Hickman County, Kentucky First Impressions Program Community Report PURPOSE The First Impressions Program is a service offered through the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK). This program coordinates anonymous visits to your community by professionals in community and economic development, small business owners, community leaders and more, depending upon your specific community assessment needs. Visitors document their experience and interactions with community members. Their responses are then compiled and presented back to the community by a CEDIK representative. In addition, the program will offer suggestions and resources to address the areas identified for potential improvement.
CONDITIONS OF VISIT Visits to Hickman County were conducted by 6 team members throughout summer and fall of 2019. Visits were conducted on both weekdays and weekends to capture a variety of activity within the community. Overall, conditions were favorable for visiting and exploring the roads, small communities, parks, and businesses within Hickman County.
TEAM MEMBERS Team members began by reviewing the Assessors’ Guide with the coordinator and clarifying the purpose of their visit and geographic location from which they would enter Hickman County, in order to ensure that major entrances were explored. Adult ages ranged from 24 to 60 years, with a mix of small business owners, young professionals, retirees, and marketing and community development professionals. Assessors are from both rural and urban areas. Assessments were completed at an individual pace, allowing personal life experiences to shape participants’ impressions. While quotations in this report should not be considered true for all individuals of these demographics, they do provide a valuable snapshot of visitors from a variety of ages, life experiences, and interests. CEDIK | Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky
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COMMUNITY ENTRANCES We noticed the county sign at the border, along with rolling hills, farmland, and many homes. We saw livestock barns and a colorful quilt painted on one of the barns. We entered the community through KY Highway 307, 123 South, 51 South to Clinton, and left the county via KY 123, KY 575, and KY 307 North. In Columbus, most of the activity seemed centered around the State Park. We saw smaller, older homes and few businesses. Clinton has a large agricultural presence, and mostly nice homes centered around the downtown. The Columbus Belmont State Park is 10 miles from Clinton via Highway 58. The roads between the cities are good and entering the area, the homes were spread out but well maintained. The Iron Banks Lodge – BnB is on way to park. Signs pointed to campground, trails and conversation area. Welcome signs were noted both entering and leaving, “thanks for visiting”. We saw a pretty and welcoming sign. It had flowers and plants around it as well. Entering Columbus, we saw signs for Columbus-Belmont State Park. The State Park signs were clearly marked. Clinton had a welcome sign, although the dark color scheme made it difficult to read clearly in the shade. Some parts of downtown Clinton were attractive, appealing, and well-cared for. It seemed like a nice, quiet town. In Clinton, the signage was great to navigate. We easily found the schools, the museum, and businesses. Most of the town centers around the courthouse. There is a city square with a historic courthouse, and businesses surrounding on the court square. We drove through what appeared to be a small Amish community as we entered Hickman County, which was very interesting and signaled to us that the county was very rural. The drive was very nice, with farmland and rolling hills. We noticed prominent signage for the Trail of Tears that appeared to be well-maintained. There was a beautiful old church – First Christian, with amazing architectural interest, but neglected with noticeable holes in the roof. On our first impression of the community, we noticed abandoned buildings and unused spaces could be cleaned to offer a better appeal of downtown. The area in general was not busy. There were empty and closed up buildings downtown. However, there was a good crowd of people at the gas station when we stopped.
