A visual documentation of Kentuckians who work, worship and live along the historic Dixie Highway.
“It’s the things of old time that become less and mean more.”
-Betty Swiger, Miss Betty’s Diner, Park City
-Betty Swiger, Miss Betty’s Diner, Park City
The path of Dixie Highway has a history decades older than the automobiles that first rolled onto the asphalt. The buffalo roamed the lands, laying the natural trail of life that humanity then followed when the road was first labeled as Louisville & Nashville Turnpike in 1830.
The road grew and changed, was repaired over and over and renamed many times. But, one of the most unifying and important names influenced the lives in the central eastern United States: Dixie Highway.
With the highway built from the bottom of Florida to the tip of Michigan, Dixie served as one of the first roads connecting the length of the contiguous United States. Dixie had many routes, and families hopped in their automobiles to explore the road, equally as excited for the sights of the journey as the destination itself. Life bloomed vibrantly, similar to the flowers alongside the painted lines of the thoroughfare. But as the passing of time dictates, all good things must come to an end.
Society got faster, mail needed to be sent quicker, and people needed to be places sooner. So Interstate 65 was built. Following the Dixie Highway, Interstate 65 provided a larger, faster and safer road with fewer stops, leaving the communities not immediately attached to the new road in the dust. Less and less cars backed up the old road, but the communities stayed, and they remember.
Kentucky has a deep reverence for preserving tradition; Kentuckians like their Friday night live country music, their local vegetable stands, southern-style diners, and Sunday morning church services. But they are also not afraid to change; adapting to keep the Southern hospitality of Kentucky alive and well.
Dixie holds an important part of Kentucky life. Though Dixie has since taken on many numerical names, a significant portion resides on Highway 31W in Kentucky. This road holds the heart of Kentucky. The communities along Dixie keep that heart beating by upholding traditions, day in and day out.
The road grew and changed, was repaired over and over and renamed many times. But, one of the most unifying and important names influenced the lives in the central eastern United States: Dixie Highway.
With the highway built from the bottom of Florida to the tip of Michigan, Dixie served as one of the first roads connecting the length of the contiguous United States. Dixie had many routes, and families hopped in their automobiles to explore the road, equally as excited for the sights of the journey as the destination itself. Life bloomed vibrantly, similar to the flowers alongside the painted lines of the thoroughfare. But as the passing of time dictates, all good things must come to an end.
Society got faster, mail needed to be sent quicker, and people needed to be places sooner. So Interstate 65 was built. Following the Dixie Highway, Interstate 65 provided a larger, faster and safer road with fewer stops, leaving the communities not immediately attached to the new road in the dust. Less and less cars backed up the old road, but the communities stayed, and they remember.
Kentucky has a deep reverence for preserving tradition; Kentuckians like their Friday night live country music, their local vegetable stands, southern-style diners, and Sunday morning church services. But they are also not afraid to change; adapting to keep the Southern hospitality of Kentucky alive and well.
Dixie holds an important part of Kentucky life. Though Dixie has since taken on many numerical names, a significant portion resides on Highway 31W in Kentucky. This road holds the heart of Kentucky. The communities along Dixie keep that heart beating by upholding traditions, day in and day out.
Original NHA issued map of Dixie Highway at the beginning of its construction in 1915.
Archival provided by the World Digital Library
Chapter one:
GOD'S Country
GOD'S Country
FRANKLIN
Franklin Sandford Inn
The backdoor of Sandford Duncan Inn sits open.
“With that road right there you could get almost everything you wanted,” Innkeeper Nicky Hughes mused as the rumble of trucks thundering down Highway 31W and echoed around the historic walls of Sandford Duncan Inn. The sun shining through the old warped glass warmed the centuries old wood and the scene set up around the quaint prop space. The toys in front of the fireplace and dishes on the table remind visitors the Inn wasn’t just a place for travelers to sleep, it was a home for the keepers themselves.
The old inn operated from around 1819 to some time in the 1860s and was redone privately a few years before ownership was transferred to Simpson County. However, after the restoration the Franklin Tourism Department couldn’t find anyone to keep up the historic Inn. Soon after a quick inquiry from the Franklin Tourism Association, Nicky was the clear choice to care for the property.
Nicky’s mother dealt with antiques, and ever since his childhood days of helping his mom, he’s had a steadfast love for history. Nicky has worked for the Kentucky Historical Societies, and when he retired in 2020, he moved back to his hometown of Franklin.
“I’ve tried to retire three times, I’m not good at it,” Nicky said, "running a historic site museum is what I have done my whole life, so why not keep doing it here.”
