Road Trip Revival

Apple Valley attraction spurs tourism

BY JEN CALHOUN

Some people dream big. Others keep their dreams smaller, more manageable. But Keith Holt? Well, this former-actor-turned-folk-hero dreams all over the place.

Holt founded and runs Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland, a roadside tourist attraction outside Paducah that combines his passion for toys with his love of playful, pun-centric designs. Toyland features toys that Holt and his wife, Dianne, have collected for nearly 30 years, while the Hillbilly Garden offers life-sized renderings of some of the most eye-rollinducing puns ever imagined. But more on that later.

Since the dual attraction officially opened in 2007, tourists from all over the world have sought out the rambling 6-acre property that’s been featured on Roadside- America.com and travel-related YouTube videos. It also earned a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor for 2014 and 2015. People come for the fun, the goofiness and a chance to see what the fuss is all about.

TOYS, TRASH AND TRIUMPH

Keith Holt’s dream of a toy museum and a roadside attraction got its start when he was a child and his parents would stop off at wacky attractions along the way to wherever they were headed.

That dream grew during his time in California, where he supplemented his acting career by building model train layouts for the rich and the famous. It gave him the idea of opening a place where people could view all the toys of their childhood.

After inheriting the land from his mother, Holt and his family moved back to Kentucky and started building the toy museum. He artfully arranged toys from floor to ceiling in the old store his grandfather ran.

But neighbors took issue with old appliances and a camper on Holt’s property that housed his stepfather. They even called law enforcement officials to investigate — an act that would eventually spur Holt to create a new attraction on the land.

“They tried to say it was an abandoned mobile home, which it wasn’t,” Dianne Holt says. “So, my husband asked the police officer if he could turn it into lawn art.”

The answer was a reluctant “yes.”

ROADSIDE SENSATION

Since then, Keith Holt has been creating dozens of life-sized, pun-related arrangements from the most ordinary of objects — a smattering of old tires arranged on couches and chairs is called “The Re-TIREment home.” “Thronehinge” is a group of statues completely made from old toilets, while the “Original Potty Mouth” is a tree with eyes, nose and a mouth made from — guess what? — a toilet seat.

Keith Holt leads a tour of his folk artinspired roadside dual attraction, Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland.

Thousands of travelers have visited the attraction now, including the singer Prince. According to Keith Holt, the Purple One sat in a car and listened in with an earpiece while an assistant with a microphone toured the property for him.

But it’s all for a bit of fun and relaxation, Dianne Holt says. “You know, we’re just trying to break down the monotony of life and have a good laugh. And Toyland is truly a place to go and remember your childhood.”

FINDING THE FUN

If you’re ever in Calvert City, make sure to check out Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland at 9351 U.S. Highway 68 W. In the fall and winter months, tours generally start around 8 a.m. and end before dark. In the spring and summer months, tours run from about 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is no fee for entry, but donations are appreciated and accepted. For more information, check out their Facebook page or go to their website at applevalleyhillbillygardenandtoyland.com.