LIVABILITY We drove through several neighborhoods that surround the city square area in Clinton. There seemed to be a significant number of homes with Posted – No Trespassing signs in the yard. There were homes in disrepair that looked as though they were beyond fixing. It did not feel like a very welcoming area. CEDIK | Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky
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At a prominent location, (where The Trail of Tears joins Rt. 58, Hodge Rd.) just outside of Clinton, there is a dilapidated home that sits right next to the roadway. Many older homes/trailers that were unkempt – trash/debris in yards, homes needing paint – observed a pedestrian walking by, flicking cigarette in the street. Also noted at least 3 cars passing with drivers smoking. We saw a newer/recently renovated school with a well-maintained campus. The athletic fields looked nice and well-kept. We also noticed the UK Extension office, and EMS building, and several homes that were not kept up as well. We noticed the new Hickman County Health Center (Health Dept.), the Jackson Purchase Primary Care Clinic and an Intermediate Health Care Facility. There seemed to be good health resources in the area. Jackson Purchase Medical Center has a primary care clinic off court square, EMS office near schools, no hospital, but two nursing facilities, and a nice, newer looking health department building. We saw no evidence of an ambulance service or hospital in the area, but there was a Jackson Purchase Medical Center Health Clinic one block off the court square. The schools in Clinton were newer and/or renovated brick facilities that were easily identified and well maintained. It seems as if the community invests in education. The ball fields and grounds also looked new and well maintained. Schools were all in close proximity to one another and in good condition, well maintained, no college presence noted. Hickman County Schools are centralized and consolidated in Clinton from pre-school, head start, elementary, middle, and high school. Buildings and grounds were very nice and well-maintained. The local newspaper had a front page story about a recent excellence award that they were given by the state, The housing we noticed was mostly within the city of Clinton. They were not all well-maintained. There are some subdivisions that were attractive, and we noticed a few for sale signs. In Columbus the housing stock was very limited. Small, older homes with many in need of repair. In Clinton and the surrounding county, there appears to be a wide range of sizes, age and condition of housing. I saw very few for sale, though—I only noticed 3 for sale signs all day. Some of the housing in downtown Clinton looked historic and had interesting architectural features that would appeal to a middle class market. Many homes in the rural parts of the county were non-descript, single-family ranch style homes or farmhouses with vinyl or wood siding that were not especially appealing in appearance. I did not see much housing that would appeal to those with higher incomes. We saw several well-manicured lawns and flower gardens, streets were in good shape, but few sidewalks.
TOURISM I did not observe a visitors center or office for information available. Based upon the Chamber office only providing a PO Box, I assumed there was not a physical office in the city. We saw the Visitor center on court square, the historic courthouse in center of town. They had good signage. CEDIK | Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky
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There was a lot of visitor information in the State Park. (Civil War Days flyer, other state park brochures, trail maps). It seemed well advertised. We did not see a chamber of commerce office. The only tourist related building we noticed was the museum, but they were closed when we were there. We noticed the Great River Road Designation, and an abundance of signs for the Trail of Tears. The Great River Road signage was attractive and informative, but The Trail of Tears signage was extremely confusing as it seemed to be in contradiction. One sign would point down a street and on that street another sign was pointing back the direction you just came. We saw several historical markers throughout the county during our day trip. The state park is a tranquil setting, beautiful especially in the fall months. There were several chickens and roosters of varying sizes seen around town. I had read online that Clinton has established a Chicken Festival. The Civil war re-enactment seemed a major draw with thousands of visitors. I imagine this is a heavy tourism event. At the edge of town we saw Harper House—a restored home that used to belong to a Kentucky Lieutenant Governor. We also saw large, older homes that were in disrepair but at one time would have been very stately homes of the townsfolk along the Mississippi. We took note of the Oak Hills golf and country club. The Country Café waitress also told us they have “Chicken Days” in Clinton because of all the county chicken farmers. It seemed as if the town was working hard to make lots of preparations for their big civil war reenactment this upcoming weekend.
INFRASTRUCTURE Ample parking was available downtown. Streets names were well-marked, but the sidewalks were cracked and uneven. In Columbus, there did not appear to be any available buildings. It is a very small town. There is a city hall, post office, and a small diner/grocery, but there was very little else available. In Columbus, there were no sidewalks, public restrooms, or landscaping. Signs directing you to the state park were even a little confusing. Clinton’s downtown buildings were an odd mix. Some appeared to be original brick façade with arched windows. Some had been recently renovated, but that contrast was quite jarring, to see brick and arches next to vinyl siding and square windows with shutters (or no windows at all and just was large wall of vinyl siding.) I definitely preferred the original brick facades because they had a charming character to them. There were several shops in the court square, like a drug store, hardware, gift shops, a restaurant, etc.