Nicky spends his days keeping the interior of the house clean and giving tours. For the first season in 2022, Nicky spent most of his time at the inn. Since there was financial success with the backing of Dueling Grounds Distillery, Sandford Duncan Inn is looking to expand their operation by hiring tour guides to man the place on a daily basis, allowing Nicky to enjoy retirement at a slower pace than before.
The old inn operated from around 1819 to some time in the 1860s and was redone privately a few years before ownership was transferred to Simpson County. However, after the restoration the Franklin Tourism Department couldn’t find anyone to keep up the historic Inn. Soon after a quick inquiry from the Franklin Tourism Association, Nicky was the clear choice to care for the property.
Nicky’s mother dealt with antiques, and ever since his childhood days of helping his mom, he’s had a steadfast love for history. Nicky has worked for the Kentucky Historical Societies, and when he retired in 2020, he moved back to his hometown of Franklin.
“I’ve tried to retire three times, I’m not good at it,” Nicky said, "running a historic site museum is what I have done my whole life, so why not keep doing it here.”
Nicky spends his days keeping the interior of the house clean and giving tours. For the first season in 2022, Nicky spent most of his time at the inn. Since there was financial success with the backing of Dueling Grounds Distillery, Sandford Duncan Inn is looking to expand their operation by hiring tour guides to man the place on a daily basis, allowing Nicky to enjoy retirement at a slower pace than before.
Seen through the windows of Sandford Duncan Inn are the graves of the family themselves. Through recent funding, the Inn has been able to get the gravestones cleaned, the newest restoration they have done on the property. To improve the experience of a historic tour of Sandford Duncan Inn, Franklin Simpson Tourism has taken many restoration efforts to bring this land back to its former glory.
Nicky Hughes looks onto the guest's side of the inn at the props he painstakingly curated for the space. When Nicky took the position as 'innkeeper,' he took the time to create the most genuine experience possible to bring visitors back to life in the 1800's.
Crop Shop
Automobiles ease up and turn off the road to take a quick look at the vibrant flora and fauna surrounding a rugged sign for the well-loved vegetable stand on the edge of Franklin, The Crop Shop. Through the colorful rows of plants and the doorway of the vegetable shack, two of the employees emerge with smiles and kind greetings: a recent hire Shannon, who has only worked at the shed for one season, and the current Crop Shop owner Kristina “Kris” Dover who's been a part of the Crop Shop family for eight years.
Kris of Franklin loves the Crop Shop as if it was one of her three children, but the history of the business stretches much further back than herself. The Crop Shop was started by Merril Stuart with a very different system than how it operates today. Merril’s wife, Shirley, started selling sweet corn out of the back of their pickup truck. After they found success in that, Merril would set up the vegetables on a shelf with a large metal box alongside his property on the edge of 31W. Back then, Merril trusted people would follow the message written on the shelf and pay for the veggies they took. But as time went on, more vegetables would disappear and less cash would be in the box. So he changed his business method and created a manned stand, open May through October. Around the start of COVID, Merril found he couldn’t run the shop himself. Kris, who had been working the storefront for the past five years, then stepped up and volunteered to take his place. While also balancing her busy family life, Kris works harder than ever to honor her old boss and friend after his passing in January, 2023.
Kris of Franklin loves the Crop Shop as if it was one of her three children, but the history of the business stretches much further back than herself. The Crop Shop was started by Merril Stuart with a very different system than how it operates today. Merril’s wife, Shirley, started selling sweet corn out of the back of their pickup truck. After they found success in that, Merril would set up the vegetables on a shelf with a large metal box alongside his property on the edge of 31W. Back then, Merril trusted people would follow the message written on the shelf and pay for the veggies they took. But as time went on, more vegetables would disappear and less cash would be in the box. So he changed his business method and created a manned stand, open May through October. Around the start of COVID, Merril found he couldn’t run the shop himself. Kris, who had been working the storefront for the past five years, then stepped up and volunteered to take his place. While also balancing her busy family life, Kris works harder than ever to honor her old boss and friend after his passing in January, 2023.
Kristina “Kris” Dover organizes potted flowers to be sold at the Crop Shop on a sunny morning.
*Click to hear Kris reminisce on Merril's legacy and the community it has created*
Shannon runs back after collecting a customer's order to gather the vegetables and other goods she has asked for.
BOWLING GREEN
David Harris, looks out to the track before taking his first lap during the intermission of the No Limits Monster Truck Show.
The shrill cheers of children are quickly drowned out by the revving of engines at the No Limits Monster Truck show during the matinee performance at Western Kentucky University's L.D. Brown Agriculture Exposition Center. Thick tires spew dirt as they tear through hills of the course laid out in the center of the circular stadium before launching into the air. Looks of amazement and awe fill the smaller-than-usual crowd as massive trucks soar through the venue, perform doughnuts, and rev engines. But to the side of the stage, a young boy awaits his debut.
