Paducah is at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers in western Kentucky, 175 miles southwest of Louisville, on the Illinois border. Among the brick-lined streets and late 1800s architecture of downtown Paducah are six blocks of live music, museums, galleries, restaurants, and antique and specialty shops. Horse-drawn carriages are available and Paducah’s history is depicted on floodwall murals and interpretive panels.

During the Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant moved south from his headquarters in Illinois in order to occupy Paducah when he learned that Confederate forces planned to seize the town. In 1864, Confederate Generals Nathan Forrest and John Hunt Morgan led a series of cavalry raids into Union territory, destroying communication and supply lines as far north as Paducah. The tourist office has maps that outline both Civil War sites as well as the historic features of Paducah’s downtown area.

The Museum of the American Quilter’s Society is the largest quilt museum in the world. The National Quilt Show is held here in April.

William Clark Market House is a museum with displays including the complete interior of the List Drug Store (1877), Native American artifacts, and Paducah’s first motorized fire engine (1913).

The Tilghman Heritage Center examines the Civil War in West Kentucky while the River Heritage Museum focuses on the histories of the Cumberland, Tennessee, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers. The Paducah Railroad Museum features a collection of railroad artifacts and memorabilia. Also of interest are the Yeiser Art Center and the Paducah Railroad Museum. The Classical Revival Whitehaven Mansion, built during the 1860s, is now the town’s visitor center. Metropolis Lake has beaver, five species of rare fish, and bald eagles in winter. Hiking, birdwatching, and nature studies can all be enjoyed.

Barkley Regional Airport is just 10 miles west of Paducah and buses also service the area.