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We had no problems in either town with parking. Columbus city hall, post office, and grocery were all on the same little street.. From Clinton’s town square you could easily walk to the courthouse, city hall, the newspaper office, a restaurant, a clinic, and the county school. Parking was not an issue in Clinton. There were many empty parking lots and lots from what appeared to be torn down buildings dotted throughout town. We were also there on a weekend. We noticed some abandoned buildings, storefronts and churches, but some other historic buildings appeared to have been better maintained. Most buildings were well kept, but a few abandoned store fronts, some older buildings had been demolished, leaving several open lots. Maybe these could be made into outdoor spaces of some kind? The following buildings were observed in downtown area: Library, Genealogical Society, Bank, Kountry Café, Lemon Tree Flowers, Bella’s Boutique. There was a nice colorful mural on the Genealogical Society building, plus another county museum, an old doctor’s office and historic courthouse fence. Three churches were noted in the area, as well as newer healthcare facilities for a primary care clinic and the Hickman County Health Center (health department). In Clinton, there seemed to be plenty of vacant buildings on the square and on nearby streets. There were sidewalks in the downtown area. Parking downtown was in abundance. It was not difficult to secure a spot at all! I entered a boutique and also walked around the corner to a restaurant. Many government offices, businesses downtown, bank, pharmacy, senior center and library are all within walking distance. The new buildings in town were the banks and the gas station. The downtown could use some landscaping or sprucing up to make it more welcoming. A little effort and volunteerism could go a long way here! There are empty lots around the court square that could be transformed into mini-parks, with seating, etc.
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC SERVICES I noticed an excellent marketing connection, as the sign to County Judge’s office mirrors that of the logo on the website. I liked the consistency across platforms. We drove through on Saturday, so we were unable to enter the public buildings as they were closed. The little fenced area around the museum/doctor’s office had nice landscaping around it. The Courthouse in the middle of town was beautiful and was very well landscaped. Some parts of downtown had nice sidewalks, but sidewalks in other parts of the street were either nonexistent or needed maintenance. The sidewalks seemed to be in disrepair throughout town. Also there was debris on sidewalks that could be hazardous. The Farmers Market pavilion was a nice venue. It was a large, well-built structure. All public offices that were observed had appropriate signage identifying them. CEDIK | Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky
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I didn’t see locations of the police/fire department, but I did see the Hickman County Sheriff’s car. Signage and accessibility were evident for the county library, the senior citizens center, city hall, and the courthouse. The sign for Hickman County Memorial Library was confusing because it said “Clinton Women’s Club” really large at the top. Maybe the club is just a sponsor of the library? I really don’t know. The Fire Department in Clinton was right downtown and easily identifiable and accessible. Clinton Woman’s Club and the Rotary Club are located in the same building. Also noted was the Genealogical Society downtown – but they were not open. The Hickman County Times newspaper was also noticed downtown. There seemed to be several civic organizations active in the community.
ARTS & CULTURE We saw a historical society but it did not appear to be open. There is so much history here! Landscaping at Columbus, Belmont Park is beautiful with civil war ordinance abounding, and a beautiful overlook of the Mississippi river. Columbus Park was a great facility, including a conference center and civil war museum. Clinton had a nice, small rotary park on 51 South. Other than the state park in Columbus, we did not notice many other artistic elements or activities in that town. There was a public park in Clinton but it was outside the city center. It did not have many trees and amenities around it. Rotary Park was really nice! There are several great parks in this community—I love that they’ve invested in those places. One of the highlights of the community was the Rotary Park and adjacent Farmer’s Market. This was a large, well maintained park area with a pond, deck and pavilion. There is a walking trail, a playground for children that is accessible and has offerings for those with disabilities. There is also a lending library within the play area. The facilities also has public restrooms and water fountains. Although it was cold that day, a gentleman was fishing at the pond. The landscape and street appeal of this park was certainly an asset to the city of Clinton. We noticed a mural on side of genealogical society building, an old physician’s office turned into a museum, a quilt cottage and portions of the courthouse fence remain. The sign at the entrance of Columbus Belmont State Park was also written in Native American. This is a very historic county. Columbus has Belmont Park which includes Civil War Relics, history and a museum (though it was closed when we tried to visit). Clinton has a museum (also closed), historic murals and a Historic and Genealogical Society. I enjoyed all the colorful ceramic chickens around town, and remembered I had read about the chicken festival online and thought this was a good visual connection. Conference center at state park is a fine venue. We saw lots of signage about the upcoming Civil War Days at the park, and learned about the Quilt Trail throughout the county.
