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Hi All,
We are interested in moving to the KY Lake area, but have some questions that we have not been able to get answered. We have made three trips to the area to look for property, so we have a good idea of what is there. But, I am somewhat confused by what I have found, is the area growing or dying? There are golf courses that advertise home sites, but both look to me like they were started and then fell into disrepair. Specifically, Birmingham Pointe and Marvel Estates. I found several sub-divisions that list many home sites, but only have a few older houses. It almost looks to me like there was a time when the development bug hit the area, but then fell on it's face. Am I right on this?
When we looked at the area we started at the north end of the lake and moved to the south. To us it looked like the north end was much older and not all that nice. The area south of Big Bear looked to be newer and somewhat nicer. Is this a correct assumption?
We are not interested in being on the lake, but we would like to be close to the lake. Some where with a boat landing near by. We have looked at land between the lake and Benton and between the lake and Murray. We will be moving from a suburb of Atlanta, so we are looking for a less hectic, more laid back environment. This area seems to be a good fit. Correct?
Sorry for the long post, but we are trying very hard to make this or last move, and what as much info on the area as we can get. Any assistance, will be sincerely appreciated.
You are right. Back in the 60s the area appeared to be headed for major development but it has basically leveled off. Part of the reason is there is a strong environmental movement in the lakes region and heavy commercialism is somewhat frowned upon. Another is access to a major interstate is limited. I believe you would be best served by looking at Trigg and Lyon counties. The area in between Cadiz and Eddyville is rural yet well established. Cadiz is very close to Hopkinsville, which has a population of around 35,000 and is part of a very large metro area consisting of Hopkinsville and Clarksville, Tenn, which combined are pushing the 300,000 mark. Eddyville has good access to Paducah, which has a metro of 60-80,000 and all the amenities you would ever need. The eastern side of lake Barkley is just a laid back, fairly well established area where you can be in a rural setting but get to a city when you want to. Also, check out Grand Rivers. There are some nice gated communities in that area and Grand Rivers is kind of like a mini Branson Mo. You'll do fine in any of the areas I've mentioned. My personal favorite area is old Kuttawa. Not to be confused with new Kuttawa, old Kuttawa is a beautiful hamlet hidden on the big bend near Grand Rivers.
There is growth around the lakes, albeit slow growth. Murray is growing far faster than Benton, both are very nice town. The area is not shrinking but it's not booming either. It's very stable as far as that goes. Some areas around the lake are very nice and very expensive, $1M+ homes other areas have more modest seasonal homes. Anything on the lake with year round deep water is expensive, if you don't mind seasonal water you can save a lot of money.
It really depends on what you want I have friends that came here to visit us a couple of years ago, they went home and sold there business and house and moved here, they found what they wanted in Hardin.
See anything in far Western KY between KY Lake the Mississippi River, land south of the Ohio River and north of the TN line is pretty much one community, sure it's different counties and cities and towns but most folk kid of think of themselves as being in there own little world of Far WKY or political Siberia as I call it. We really don't relate that much with the rest of the state .. it's kind of like a different state "over there."
I'm not sure I answered any of your questions, but I hope this helps.
Thank you for the response. davart, what do you mean by seasonal water? In our area we don't have seasonal water, rather our water level fluctuates due to the Corps of Engrs. sending water down stream. Right now many of the docks on local lakes are 50' from any water. How much do Kentucky and Barkley fluctuate in depth?
watchmanonthewall, my wife has her mind pretty well set on being in the Murray/Benton area, but we did look at the Trigg County area. It seemed that there wasn't much on that side of the lakes. We talked to a realtor that specializes in that area and she echoed what you said about the lack of growth on that side. Looks like we will continue to explore the KY Lake area.
I have been following your weather for the last five months and it looks like you are as warm or warmer that the Atlanta area. Please tell me that this is not normal for the area, because if it's the norm, my wife will put up a vigorous defense against moving from the frying pan into the fire.
Does anyone have any input on how it is to work with the local governments in building a new house in the Marshall County area? I know some agencies can really drag their feet and make it difficult on someone building their own home. I have built a few houses in the past, but only in Georgia, so I understand the process, but sometimes if you're not a local they can make your life miserable.
Murray is a fine town ( I graduated from college there ) but it really doesn't have what I would call the lake vibe, if that's what you are looking for. Murray is clean, safe, and has decent shopping. The college would provide a few cultural opportunities as well. Murray feels a bit isolated to some, however, so keep that in the back of your mind. They have a good hospital, but it's small and you would have to travel to Paducah, etc.. for complex health care. Benton is even smaller, and thus a bit more clannish. It's also clean, safe, and slightly more lake oriented, but shopping is pretty much limited to the super wal'mart. Murray has a few decent places to eat and Benton very few. There's always Paducah and Hopkinsville for day trips, however. As for the weather, this is the hottest and driest I have ever experienced in my 49 years around here and the real old timers are all saying the same thing. This is definitely not typical weather. Good Luck.
