Posted by Initially, it was all about the name: Paducah, Kentucky. One could almost hear Junior Wells’ lilting harmonica as he traced the black diaspora north on the “The Train I Ride”. A base line drawn from the rhythm of the rails. The harmonica blown in the manner of a train whistle. And Junior calling out the stops: Augusta, Georgia! Memphis Tennessee! Cairo, Illinois! Paducah! And then on to Chicago, “Its my home” he sang.
But then, it became all about the river. Located right alongside the Ohio River where the Tennessee River joins it, Paducah has worked hard to design and execute a redevelopment plan to celebrate the riverfront.
And yet…it’s the seductive flow of water that creates movement and pulls your eyes toward a sunrise over the far shore. The sense of motion calls to your feet and you walk the greenway listening to the chortling sound on one side. You can go on forever, caught by the river and carried on to the next bend and then the next. Conversations flow a little more easily by the river, and there’s a sense of continuity and endless promise. Towns by rivers have a certain unique magic. (Jen)
