Hopkinsville, Kentucky, affectionately known as Hoptown, is experiencing a revitalization driven by heritage, agriculture, and entertainment. As the top wheat-producing county in the state—yielding over three million bushels annually—it has earned the title of the Batter Capital of the World. This grain supports the production of well-known food mixes, including Ghirardelli brownie mix, Krusteaz pancake and muffin blends, Cracker Barrel biscuit mix, and Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay recipe. n nAmy Rogers, executive director of the Hopkinsville Christian County Convention and Visitors Bureau, highlights the city’s transformation, particularly in its downtown core. Historic buildings have been repurposed, such as the 1949 post office, now home to the Pennyroyal Area Museum, which showcases the life of Edgar Cayce, known as “The Sleeping Prophet,” and explores African American history, military service, and the Black Patch Tobacco War. The Alhambra Theatre, dating to 1928, has been restored into a 650-seat performing arts venue hosting live shows, films, and community events. n nHistory enthusiasts can visit the Trail of Tears Commemorative Park and Heritage Center, honoring the forced relocation of Indigenous peoples in the 1830s. The site includes burial grounds for Chiefs White Path and Fly Smith and hosts an annual Intertribal Pow Wow open to the public. n nFor adventure seekers, Pennyroyal Scuba Blue Springs Resort offers diving to depths of 120 feet in a spring-fed quarry with over 40 submerged attractions. Meanwhile, Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel—a collaboration between Churchill Downs and Keeneland Association—features live harness racing and a gaming floor with 1,300 machines. n nBourbon lovers can tour local distilleries like Casey Jones Distillery, founded by Arlon “AJ” Casey Jones and Peg Hayes in 2013. The family’s legacy in moonshine dates back a century, with their copper stills once supplying Al Capone. Today, visitors can sample spirits, bottle their own bourbon, and attend events in a 200-person-capacity rental space. n nHopkinsville Brewing Co., a veteran-owned nano-brewery in the Renaissance District, offers craft beer and a popular outdoor patio. The city also embraces its quirky lore, including the Kelly Green Men—tales of a 1955 alleged alien encounter near Kelly—inviting visitors to explore local legends. n nThe James E. Bruce Convention Center, located near Ft. Campbell, provides 40,000 square feet of event space, including an exhibit hall and eight ballrooms. Connected to the Holiday Inn and Suites – Hopkinsville Convention Center, it serves military gatherings, trade shows, and weddings. For updated information, visit visithopkinsville.com or the city’s Facebook page. n
— news from Lane Report
— News Original —
Exploring Kentucky: Hoptown Hits Its Stride
Noted American novelist and short-story writer Thomas Wolfe borrowed — with permission — the title of his well-known novel “You Can’t Go Home Again” from a quote by fellow writer Ella Winter. In the novel’s denouement, the book’s main character, George Webber, realizes, “You can’t go back home to your family, back home to your childhood…back home to the old forms and systems of things which once seemed everlasting, but which are changing all the time — back home to the escapes of Time and Memory.” n nI learned my own truth of this quote when returning to the town of my birth — Hopkinsville — in early September, though my version became, “Oh, you can indeed go home again, but only if you’re pragmatic about time and you embrace the positive memories and changes.” n nThe quiet, friendly, comfortable West Kentucky town I inhabited from birth to my 16th year has grown, of course, but it’s still surrounded by lush country land with productive fields of corn, soybeans and soft red winter wheat, depending upon the season. Driving through that countryside felt like coming home. n nA few years ago, someone took notice of the community’s agricultural backbone and Hopkinsville became the Batter Capital of the World, as Christian County harvests more than three million bushels of wheat each year, more than any of the state’s other 119 counties. (Just for clarity, batter is either a mixture consisting mainly of flour, eggs, milk or water, thin enough to pour or drop from a spoon or a mixture (as of flour and egg) used as a coating for food to be fried.) The milling of this crop creates globally recognized food mixes, such as Ghirardelli brownie mix; Krusteaz products that include pancake, muffin and waffle mixes and even a tasty gluten-free cornbread; Cracker Barrel biscuit mix and Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, et al. Who knew? n nAmy Rogers, a native of the area, is the executive director of the