Country Music Gateway 23

06/25/2023

05/22/2023

05/21/2023

Come on up or down to the Freedom Ridge Welcome Center!!

02/26/2023

Dr. Ralph Stanley would have celebrated his 96th Birthday today. Born in Dickenson County, VA on this date back in 1927, Dr. Stanley is considered to be one of the most influential artist in Country & Bluegrass Music history. His legend lives on.

11/22/2022

Congressman Rogers Applauds a $1 Million ARC Grant for Backroads of Appalachia Nov 21 2022 WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-05) applauds Backroads of Appalachia for earning a $1 million competitive grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to promote tourism through ...

10/21/2022

10/17/2022

We are just 2 days away from Thunder Beach 2022 with Indian Motorcycles of Panama City Beach and Born to Ride Magazine Southeast!
If your attending the Rally do not forget to stop by and see our booth and display at Indian Motorcycles of PCB, meet our volunteer rally team, and register for your chance to win one of our custom barrel tops donated courtesy of our friend Marty Jordon and ”Written in Stone”. Also stay tuned right here on our page for live coverage of Thunder Beach 2022 starting Wednesday October 19th at 9:00am!

Let’s Rally Appalachia!

10/10/2022

Loretta Lynn is one of the most awarded musicians of all time. She has been inducted into more music Halls of Fame than any female recording artist, including The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was the first woman to be named the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year in 1972. Lynn received Kennedy Center Honors in 2003 and a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. She has won four Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010) and sold more than 45 million records worldwide.

But before arriving in Nashville to push boundaries with her music, country legend Loretta Lynn lived in Butcher Holler with seven brothers and sisters, including country music’s Crystal Gayle. Now, visitors can tour Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle’s homeplace to see the mountain cabin that was the foundation of their successful careers.

After touring the Butcher Holler homeplace, visitors can stop in Webb’s General Store, which was depicted in the film, “Coal Miners’ Daughter.” Previously named “Number Five” store due to a nearby mine, the store is over 100 years old and owned by Loretta’s family. Purchase Moon Pies, RC Cola, sandwiches, keepsakes such as autograph photos, t-shirts and other collectables.

https://prestonsburgky.org/attractions/butcher-holler/

10/04/2022

https://news-expressky.com/news/october-marks-35th-anniversary-of-pikeville-cut-through-project/article_99173426-43c7-11ed-b8ac-0b9b7fb31492.html?utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR3R36X5GE2IKamlg-h-CRVb6azbl3dwxUHIQL4ywR_ioj6Ptx5ALCXOuVc

Thirty-five years ago this week Pikeville, Kentucky took on one of the largest engineering feats in the world and became forever known as the city that moved mountains.

10/03/2022

Samuel May was born and raised in Virginia by the son of a Revolutionary war veteran. He moved his family here and soon after built the family home in 1818. Workers gathered hand-hewn logs from the surrounding forests, molded Kentucky clay bricks on-site, and ground freshwater mussel shells out of the Levisa Fork River into lime. This house is significant not only for its exceptional Federal craftsmanship but also because its owners and their families played major roles in the development of Prestonsburg and Floyd County.

Samuel was an ambitious businessman and instrumental in the construction of the Mt. Sterling-Pound Gap Road, which paved the way for increased commerce to the area. In its heyday, this home was a social and political hub surrounded by almost 400 acres of land. By the 1830s, May became a state representative and went on to be a senator. It was from the balcony of his home that May is said to have delivered political speeches to citizens gathered on the lawn of the house, while in the meadow below he hosted horse races at his own personal racetrack.

https://prestonsburgky.org/attractions/local-history/

09/29/2022

Almost Heaven, West Virginia..
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze.....

