Hickman and s, Ky photos

[Darrell KSR]

Nothing out of the ordinary here, just while my son and I are resting from the sun (and I'm enjoying a cold beverage, and salt and vinegar chips and living the life), thought you might like to see some of what I saw a couple of weeks ago when I was in Union City, TN/Hickman KY area for my father's wedding.

Not all that much of Hickman left downtown for sure.

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Obligatory pic of my daughter and my nephew at the Kentucky state line. It was the first time my nephew has ever been to Kentucky. My brother has been derelict in his duties.

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The Mississippi River, from the top of the Hickman bluff.

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The Hickman jail always cracked me up as I grew up. Still there.

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The Hickman port.

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I know, this is just a sign. Wish we had time to take the ferry to Missouri. I think that's just a neat thing, but we were tight on time and couldn't spare it.

[Darrell KSR]

This was my Grandmother's little house when she lived there many, many years ago. It has been well taken-care of.
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Old car around the corner from "her" house.
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This sign amuses me.
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Hickman bluff
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Courthouse
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[dan_bgblue]

I have made the ferry trip many times but none in the last 7 years. The fare used to be $8.00 but if you made the return trip on the same day, it was free. It is well worth doing if one has the time. Also worth doing in the area is Columbus Belmont park. Very high bluff over looking the big muddy for miles both north and south. Glad your nephew can cross KY off his bucket list, but he sure did not get to see the best part of the state.

Hickman downtown died a long time ago.

[dan_bgblue]

Wow, I have never seen that car, but it is worth several dollars, suicide doors and all

[Darrell KSR]

Just some random photos of downtown Hickman. I was the tour guide for my daughter and nephew, and I don't really know the back story on any of these. It had been probably 15 years since I've been there, for my Grandmother's funeral, and before that, probably close to 30 years. Funny how much I remembered as I drove around the old gravel pits, neighborhoods, and downtown Hickman. Remembering little stories like the hardware store where my Grandmother bought my brother and I a metal flashlight and a racecar blanket, and me thinking that was the coolest Christmas gifts ever.

The gravel pit where my Dad put a bullet in his pistol that misfired 10 years before when my 5-year old brother pulled the trigger, pointing it at my mother, and it snapping, but not firing. The bullet dutifully fired beautifully at the gravel pit. Somebody had plans for my brother and me to have a mother to raise us for a few more years.

Just stuff like that, and more. Amazing what passes for "fun" as I grow older, huh?

Anyway, here are the random pics and I won't bore you with stories.


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[Darrell KSR]

Wow, I have never seen that car, but it is worth several dollars, suicide doors and all

I thought that car was ultra-cool. If you head down around Catlett Street, it's just around the corner--some equipment shop of some sort, just parked outside like it's been there forever. I didn't even have time to stop, just wheeled and took that photo out the window of the car. Of course, as you said, downtown Hickman died so many years ago that I did take time to stop the car and park it in the middle of the street to get out and take some of the photos without fear of anyone else running up on me.

[Darrell KSR]

The third pic is of a building where someone is living. Went back on 2nd street behind the main drag, and saw a satellite dish, and evidence of someone living in it.

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[Darrell KSR]

I have made the ferry trip many times but none in the last 7 years. The fare used to be $8.00 but if you made the return trip on the same day, it was free. It is well worth doing if one has the time. Also worth doing in the area is Columbus Belmont park. Very high bluff over looking the big muddy for miles both north and south. Glad your nephew can cross KY off his bucket list, but he sure did not get to see the best part of the state.

Hickman downtown died a long time ago.

I told him that it wasn't "Kentucky," although it was a "part of" Kentucky. Told him the rest of the state wasn't like that at all.

I think the fare is $14 now, but if you come back the same day it is $7 or $8. Want to say $7. For $20+ that's a good deal of entertainment for a carload. I think it's a kick that you can summon the ferry, too, with that buzzer.

[Darrell KSR]

Most of my remaining photos are wedding photos and such, but here's a quick photo of the Walnut Log Baptist Church. I liked the outside of it better than the inside. I have some friends that say that about any church .

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[dan_bgblue]

If you ever do take the ferry trip, drive around a bit in MO. That part of the country is as flat as a pancake. Starts up around Cape Girardeau, and runs along the river in a strip about 50 miles wide until just north of Memphis. Their county roads are labeled AA, BB, CC, etc, no numbers just letters. Also if you do that, don't miss the opportunity to drive 45 miles to Sikeston, MO after you cross the river and have a meal at Lambert's Cafe. Home of family style all you can eat meals and thrown rolls.

btw, I really enjoyed the photos

[Darrell KSR]

They actually have a Lambert's here (Orange Beach/Gulf Shores/Foley area) too. Same thing; I'm guessing owned by same people? Thrown rolls and all.

My Dad and his new bride took the ferry a few weeks ago to go to Lambert's. Well worth the trip, they said.

[dan_bgblue]

It is all home cooked southern food, pretty good grub, and there can be a lot of entertainment value in the thrown rolls. I used to go there when I was stranded in Union City over a week end

[jazyd]

Thanks for the photos Darrell. West Ky is home and working on the river in the summers I have been to that port, many moons ago. And Hickman was good in basketball back in the day

[Darrell KSR]

Glad you enjoyed them, Jazy.

My Dad played forward on one of those Hickman teams. He was 5'7.

[brianw508]

Great photos. I grew up in Clinton. So I'm familiar with the area. Brings me back home. Thanks for sharing.

[CitizenBBN]

That downtown is so deserted Mythbusters could test stuff there. So could the army from the looks of it. Kinda sad, I like "downtowns" of all shapes and sizes.

Your brother has been remiss. First trip ever? Maybe get the lad up here for Keeneland and a game or something.

[Darrell KSR]

My brother loves Kentucky basketball, and he and his son follow it, but not like we obsess over it here. He is not a big UK football fan. He obsesses over hunting, and baseball. Their trips won't be to Lexington for Keeneland and Rupp (or Commonwealth); they'll be to Texas and other parts for deer and big game hunting. My nephew (8th grader) was telling me during that weekend he has now killed 68 deer. He has killed other wild game, but that's kinda his staple.

One of these days maybe we'll have a father-son-brother trip to Kentucky for a ballgame or scope out Keeneland, or both.

Dan would be able to tell better than I could, but I don't know how many years it has been since downtown Hickman was like that, but many, many years. Looks the same to me as it did 15 years ago.

[dan_bgblue]

Darrell, I started making business trips there in 1998, so my scope is no further than that. There was an antiques store, a 2nd hand store, a machinery repair/welding shop, and a restaurant, on either Catlett or Carrol st but don't remember for sure, still in business in 05. That is all that I remember. I do not know when they built the 94 by pass, but that likely killed the downtown, what there was left of it.

[Darrell KSR]

Darrell, I started making business trips there in 1998, so my scope is no further than that. There was an antiques store, a 2nd hand store, a machinery repair/welding shop, and a restaurant, on either Catlett or Carrol st but don't remember for sure, still in business in 05. That is all that I remember. I do not know when they built the 94 by pass, but that likely killed the downtown, what there was left of it.

Surprisingly, there appears to be that restaurant (Miss Martha's--name resonates with me because that was my Grandmother 's name, and what everyone called her), a little burger shop that was there when she was still living, and that machine shop you mentioned, I guess. Maybe where that old car was located. I don't remember antique store or the 2nd hand store, and I'm sure they're gone by now.

I'm going to check and see when my grandmother died instead of guessing. That may give me a better frame of reference.

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