Scenic landscapes and a laid-back lifestyle in Stanton
Stanton is a rural community in eastern Kentucky, just outside the expansive Daniel Boone National Forest. Settled in the mid-19th century, Stanton serves as the county seat of Powell County. “We’re a very small town. Being so close to Red River Gorge and Daniel Boone is our claim to fame,” says Hugh Stump, Stanton's local tourism director. “I’m very outdoorsy, and this is a great place for that. It’s beautiful as heaven when the leaves change.” The community is a shopping and dining hub for the surrounding areas and outdoor enthusiasts who pass by on their travels. While many living in Stanton have been there for generations, it’s attracted new residents who want an easygoing lifestyle with plenty of outdoor recreation.
Recreation ranges from Stanton City Park to forest canyons
Stanton City Park is the community’s main green space, where adult and youth sports leagues gather to play baseball, soccer and more. The park also has a playground, basketball court and splash pad. Only 10 miles away, less than a 15-minute drive, are the canyons and tall oaks of the Red River Gorge Geological Area. The gorge is in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest, and visitors can hike or bike miles of winding trails that cut through rugged, wooded terrain and twisting rock formations. The 46-mile Scenic Loop starts in Stanton and is popular with motorcyclists. “About 10 years ago, only serious hikers and rock climbers knew about this place, but now thousands of people travel to Stanton to go to the gorge. I go nearly every weekend,” Stump says. “In the gorge and the forest, there’s everything: fishing, kayaking, whatever you want.”
Midcentury homes in a rural Appalachian setting
Roads wind and twist around the outskirts of Stanton, with homes set back in sprawling green fields and framed by the gentle rolling hills of Appalachia. Near the center of downtown, properties sit closer together on short side streets. While Stump points out that some modern homes have been constructed, generally intended to be rented to tourists, new construction is not the norm. Midcentury ranch-style homes and classic split-levels, along with the occasional farmhouse or cabin, make up most of the residential scene in Stanton. Apart from some outliers, single-family homes typically sell for $120,000 to $250,000.
Stanton celebrates corn, Bigfoot and local music traditions
Stanton has several annual events, including the Powell County Corn Festival every summer, which celebrates the area’s abundance of the sweet vegetable. “Our events are very regional. Someone from out of state might wonder why we have festivals for Bigfoot and corn crops, but in eastern Kentucky, it just makes sense,” Stump says, adding that Stanton City Park hosts live music every Friday, as weather allows.
National chains and small businesses mix in downtown Stanton
In recent years, Stanton has attracted some national chains, such as Kroger, Walgreens and Dollar General. It’s effectively a commercial hub for the more rural areas around it. “We get all the campers and hikers stopping in because we’re the only town for 25 miles with more than a convenience store,” Stump says. "Main Street is very small, but we've got some artisan shops and places to eat." He mentions that Bruen's Restaurant is always filled with traveling hikers and locals. It's been open since the early 1970s, serving home-cooked comfort meals in its humble dining room.
Elementary to high school options in the Powell County School District
The Powell County School District operates the local schools in Stanton. The PCSD participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program, which offers eligible households up to $30 per month for internet service and a discount of up to $100 for purchasing school-verified electronics. Most kids here will start at one of two elementary schools in the area. One possible path is Stanton Elementary, rated C-minus from Niche, followed by C-minus-rated Powell County Middle and C-rated Powell County High School.
State routes connect residents to nearby cities and health care
The community is intersected by the north-south highway of Route 11, which runs to the Ohio state line, 66 miles north. Route 11 bleeds into Interstate 64 at the nearby city of Mount Sterling. The closest major medical center, Marcum and Wallace Hospital, is 20 miles south in Irvine. Stanton has its own airport but doesn’t operate commercial flights, so Stump notes that noise isn’t an issue.
