Middlesboro: On The Move

Four hundred miles and six hours from the Western Kentucky Great River Road begins Eastern Kentucky’s fair portion of the Wilderness Road. Old US 25E used to run over the mountain at Middlesboro. Now, it runs right through it. There’s a tunnel there bored below the famous Cumberland Gap that settlers once flocked to for a chance at a new life in “Kaintuck” and beyond, beginning about 1775. Today, coming through the new tunnel, one lands off in a meteor crater where a town was settled some century or so later. Middlesborough, as spelled then, was an iron ore opportunity that flourished then failed when a London Bank had troubles at the turn of the 20^th Century. From there, the old business section eventually went quiet much like several once bustling towns. Lee Majors being born and raised there was a Six Million Dollar addition, of course.

Now, the town is giving off a resort feel and banking off being in the shadow of the Gap. It has become a regional hub for a three state area that comes together at the tunnel. All the normal chains and Wal-Mart across from major hotels and a mall still hosting anchor stores behind a new Cracker Barrel. Downtown is seeing the biggest renaissance, however. A group appropriately titled “Downtown Middlesboro” brought in a hired outsider to look things over, think outside the box, and start writing grant applications to slowly breathe life back into the old commercial district. Still, there are buildings vacant, for rent, for sale, or falling in. But for every building in that state, there are two others with new purpose. Old store buildings made into apartments. Clothing stores. The token coffee shop.

Then the details that make any old downtown look better than the rest. Crosswalks where the asphalt was replaced with brick. Trees lining the sidewalk alongside benches. Antique water fountains turned back on. And building sized portraits of notable figures in the town’s history visible from several blocks and similar to those seen in Louisville. One alley in particular where once a building stood has been converted to a simple gathering spot to enjoy the mountains that surround. Wooden spools turned over to make quick tables. A string of lights from one wall to the other for flair. The town’s history on signs tacked to the side of the alley, every few feet a good read and weatherproof pictures from founding to present. The lifeblood of any town is the pride from its individual history passed down the generations.

A downtown that now can compete for Kentucky mountain tourism right alongside Pikeville and Prestonsburg. A place worth the drive to have a cup of coffee and see progress happen by the month. Kentucky towns could take notice that the pride is in the details and delivery of history waiting to be retold.

 

For more on the progress of Middlesboro, visit: www.discoverdowntownmiddlesboro.org