Smithland Kentucky

Smithland, Kentucky is located at the intersection of the Cumberland and Ohio Rivers. Today it is on a ghost of its past as few business remain and the tourist industry has long passed the small town. There are approximately 1000 people living in Smithland today. A very nice $7 million dollar Justice Center is the most predominate building in town. Built next to the current court house the building is very nice. The former main street of Smithland slowly started disappearing in the middle of the last century as building after building was torn town and only a vacant lot remains today. The film "How The West Was Won" (1961) had many scenes from this old downtown area and it was after that filming the "destruction" of main street started.In the film the town is Albany, New York.

There are some old historical homes till standing in Smithland today. The Gower House, once called the Bell Tavern, faces the Ohio River. It is now boarded up and according to sources in Smithland there are no plans to renovate the old tavern and inn. Drive down to the river and travel the river road a few feet to the location. The old house used during the Civil War as a hospital met its fate several decades ago. It was located at the top of the hill close to the school. There are no remnants left today.

The Smthland Dam can be seen from the River Road. You can get closer to the dam by traveling US 60 about 5 miles to the turn off to the dam. This are sometimes floods during heavy rains and flooding season. The Livingston County Historical and Genealogy Society operates from an old log cabin that has been restored. Look for it across from the old court house on State Street. Some old churches building still remain in downtown Smithland. There is a nice home on the Ohio River at the end of Main Street in downtown and across the street from the old Smithland Bank building which is one of the few still standing buildings in this area.

There is not a lot to keep one in Smithland for any extended period of time. Thus when you have driven past the historical sites, you might want to hear for Kentucky Dam or Barkley Dam as they are both in Livingston County. There are no notable restaurants in town and only one grocery store plus a dollar store.Head for the Kentucky Lake area for a variety of food choices.

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