i enjoyed, its simple, you get to actually walk thru the house. there are a lot of people in this…read morecountry that need to see how a lot of people once lived. infract there still are people that do.

Deep down in the Holler of Kentucky is where you will be!…read more We were on the motorcycle and it was raining so the road was wet and slick. Stopped at the General Store and the gentleman that was there was so nice and answered any questions. Rode back to where Loretta Lynn's home place was and such beautiful scenery. Wasn't able to go inside the hone as it hadn't opened up yet due to Covid but was able to get some good photos from the road. If you are on a bike, there is a gravel spot where we parked/turned around. Was told if you go back further that it's a dead need and hard to get turned around. We enjoyed our ride through here and now know why it called the "Holler"

I made a trip down to Charleston with my gold fish's Siberian husky and enjoyed every moment of it…read more My brain was starving for a history lesson, though, so I went downtown to the Culture Center and ballooned it with some of the most interesting facts I've ever heard about the Capitol Building(s). The museum is free, which is a plus. I couldn't bring the dog in though, so cracked the windows and put on some Baha Men for him. I also walked upstairs, looked at the displays and was instantly greeted by a fine young man with a vibrant smile and excellent hair. What a great surprise. The car was gone.

The information and history are great. It's very important for everyone to have access…read more The only thing that's puzzling is that there's no free parking.

I'd like to know what this place has about federal mine inspector Bill Spradlin. He was my…read moregrandfather.

My family and I stopped here on our way to see the homeplace of Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle. We…read moreopted to stop at the museum. It close to closing time but they were nice to give a tour. It was only $5 per person and there was three of us. This place is located out in the middle of no where. Not enough advertisement on the place. If in the area, stop by and check them out.

This is the centerpiece of Saltville. This unoriginally named town holds more intrigue than you…read morewould probably think. The salt is a product of some unusual geologic conditions that lead animal bones to be well preserved, making this a top site for archaeology. In addition, the salt was also of enormous economic value and was a military asset during the Civil War, making this the site of a significant set of armed conflict. Some other environmental and cultural history pops up as well. The museum has several well-produced and substantial documentaries showing in a tiny theater. The two rooms of exhibits take up more time than you'd think, and I was probably there for an hour and a half or so. The $5 admission is worth it, easily. The town continues to have some unusually salty ponds that you can walk around on some paved trails, as well as some historic markers and a recreated set of salt mining equipment on the edge of town. All of these features and more can be viewed and contextualized on the museum's topographic map/diaorama. It's not a metropolis, but it is an interesting place.

Self guided tour. Small but very well organized and awesome artifacts. Information on Civil War,…read moreNative Americans, geology and fossils. They also have a few videos to watch.

Friendly. Informative Interesting. New. Information Good food. Personal touch…read more !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you want to tour Loretta Lynn's original home in Van Lear, Kentucky you must stop by Webb's…read moregrocery, pay a $5 entry fee, and follow the tour guide in your car a mile or so to the home. The young man that runs the store is a distant relative of Loretta Lynn. But for folks in this community this store is one of the only stores within many miles of their home. He has a few Loretta Lynn's souvenirs such as t-shirts and magnets. But there is also canned goods, soda, and water for sale. The store is very old and was a railroad company store when it was originally built. I believe he told me it was around a 125 years old. He has done a great job of keeping this place up as it did not have that old smell that you find in a lot of places. Of course you will also find a ton of Loretta Lynn memorabilia throughout the store as well as other older relics of times past, such as an old Pepsi clock, soda bottles and signs. It was a quaint old store that takes you back to simple yet tough times for many Americans in the late 1800s to early 1900's. I loved it!

I spent about 2 hours here with my kids on a Sunday and they had a good time…read more The main floor has a water table area that the kids loved, a music room and an area to learn about your body. The body area had some sport activities that the kids enjoyed interacting with. The lower level had a travel wild kratts exhibit that we did not spend much time at, the climbing area, and an interactive city where we spent most of our time. On the top floor there is an art museum with some hands on play area for the kids. They also were able to paint with water colors. Parking was across the street from the building so easy to get to. They did have a cafe but the food was mediocre. I recommend eating before or after your trip.