Hopkinsville Christian County Convention and Visitors Bureau and is excited about all the city now has to offer visitors, meetings and conventions. n n“Hopkinsville is rooted in so much history,” she says. “It’s fascinating to see the city growing and changing, especially downtown. Watching the 1949 post office being turned into the Pennyroyal Area Museum. To see the Alhambra Theater become a community performing arts center. I remember watching a play of “Steel Magnolias” there when I was in high school.” n nThe old post office no longer smells of cigars and spittoons and FBI wanted criminal photos no longer line its walls. Now at Hoptown’s oldest museum, you can learn about the early life of Edgar Cayce, known as “The Sleeping Prophet” and the father of holistic medicine; come face to face with masked vigilantes of the Black Patch Tobacco War; honor military heroes; and discover the area’s rich African American history. n nTours include Edgar Cayce and African American cell phone tours and a downtown walking tour. n nA 650-seat proscenium theater, the circa 1928 Alhambra Theatre, has been beautifully renovated and expanded and hosts live performances, classic film showings, community theater, school performances and even meetings. Stop by and take a guided tour. n nHistory buffs won’t want to miss the Trail of Tears Commemorative Park and Heritage Center, honoring the indigenous people who were forced to relocate in the 1830s from the Southeast to the Midwest, walking on foot. Many died on the journey. Their path wound through Western Kentucky and as a child, I found lots of arrowheads, grinding stones and pottery shards on my aunt and uncle’s farm out Cox Mill Road. The park includes gravesites of Chiefs White Path and Fly Smith and an Intertribal Pow Wow — open to everyone — is held each year the weekend after Labor Day. n nTotally different adventures await at two Hopkinsville locations. You can suit up and go 120 feet below the surface at Pennyroyal Scuba Blue Springs Resort, a beautiful 22-acre, spring-fed quarry, to see some 40-plus sunken treasures in its surprisingly clear water. Or test your luck at the newly opened Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel, a joint venture of two of the biggest names in horse racing: Kentucky Derby host Churchill Downs and the Lexington-based Keeneland Association. Oak Grove offers live harness racing and a facility with 1,300 exciting games. n nBourbon aficionados can enjoy tours and tastings at several craft distilleries. The Jones family of Casey Jones Distillery has been making moonshine for 100 years — 10 legally. n nDuring Prohibition, the ‘shine preferred by Al Capone came from Golden Pond, Kentucky, where the best stills were copper and crafted by Casey Jones. In 1967, Jones was commissioned by the federal government to build his last — and only legal — still, which you can see on display. In 2013, Arlon “AJ” Casey Jones and his wife, Peg Hayes, co-founded the distillery and named it after his grandfather. On a tour, you can learn the Jones’s family history, taste and purchase bourbon and moonshine, chill for a while at the Craft Cocktail Bar and even bottle your own bourbon. The distillery also has a rentable event space for up to 200 people. n nIf sippin’ suds moves you, the Hopkinsville Brewing Co. is a veteran-owned and operated, locally sourced craft beer nano-brewery located in Hoptown’s downtown Renaissance District. Its outdoor patio is a popular spot for locals. n nDon’t leave the area without learning about the Kelly Green Men, based on stories of a 1955 alien creature attack on a farmhouse in the small community of Kelly, 10 miles away. Listen to the story and make your own decision as to the validity of those tales. My father, a country doctor who made house calls in Kelly, told me about it back then and I’m a believer! n nMeeting groups can gather at the James E. Bruce Convention Center, only nine miles from Ft. Campbell, home of the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division and the Sabalauski Air Assault School, famed for being the “10 toughest days in the Army.” n nThe center boasts 40,000 s.f. of flexible indoor/outdoor event space, including a 15,000-s.f. exhibit hall and eight ballrooms, all great for trade shows, military events and even weddings. Conveniently, the impressive Holiday Inn and Suites – Hopkinsville Convention Center by IHG is attached, with amenities such as a restaurant and bar, fitness center and saltwater pool. n nFor expanded info on this growing city, check its Facebook page to find out what’s happening when and also visithopkinsville.com. Be sure to stop by its vibrant visitor center to begin your exploration and learn about your many options for fun, food and a fabulous time in the Batter Capital of the World!