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Coal Miner's Daughter Loretta Lynn's Home Butcher Holler, Kentucky |
Butcher Hollow (or Holler as it is referred to on the rock in the picture above), is not a town, it's a place, nestled in the hills of eastern Kentucky. The nearest town is Van Lear, population about 1,000. The next biggest town is probably Paintsville, about 4,000 people. Van Lear was established as a town by the Consolidated Coal Company in 1909 and named for Van Lear Black, a member of its board of directors. This area of Kentucky is famous for it's coal mines, hard working people, astounding poverty, and Loretta Lynn. If you've ever seen the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter" with Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones, you know about Butcher Holler.
I was on a road trip through Kentucky when I heard that Butcher Holler was just a short drive away. Having seen the movie several times, I could not resist finding the real thing. The directions seemed simple enough.... go south on U.S. 23 (a National Scenic Byway named the Country Music Highway) to just south of Paintsville. From U.S. 23 take Highway 321 to Kentucky 1107. Follow the signs to Loretta Lynn's Homeplace. riiiiiight.
We found Paintsville without any trouble. We found Van Lear. I'm not sure that we ever found the other roads mentioned.... In Van Lear you are supposed to stop at Webb's General Store (No. 5 Country Store on Kentucky 302 near Miller's Creek just past Van Lear) and get in contact with Loretta's brother Herman. He gives tours of Loretta's home for $5 a person. It was a Sunday.... we couldn't find him. From what I was told tho, if you do find Herman he takes you out to Butcher Holler and gives a great tour.
 Webb's General Store Van Lear Kentucky |
Click any thumbnail pic on the page for the larger picture |
 Sign on Webb's Van Lear Kentucky | |
Not daunted by this setback, we just started driving around looking for the signs to Butcher Hollow. It's a small place, how hard could it be to find? I will say the scenery is beautiful. Being from the big city, I was enjoying this trip through Kentucky very much. Everything is so very different from what I am used to. After a half hour or so, we spotted the first Loretta Lynn sign. We continued on the road until we were sure we were lost... then another sign.
By this time we were so far into the hills that I was starting to imagine every bad movie I've ever seen about these kind of areas and was wondering if we would ever be back in civilization again... but the scenery was breathtaking. We drove on.... the road disintegrated into one lane, gravel. We saw a mule at the edge of the road. Another sign... we drove on...
 Mules along the road Butcher Holler Kentucky |
 The road to Butcher Holler Kentucky | |
And just when I was saying maybe we need to go back, there it was! Butcher Holler. By this time, everyone in the car was singing "Coal Miner's Daughter" and taking pictures from the road. I really wish we had found Herman Webb, I would have loved to have gone inside for a tour.
 Signs outside Loretta Lynn home |
 Signs outside Loretta Lynn home |
 Signs outside Loretta Lynn home |
It really was just like in the movie... the trip was worth the time it took to find Butcher Hollow. I am planning to go back to that area next fall (2005), hopefully we'll get the tour and I'll have pictures inside the house for you then.
 The well outside Loretta Lynn's home |
 Loretta Lynn's home Butcher Holler Kentucky |
 Loretta Lynn's home Butcher Holler Kentucky |
 Loretta Lynn's home Butcher Holler Kentucky |
 Loretta Lynn's home Butcher Holler Kentucky |
 Loretta Lynn's home Butcher Holler Kentucky |
 Loretta Lynn's home Butcher Holler Kentucky |
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