On a day trip to Charleston WV we stopped by the Clay Center for our daughter. First I always judge…read morethe bathrooms as this is a perfect example of how clean a place is. They have male and female but always love to see a family bathroom so I am not fighting for my life when my kid needs to potty. It was very clean and well kept but we did go as soon as they opened. 5 out of 5 This place is 3 stories tall they do have different options stairs and 2 different elevators to help anyone explore all locations. Play options: They have a waterworks the roof does leak but they have over covers for kids to protect their clothing over all a nice water station. 3.5 out of 5 Outer space was quite lackluster and not very play forward more informative 2 out of 5 One place we loved and spent most of our time was the interactive village too cute!!! Vet, Dr, theater, mechanic, grocery store, garden, fire pit, and so much more this is by far the highlight! 5 out of 5 They did have an open and active maker space with many different options for crafts! 5 out of 5 They do have a cafe with options of food you can buy so you can play longer. 5 out of 5 The front desk was so kind and very helpful with any questions we may have had. But I wasn't sure about parking if it was free or if we had to pay. When calling back I didn't get an answer. 3 out of 5 Last but not least the price for 2 kids and 3 adults total was under $60 and when leaving for lunch we could came back to play some more. So with that it was very worth the money! 5 out of 5 Over all experience: 4 out of 5

I'm not from Harlan County but in my time living here I have come to see how much mining and the…read morehistory of mining is deeply woven into the fabric of this region. So I knew at some point I had to check out this museum. My mother came along with me and we enjoyed each of the little vignette-type displays representing mining life. As much as this is a museum of coal mining and the coal mining culture, it is also a flashback to earlier American culture. I enjoyed the recreations of the old 1940s kitchens and the display of the old physician's equipment. It's also important that the museum showcases the x-rays depicting the Black Lung that now is just as representative of the coal life as anything else. In a region where coal is still King, this museum was a great way to look back at how far it's come and see how much has been lost.

This museum was worth the six hour drive to give my daughter and myself a better understanding of…read moreour heritage in the coal mining industry. We went in knowing very little and came away with a good understanding of mine operations, life in a coal camp/town and the unique economics and politics that surround the industry. The mock mine in the basement was fun to crouch down and crawl through. Very well done! Mandy and Phyllis were very professional and helpful in gathering materials for me to take home and add to my family history. This museum is both educational and fun. A must see for all ages interested in history, Appalachian culture and the obvious---coal mining industry.

$5 entrance fee. Small, but interesting display of artifacts with a timeline of events from shortly…read morebefore WW1 through 1940s. Worth the entrance price.

The WV Mine Wars Museum is a great spot to visit in the area for some updates on local coal mining…read morehistory. They have done an amazing job at putting the museum together and its clear that everyone involved has poured their heart into the town. Keep up the great work !

I've been near and around Butcher Holler countless times, in fact, my mother-in-law used to live…read morejust down the road from it. My husband who was born and raised in Van Lear had been inside either. Finally, on our last trip to the Paintsville area, we made it inside. It's everything that you can imagine. Honestly, it's probably bigger than you would think of for a childhood home of a self-proclaimed poor country singer. It's the childhood home of Loretta Lynn that obviously at least partially inspired the song "Coal Miner's Daughter." It's nestled between two fog-shrouded mountains up a "holler" just two miles southeast of the coal mining camp of Van Lear, which is part of the big city of Paintsville. The house is now owned by Loretta Lynn's brother. The day that we were there, his daughter, Loretta Lynn's niece gave us our tour. When we first walked in, she was giving another group their tour, and the way she explained it, is that to go in and look around, it's free, but a tour is $5 per person. The parking is very limited, there probably couldn't be any more than 5 cars parked in the driveway at once. So, if you have a big vehicle that it's easy to maneuver, forget it.

So interesting to see how people that are now famous began. It's so interesting, and I learned her…read moresister is Crystal Gayle