Powderly is a small Kentucky city with big music roots
With less than 1,000 residents, Powderly has only a handful of parks and restaurants. Locals often travel to Greenville and Central City , both within 4 miles. However, the small city stands out for its music scene. “There are really good entertainment options here, the Merle Travis Music Center being one,” says Joe Hudson, executive director of the Merle Travis Music Center and the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame. The venue is named for Merle Travis, a country music legend from the area who came up with a finger-picking guitar style, often called Travis picking or thumbpicking.
Merle Travis’s childhood home is in one of Powderly’s parks
Paradise Park is one stop along the Kentucky Music Trail and features Merle Travis's childhood home. “You’ll see people down there walking, people down there stopping to eat lunch,” Hudson says. “There are a lot of townspeople who are down there taking family pictures, senior pictures, engagement pictures. It’s a really nice spot.” The nearby Merle Travis Music Center puts on the annual International Home of the Legends Thumbpicking Weekend every fall. Besides having several live performances, programming includes the Thumbpicking Championship and inducting artists into the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame. The park and the venue host concerts, church services and community events throughout the year. There is a playground and athletic fields at Powderly City Park, which is filled with festive light displays during the holidays. Controlled hunting and fishing are allowed at the Peabody Wildlife Management Area, less than 4 miles away.
Midcentury ranch-style homes make up most of the market
Well-maintained, grassy lawns stretch to the road in Powderly, where the median lot size is just under an acre. Midcentury ranch-style homes with red brick or vinyl siding are common in the area, and wide driveways lead to garages and carports. There are some early-20th-century properties along Main Street, including bungalows. North Park Village is a 55-plus manufactured home community outside of city limits. Single-family home prices generally range from $80,000 to $150,000, although investment properties have sold for as little as about $10,000.
Muhlenberg schools partner with local universities
Students attend Muhlenberg County Public Schools, which offer school choice. Longest Elementary and Muhlenberg North Middle schools receive a C from Niche. At the B-minus-rated Muhlenberg County High School, dual-credit courses are available through nearby institutions like Western Kentucky University and Madisonville Community College.
Powderly is a car-dependent community near major cities
Residents rely on cars to get around, and U.S. Route 62 goes through the city. Owensboro is about 40 miles away, and major cities like Nashville and Louisville are within 130 miles. The closest emergency room is at Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital in Greenville. While the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport is about 40 miles away and offers daily flights to Chicago , many residents will travel the 120 miles to Nashville International Airport because it offers nonstop flights to over 100 destinations.
Local restaurants include IDK Family Restaurant
There is a mix of chain and independently owned eateries in Powderly. One local option is Powderly Donuts, which makes its pastries fresh every morning. At IDK Family Restaurant, diners enjoy a buffet of homestyle cooking. “In that same area that we have IDK, you have a Mexican restaurant and a pizza place,” Hudson says. “There’s a pretty good choice of things within walking distance of that one restaurant.” Kroger is in the same shopping center. Residents often travel to Greenville or Central City for more restaurants and stores, including Walmart.
