too, was burned down. Dad tried to help various members of the family over the next few years until he finally washed his hands of the lot. Apparently, many were irritated that Dad left the area by joining the military. To be accepted, he would have had to stay and work in the coal mines. What a silly attitude that is!!!
One of my brothers loves the area and moved back, attending LMU and finally settling in London. My other brother absolutely despises Southeastern Ky and distances himself from our extended family. Personally, I love the beauty of the area and appreciate the family ties that keep people there and feel a strong connection with our family and lands. We recently reconnected with some family in Wallens Creek in Harlan County and it was great!
I was born in south eastern ky have been back hundreds of times and will end up there, a beautiful place nice people and we all have the right to bear arms so they take no crap wish i was there now. Drugs i live in mich right now because i cant get back there fast enough. Here i can buy any drug i want with in 20 mins large city dugh.its just easier to pick on a smaller populated areamy daddy killed his self in the cold mines of ky and loved it till he died, its not the people i say its the generation everywhere i know a whole lot of people in mich living a free ride buying drug and hiding there guns. So which is worse?????????????
I am from Eastern Ky. (don't want to say exactly where, want some anonymity), but, not to sound smug, other than 3 years in Lexington, I have been lifelong resident of Appalachia, proud of it, I have multiple college degrees, travelled to 48 or 50 states, 10 foreign countries, but never been in military (though I am extremely proud and supportive of our troops and if I had to would serve my country) and am a health professional, am blessed financially but will always work til I retire (nowhere near that yet) but am neither millionaire nor parents that were millionaires, always had to work for what I had and went to university with no grants, scholarships, or student loans, am not on drugs, I don't traffic drugs, I don't work in mines (though I have relatives that do and I have utmost respect and admiration for those that do), never had sex with my relatives (except for my wife, of course, by the way she's from Idaho and not related to me by blood). I could literally live anywhere I want, but am satisfied staying here, although I have to admit Louisville area or area in Indiana near Louisville appeal to me.
I recently moved back to Eastern Kentucky (voluntarily!) after three decades in bustling South Florida. I brought my husband who was born and raised in New York City along as well as his elderly mother- also a NYC long timer.
Long story short they are both exceedingly pleased with where we landed. Since I spent all my childhood and early adulthood here I am accepted, and so far these two have been grandfathered in right along with me.
Now Russell KY (outside Ashland) may not be the hicksville that most people think of when they think about Eastern KY, but it is still plenty slow. The major adjustment I have had to make is the lack of availability of many items that I was able to pick up locally before. Without online shopping I would not be nearly as happy.
The pace, the friendliness, the beauty of the land- I am seriously in love again and delighted that I moved back. The husbands wages are about half, but we did OK selling our Florida home so managed to buy the new one here outright so we are able to make ends meet.
My NYC yankee boy of a husband is now outside chopping wood and having the time of his life hiking in our woods and catching an eyeful of deer every morning.
We are in heaven.
Welcome back, peace, and have a great day!
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