Rooster and I decided to explore Paducah after we left The National Quilt Museum. We’ve visited this city on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River many times. On our motorcycle road trip to The Land Between the Lakes, we spent the night in Paducah. I remember it was during the time Katrina hit New Orleans. All of us watched the devastation we saw on the morning news program in disbelief. We ate breakfast in silence, knowing there was nothing we could do to help.
On this trip, Rooster and I decided to take a slow ramble in the section of the city near the Ohio River. Plus, we noticed some amazing architecture on the way to the river.
The Paducah floodwall murals
We decided our first point of adventure should be the Paducah floodwall so we could get a look at the murals. If you’ve ever visited cities along the Ohio River, you will notice they all have floodwalls. On these enormous concrete barriers erected to keep water out of the cities, colorful murals are painted. Two men designed and painted the floodwalls in Paducah. Robert Dafford and Herb Roe were the main artists on the project. It also took a whole team of people to complete the massive undertaking.
The title of the Paducah flood wall is “Wall to Wall,” and each of the concrete barriers reflects a different piece of Paducah history. Rooster and I spent some time driving past the floodwalls. Then, we parked to watch the river roll past our car window. A cold chill filled the air, which made walking uncomfortable. It seems that sitting in your vehicle on the Ohio River bank is an activity many people participate in doing. Every car parked held at least one person. To get to the floodwall murals, set your GPS for 100 Water Street. Paducah.
Market Antiques in Paducah
On our drive around Paducah, we came across Market Antiques. I can’t say it was the best antique store we ever entered, but it did have some interesting items.
We found records in a trunk
Robot made out of spare parts
Glass items
Thread
Jewelry
Hats & heads
A large assortment of homemade quilts
In conclusion
We enjoyed driving around Paducah. The city has a historic and beautiful downtown area. A chill hung in the air, so we didn’t spend much time walking the streets. We found the flood murals impressive, and it was nice to sit beside the river and watch the water roll. Our stop at Market Antiques satisfied my need to see beautiful quilts made by the local quilters for everyday use instead of artistic display. Rooster and I enjoyed the afternoon. We have one more stop to make before we start the trip home. We are discovering that there is more adventure in this part of Illinois and Kentucky than we knew existed before we made this trip.
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
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