David Harris, 5, was to ride his toy motor jeep around the track in a race for children during intermission. While the race was open to the public, no one else signed up. This moment would have been a momentous occasion for him, as his grandfather used to be a monster truck racer with No Limits. As he pulled his jeep up to the entrance to the stadium, it broke down. But with some quick help from the No Limits staff and his family, David was pushed around the track with his younger sibling by his side.
David Harris, 5, was to ride his toy motor jeep around the track in a race for children during intermission. While the race was open to the public, no one else signed up. This moment would have been a momentous occasion for him, as his grandfather used to be a monster truck racer with No Limits. As he pulled his jeep up to the entrance to the stadium, it broke down. But with some quick help from the No Limits staff and his family, David was pushed around the track with his younger sibling by his side.
Green Earth Stones
Kathryn Brown is surrounded by her employees at the check out counter of Green Earth Stones.
The quiet chime of the door and the full-bodied wave of incense welcomes all who enter Green Earth Stones Metaphysical Shop. Started online in 2008 by Kathryn Brown, the only metaphysical shop in Bowling Green has been a staple on 31W for the spiritualists of the Warren County area since 2017. But the business has not come without its own hardships.
“The whole energy of my shop is just the enjoyment and respect of all different cultures and spiritual paths…. That’s the beauty of my shop.”
The important part of being on the bypass is getting to know the customers, which Kathryn had a hard time doing while waiting in limbo after the EF3 tornado in December 2021. For a little over a year, Kathryn reverted back to her old business style of selling online from her home out of storage containers while waiting just over thirteen months for repairs.
“The control of your business is taken away by mother nature,” Kathryn noted while recounting the struggle of working from home.
“The whole energy of my shop is just the enjoyment and respect of all different cultures and spiritual paths…. That’s the beauty of my shop.”
The important part of being on the bypass is getting to know the customers, which Kathryn had a hard time doing while waiting in limbo after the EF3 tornado in December 2021. For a little over a year, Kathryn reverted back to her old business style of selling online from her home out of storage containers while waiting just over thirteen months for repairs.
“The control of your business is taken away by mother nature,” Kathryn noted while recounting the struggle of working from home.
Tornado Damage: Before and After
The tornado that swept down Highway 31-W left an everlasting scar on its intersection with Hogle Drive.
August 2019
April 2023
The difficult year of waiting rewarded the business’s return with a silver lining: the ability to expand. Because the other businesses in the units next to hers were unable to wait and had to change location, Kathryn worked with the landlord to expand her unit. Green Earth Stones Metaphysical Shop was able to return to a remodeled space that is nearly three times larger than before on February 1, 2023. This expansion allowed for the community of spiritualists who adore the shop to attend classes and hold book clubs there.
“I love this location; I like where we are at,” Kathryn said while gazing around at the trinkets, talismans and stones of the shop that many customers find solace in.
“I love this location; I like where we are at,” Kathryn said while gazing around at the trinkets, talismans and stones of the shop that many customers find solace in.
Green Earth Stones metaphysical owner, Kathryn Brown, goes about business as usual in her shop in Bowling Green as seen through a crystal ball.
SMITHS GROVE
ICY SINK CHURCH
Pastor Reverend Steve Branham of Icy Sink Baptist Church ends his sermon as the pianist, Billy Duval, begins a hymn for the congregation.
Same as always, Betty Hadley swings open the doors to welcome home the congregation of Icy Sink Baptist Church with her friend Phyllis by her side. The ushers chatter and laugh hellos with the congregation as they enter the sanctuary. Friends and families in their Sunday best take their seats at the pews while grasping at their bibles and hymn books worn by the many hands flipping the pages over the years.
“It’s about the strength not the length of the service,” Pastor Reverend Steve Branham said.
As Icy Sinks' pastor for the past 13 years, Steve has watched and experienced firsthand the kindness of the tight-knit community; when he first joined their congregation, he remarks the hospitality of the community was unparalleled. The congregation come together for very active praise and worship services and make sure to hold nothing back. The spirit of the congregation exists as infectious and nearly tangible energy that flows throughout the church’s interior carried on gospel music.
“It’s about the strength not the length of the service,” Pastor Reverend Steve Branham said.
As Icy Sinks' pastor for the past 13 years, Steve has watched and experienced firsthand the kindness of the tight-knit community; when he first joined their congregation, he remarks the hospitality of the community was unparalleled. The congregation come together for very active praise and worship services and make sure to hold nothing back. The spirit of the congregation exists as infectious and nearly tangible energy that flows throughout the church’s interior carried on gospel music.
Phyllis, usher of Icy Sink for over ten years, hugs another member of the congregation after the Sunday service.
The Reed family worships together, taking turns holding the youngest throughout the service.