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There were beautiful stained glass features in a couple of churches in Clinton. Would like to see greater preservation of stained glass windows. We liked the murals around the community—the one on the Historical Society was nice. I loved the Flower murals in a quilted design style on boarded up windows of Proud Mary Booksellers Building. I loved seeing quilt squares as I drove around Hickman County. I like the quilt squares on the grounds of the Courthouse as well! I would have loved to see them represented online on the county tourism page. A quilt square scavenger hunt trail would be awesome! And I would love to see more institutions incorporate quilt squares. It really provides a unifying identity to the community and could brighten existing buildings! In the case of the Proud Mary Building, the rest of the building needed a lot of work (new paint, etc,) but the murals still improved the façade greatly and contributed to the artistic “brand” of the county. Bronze historic statues were placed around Columbus-Belmont Park. I would identify this community as rural, agricultural and with interest in history and the past. The addition of the park and farmers market leads me to think that the mindset is shifting to encourage healthier lifestyles for its residents. The farmers’ market also provides an opportunity for locals to sell their wares. We stopped at Hickman County Museum. I was confused about which building the museum was in because it is housed in a historic home. I expected to see an open/closed sign or something that listed hours of operation on the actual building, but there wasn’t one. Only a small historic plaque. It was closed, but the grounds appeared well-maintained. We stopped at Columbus-Belmont State Park. Grounds were beautifully maintained, even after weeks of rain. Had no problem locating the Park, but the Office was closed on Saturday, so we couldn’t get additional info. Park was lovely. Incredible view of Mississippi River! Nice Gazebos/ large Shelter Houses for gatherings. Their identity seems to be a farm community with lots of history- a former college, bed and breakfast facilities, craft resources, and an Amish community near Graves County line. They seem firmly rooted in traditional craft and civil war history. It feels like they know their own history and significance pretty well. The original county in Western, KY, rich in civil war history, agriculture, and life on the Mississippi River. There were several churches in downtown Clinton that had gorgeous stained glass windows! I was disappointed to see that one church with beautiful stained glass and a historic marker had fallen into disrepair.
LODGING & RESTAURANTS We noticed lots of cars at Beehive café, but didn’t immediately notice that it was a restaurant. It had signage on closer inspection, but it was easily noticeable from the road and the building was just concrete block and wasn’t distinctive in any way. More colorful paint or a large sign would probably draw more attention and really add to the business! Several empty storefronts, only one restaurant open today, but it was busy. Fried chicken, pecan pie, yum!
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We went to the Kountry Café for lunch. The staff was friendly, attentive, and the atmosphere was that of a local rural country spot for home cooking at a reasonable price. The clientele seemed to be business folks sitting and others picking up to-go items, plus a few gentlemen taking a leisurely visit to catch up on the local news. The only hotels available are from 17-20 miles away, based on our internet search. This is a challenge to the county, Other than the campground at the state park and the Iron Banks lodge, we did not see many other options. There were no cheap motels or hotels in Hickman County. There were a couple of bed and breakfasts that I found on AirBnB, that looked really nice, but were out of my price range. Iron Banks Lodge looked nice, but pricing wasn’t available without calling them first. In my experience, that means it’s expensive and I was traveling on a limited budget. Also, Iron Banks didn’t offer booking through online platforms like Booking.com, so it was harder to make a travel plan. Because of the extra difficulty, we opted to spend the night in a different county instead.