Seasonal water is like around the Jonathan Creek area where in the winter they drop the water level and you do not have lake access via water if you live on the lake. Now it's been so dry here this year the lake is low anyway.
Paducah is not a day trip, it's not more than 40 minutes from any point in WKY (Jackson Purchase) most points it'd less as in 15-30 minutes drive. Many people work in Paducah but live elsewhere in the area, due to Paducah's high taxes. The shopping is far better in Paducah than Hopkinsville, I lived in Hoptown for nearly 15 years and most people there go to Clarksville TN to shop. Hoptown is not worth planning a day trip to go shopping in unless you are going on down to Clarksville and want to pay TN's high taxes. No offense to Hoptown it's just not a shopping mecca.
True, Hopkinsville is not a shopping mecca unless you are comparing it to Benton or Cadiz; but it does have some very good places to eat. Also,there is currently a major shopping area being built, as we write, next to the new convention center on 41A south. Rumor has it that this is going to be a mega facility designed to pull a large portion of the Tennessee shoppers north. As we all know, sales tax is much cheaper in Kentucky. I don't what is going to be there but I can certainly testify to the fact that it is going to be BIG. Davart, I don't know how long it's been since you have been to the south side of Hoptown, but the Pennyrile Parkway is currently being extended to I-24 and will be finished in about three years. Clarksville has finally pretty much saturated the north 41A corridor and the developers have begun to invade south Christian County. Things are really starting to pop on the south side of Hoptown. A new Hampton Inn, a new Dairy Queen, the Nissan dealership has announced plans for a new facility somewhere next to the new Ford place, the new aquatic park has opened, and there is new planned community already being developed next to the convention center. If this shopping complex turns out to be what the rumors are saying, look out!
True, Hopkinsville is not a shopping mecca unless you are comparing it to Benton or Cadiz; but it does have some very good places to eat. Also,there is currently a major shopping area being built, as we write, next to the new convention center on 41A south. Rumor has it that this is going to be a mega facility designed to pull a large portion of the Tennessee shoppers north. As we all know, sales tax is much cheaper in Kentucky. I don't what is going to be there but I can certainly testify to the fact that it is going to be BIG. Davart, I don't know how long it's been since you have been to the south side of Hoptown, but the Pennyrile Parkway is currently being extended to I-24 and will be finished in about three years. Clarksville has finally pretty much saturated the north 41A corridor and the developers have begun to invade south Christian County. Things are really starting to pop on the south side of Hoptown. A new Hampton Inn, a new Dairy Queen, the Nissan dealership has announced plans for a new facility somewhere next to the new Ford place, the new aquatic park has opened, and there is new planned community already being developed next to the convention center. If this shopping complex turns out to be what the rumors are saying, look out!
Perhaps you know this a long time ago Governors Square Mall was to be built in Hoptown but the old guard didn't want it because it would take business away from them, the original owners of Pennyrile (Bradford Square) Mall which is still dead. Another couple of family business folks namely Cayce and Yoast along with former Mayor Herb Hays. So to build anything now is to little to late, I know Hopkinsville extremely well and I know most of the city and county leaders very well to, and the more you know about a town, the less you like it.
Is Hopkinsville growing? Yep sure is. Are there schools improving? Nope not in the least. Sadly Hopkinsville has one of the highest crime rates for a town of it's size, and it is seeing some population shrinkage, recently Henderson over took it as 7th largest city.
True you will not find much shopping in Murray or Benton but Paducah rivals, perhaps passes Clarksville as they are always building something new there out along Hinkleville Rd and the south side. They just added a 2nd Lowe's and downtown is booming with additional growth in many directions. There looking at building a new $15M convention center, due to some fall out with the new owner of the 'Big E' on the river.
Oh how long has it been since I was on the South side of HopTown ... last week.
Paducah, is great. My mother was born there. I was born in Mayfield, the heart of the purchase. I graduated from college at Murray. Fine places, all of them. The only slight disagreement we might have is between comparing Clarksville to Paducah. Lets just post some numbers for comparison. Clarksville: estimated population in 2006, 113,175 Montgomery Co. 147,202 *these estimates were made during the time that over 28,000 Ft. Campbell troops were deployed to Iraq. Paducah: estimated population in 2006, 26,307 McCracken Co. 64,698. And again you are right, Hopkinsville is growing! The word is that the new shopping complex will have a 16 theater cinema, a new Super Target, Kohls, and a new Cracker Barrel. Supposedly there is another unnamed anchor store in the works as well numerous smaller stores such as Aeropostale. We are very excited. We love to extend southern hospitality to out of town guests, and with all the new growth going on over here we hope we will have something very special to offer. It's great to be a Kentuckian and it's great to be in Hopkinsville.
OK, guys, I guess you gave me something to think about. We are most certainly moving to WKY, now we just have to figure out where.
Thanks for your input.
Pat
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