Weird Kentucky

A guide to the odd and interesting history, places, and people in Kentucky.

You can find Paradise in Kentucky—along with many other quirky place names, and the truth (and tall tales) behind them . . . Encountering some of the uncommon geographical names in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for the first time, visitors and residents alike often assume that some clever or funny stories lie behind them. So they ask, how did Elkhorn Creek get its name? Were the roads to Red River really Hell each way? Did bugs really tussle in Monroe County? Why was everyone whooping for Larry? To be hospitable and helpful, Kentuckians have come up with convincing?if not always truthful?answers to these and other questions about how places got their names. Some of these stories were clearly not intended to be believed, though a few of them have been anyway. From Red Hot to Monkey’s Eyebrow presents some of the classic accounts of Kentucky’s oddest place names. Complete with map, index, and humorous drawings by Linda Boileau, this handy guide is a geography lover’s delight.

Meet Kentucky's legendary monsters in this guided tour. Examine reports of cryptids, a ball python snake found in a rental car, and a one-eyed ape near the Kentucky River. Includes a comprehensive list of alleged Bigfoot encounters, alien big cats, fresh-water phantoms, cold-blooded creatures, and monsters so strange they defy classification.

Kentucky's beauty is offset by a violent past of Indian wars, Civil War battles, and the tragic spirits from these conflicts.

Native Kentuckian Theresa Dowell Blackinton gives readers an insider's look at the Bluegrass State, from the revelry of the Kentucky Derby Festival to quiet, cool Mammoth Cave. Blackinton provides suggestions for unique trip itineraries, including Horsin' Around, Traveling the Bourbon Trail, and The Best of the Bluegrass State. Complete with tips on where to find the best bluegrass tunes and barbecue in Owensboro and how to rent a house boat to cruise the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area, Moon Kentucky gives travelers to tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

From ghost towns to circus performers to mass hysteria, the Bluegrass State is no stranger to the strange. Read stories of famed President Abraham Lincoln you've never heard before. Find possible solutions to the mystery of Pearl Bryan's missing head and decipher the outrageous hoaxes involving an unsolvable puzzle and monkeys trained to perform farm work. Learn about the time when the author wrote to Charles Manson as a joke and Manson wrote back--four times. Join author Keven McQueen as he recounts some of the weirder vignettes from Kentucky lore.

The Eerie and Ominous in Kentucky Kentucky is no stranger to strange occurrences. From weird encounters with the Grim Reaper to local graveyard dogs, the Bluegrass State has its share of odd stories. Learn about local ghosts who've haunted areas for years. Encounter body snatchers and some very odd modes of death. Go on the hunt for Daniel Boone's bones and witness the marvelous twisting tombstone. Witness the people who uncannily predicted their own death. Author Keven McQueen details these creepy stories and more.

Myths and Mysteries of Kentucky reveals the dark and ominous cloud of mysteries and myths that hovers over the Bluegrass State. This book offers residents, travelers, history buffs, and ghost hunters a refreshingingly lively collection of stories about Kentucky's unsolved murders, legendary villains, lingering ghosts, terrifying myths, and haunted places.