RETAIL There was a mix of new and old buildings. Some of the buildings downtown did not seem well maintained. Some of the downtown storefronts with glass windows, just had items stored in them…boxes and old picture frames. They had so much potential to be cleaned up! The boutique owner in downtown Clinton was very personable and had a wide selection of jewelry and clothing at reasonable prices. I would return to this store! Acee’s is a new market/convenient store that sells gasoline, limited grocery items, and also has a deli with an extended menu and space for eating. The building was well lit, wide aisles and extremely clean from the bathrooms to the sitting area in the deli area. The convenient mart seemed to be doing a significant lunch business. Folks into line were friendly and willing to offer suggestions. Bella’s Boutique is a recently opened boutique with a very personable and helpful proprietor. We talked about her decision to start a business locally and her thoughts that her greatest competition is from Mayfield and Fulton. The building, which was initially in bad shape, had been painted and made very lively and bright with some new paint, floors and fixtures. She said she was not aware of any financial help or incentives for the downtown area and that she and her husband did most everything themselves physically and financially. She expressed wishing that other storefronts in the downtown area could be, at a minimum, cleaned up if not repaired. She has a Facebook presence that I viewed after visiting the shop and she is utilizing marketing on line and has 1,271 followers to her page. She seems to be an asset to the community! Stopped in Columbus convenience store, restaurant in Clinton, and the hardware store. People were friendly and upbeat. In Columbus, we stopped in at the diner/grocery and the owner was very friendly and welcoming. His business obviously caters to the campers and other visitors to the state park. We also spent time in the state park, but I encountered no employees. The museum was closed. In Clinton we entered the hardware store, where we asked about shops in town. The couple there were very friendly and talkative. We also had lunch at the only restaurant in town, the Kountry Café. Very good food and friendly owner. Not much was open. We stopped at a gas station that had a restaurant (Acees) attached. The gas station was a new build or newly renovated. It had really nice bathrooms. CEDIK | Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky
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In downtown Clinton, we saw a boutique, a hairstyling salon, a couple of pharmacies, and several banks. Other businesses in the square included a salon, a women’s boutique and a drug store. We didn’t actually see customers in any of the stores except for the restaurant.
LASTING IMPRESSIONS I will remember the connection to history this community has, the great parks they have and how friendly the people are. After returning from the visit, I visited Acee’s website and was impressed with the way they are giving back to the community. It was very easy to get around. Columbus Park is a well-kept secret- I found it to be relaxing and beautiful. The community was very historic and knows their own story well. I will also remember the beautiful river in Columbus. There is plenty of river access for industry, lots of heritage, artistic growth, and the small town “feel” the community has. The state park is their biggest asset—it was a beautiful day to visit. I will remember the Quilt Flower Windows. The Abandoned/Dilapidated Home (because we stopped to take photos). The Trail of Tears. The tiny Doctor’s Office at the Museum (and fun skeleton inside). The view of the Mississippi from Columbus-Belmont Park. The gorgeous stained glass of the abandoned historic church. The level of disrepair in homes, sidewalks, and downtown buildings is a very big challenge. Are there any the community could adopt to address minor issues like cleaning and painting to improve visual appearance, at least? Even if the buildings remain vacant, they could use a good cleaning. This community would be best for a one-day visit, or to team up with other surrounding counties to plan a regional itinerary, as there are limited lodging and dining options but interesting things to see. I think they can continue to work on reconciling atrocities of the past with an inclusive and diverse present and future. From the web presence alone, almost all photos of families and people were largely Caucasian. But when we spent time within the county, we noticed significantly more diversity. Work to be sure the web presence and images portrayed represent the true makeup of your population, because representation matters. Work to move beyond the past through the development of a modern direction/vison for the community. The research and information about the history of the town and area is valuable and interesting, but what does Hickman County want to be now? You can do both---honor and reflect on the past, and portray a bright future. To fully embrace the historic and cultural heritage of the county and leverage that for tourism, significant resources would be required for renovation and preservation of historic homes, buildings and storefronts. How can you build momentum for community development? There are things happening and good resources in the community, but it feels like residents are not invested.