All who grew up here know this song well as do most others but did you know that John Denver was an extremely intelligent man? When he wrote this verse in the song what most do not know is it actually comes from a Fact of Science and Nature. The Appalachian Mountain are some of the oldest mountains on planet earth and the Blue Ridge Mountains are the oldest of the Appalachian Mountain Range. For those of you who have traveled the world like we have then you already know that there is truly no place more beautiful than right here in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and West Virginia. From the seasonal changes of Spring when everything comes to life to the incredible natural spectacle of nature that is Fall, There is simply nothing like it and it is something you will never forget.
This Fall get in your car or fire up your bike and come to one oldest mountain ranges on earth and witness the magic that is nature in full color. Download the Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application today with over 4000 miles of GPS enabled routes through the Appalachian Mountains to choose from! Available now for download on IOS and Android absolutely free!

Let's Ride/Drive Appalachia

09/26/2022

Whether it’s hiking the Iron Ore Trail, playing disc golf on one of the multiple courses, visiting the war memorial, or simply hosting a picnic; Armco Park features something for everyone

https://visitboydcounty.com/directory/armco-park/

09/26/2022

As the first town established in eastern Kentucky, Prestonsburg‘s history is as storied as the mountains themselves. The year was 1797 and a man by the name of John Graham from Virginia surveyed the land that became Prestonsburg. Graham’s vision of a settlement called Preston’s Station shaped the modern day spirit of our town.

Because Prestonsburg was the first town in eastern Kentucky, it’s only natural that its ties to important events in American history run deep. John James Floyd was only about 32 years old when he was fatally wounded during an ambush by Native Americans. Though he was young, the namesake of Floyd County made the most of his time as a surveyor, militiaman and adventurer — he was a part of the rescue party for Daniel Boone’s daughter, who was kidnapped by a local Indian tribe. Soon after, he became the county’s first appointed judge.

https://prestonsburgky.org

09/20/2022

One of Prestonsburg's most recognizable landmark is the West Prestonsburg Bridge, built in 1928. It is the last of two rainbow arch bridges left in the county. Designed by a Floyd County engineer, it reaches gracefully across the breadth of the Big Sandy River. Plans are currently underway to give it new life as a pedestrian bridge. Looking out across the water, you can imagine what an impact this bridge made — it opened up a whole new world beyond the Big Sandy.

https://prestonsburgky.org/attractions/local-history/

09/08/2022

The Catlett House, also known as Beechmoor Place is a historic house located in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 25, 1973. Approximately one-half of this building was built circa 1812 by two brothers, Horatio and Alexander Catlett, Jr. The Catlett brothers and their parents, Alexander Catlett and Susanna Beall, were early settlers to the area and operated a trading post, inn, tavern, and U.S. Post Office from this location for many years. Natives of Virginia, the Catletts settled at Mouth of Sandy around the turn of the 19th century. They capitalized on the growing river trade and prospered at this location. The town was laid out in 1849 by civil engineer James Fry and named Catlett's Burgh in honor of the two brothers, who were the first European settlers of present-day Catlettsburg.

In the early 1860s, many years after the Catletts ceased to do business in Catlettsburg, a larger addition was built on to the Catlett House by then owner C.W. Culver. The original Catlett House became the south wing of the new dwelling. It was covered in white clapboard siding and used as a living quarters for the servants of the larger home. In 1868 the wife of Colonel Laban T. Moore purchased the three acre property with home from Mr. Culver for $10,000. Colonel Moore, an attorney, had served one term in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., and was a member of the 14th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. Once under his ownership, he named the house Beechmoor for the large beech tree that stood on the property and for his surname of Moore.

https://visitboydcounty.com

08/31/2022

Attention: Backroads of Appalachia needs you to assist us in testing our Android GPS Turn-by-Turn Functionality for the Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application! If you use an Android Device and would be interested in assisting us with Beta Testing please respond to this post and provide your email address for the invitation. You will receive an invite with the Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application Android GPS Beta included.

As everyone knows we are a community-based organization and it is our motorsports community of supporters that makes us and what we do the best it can be including our mobile application. Thank you to all in advance for your continued support and assistance!