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Keep websites updated and current with information about the community, events, etc. This is the easiest step to convey what the county has to offer! Their schools seem to be a big asset. Publicize that. Encourage tourism with possible brochure or web presence promoting the bed and breakfasts, state park, and restaurants. We would return to explore the hiking trails around Columbus-Belmont Park. We also saw an old College Building somewhere between Clinton and Columbus that looked interesting. Paint is cheap. Use local artistic talent to spruce up storefronts and buildings with murals and quilt squares! And then do better at promoting the Quilt Trail—it really was a fun idea. Be mindful of how you represent your community in the media. Showcase your diversity. Ask your residents from all demographics how best to acknowledge the complex history of the county and what unified message should be presented. History buffs would be drawn to Columbus Belmont and the Civil War reenactment. There is a picnic pavilion in Columbus that sits aside Ingram Barge by the river. I’m not sure if it belongs to the company or is a public space but it could use some upgrades and would be a nice spot for family gatherings or staff to congregate for lunch, etc. Mississippi River Bank at Columbus-Belmont Park was terrific! I feel like there is so much opportunity for public art (not just a bronze statue) that utilizes the river bank and makes a statement about slavery and/or the Trail of Tears. Both are blights on U.S. History and converge at the Mississippi River Bank at Columbus-Belmont. How can we acknowledge the tragedy, the place, the people and the future? Do more with the Quilt Trail! Put them on every building and incorporate that style into branding effort for the county tourism website. Do more with the Trail of Tears! More signage, art, museum exhibits. In Columbus, there is a median along the Main Street that could be landscaped perhaps and offer benches. Encourage businesses to have online presence by learning from those that are doing it well. Cross market and promote within the community. Take time to review area businesses, restaurants, events on websites like Yelp and travel sites. Include photographs and consider adding opportunities for inclusion Does Civil War Days have any offerings from the African American’s perspective of the Civil War, for example? Can you expand beyond the information currently available to give more complexity and more perspectives? Seek help from schools, community organizations, and churches to foster a sense of community pride – perhaps focusing on projects that would help community members who cannot physically or financially maintain properties, etc. Continue to promote tourism, history, low cost of living. Facilities at state park could be improved to encourage biking (sign prominently stated “No biking”), perhaps a separate trail designated around the park and City of Columbus? Cycling routes are popular draws for communities, and this would be an interesting one to experience.
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After several hours exploring Hickman County, assessors documented their Lasting Impressions on assets, challenges and opportunities they envision for the community, and make recommendations for further appeal to visitors that travel to the area.
FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the feedback compiled from visits to Hickman County, the following suggestions are recommended for future opportunities:
AUDIT EXISTING WEBSITES, ENCOURAGE LOCAL REVIEW CAMPAIGN Overall, the web presence does not convey all that Hickman County has to offer. Very few businesses were listed online, many links were outdated and broken, and very few reviews conveyed information about the attractions, restaurants, and retail options within the community. Work with local business owners to list their businesses on review sites and social media, and organize a “Review Local” campaign to encourage residents to promote positive reviews about the area.
RECOGNIZE AMENITIES IN AREA, WHILE LOOKING FORWARD Hickman County was the site of several significant historical events in our nation’s history, and much research and information is available in the area. However, these events can continue to be explored from many different angles—how can the community embrace an honest reflection of a dark era in history while also establishing forward momentum to showcase goals, ideas, and projects for the future of the community?
ORGANIZE DOWNTOWN AND BUILDING CLEAN-UP DAYS Hickman County is strong in knowing their identity, culture, and history. However, there are a significant number of structures in the community that have fallen into disrepair, and sidewalks that are both hazardous and littered. Consider organizing community volunteer groups to offer clean-up and minor repairs to area buildings (both occupied and vacant) free-of-charge in order to improve the appearance for all. This could increase civic engagement and community pride. CEDIK | Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky
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