Hindman, Kentucky - a town you may not be familiar with; however, a town with a story that is all too common in Appalachia. You see, Hindman has a history based in coal mining that runs much deeper than the waters of nearby Troublesome Creek. The same declining coal industry that has left so many of our residents scrambling for other job opportunities causing our population (and tax base) to drop. In the spirit of the Christmas season, if this were A Christmas Carol, coal mining would be the ghost of Hindmans past, uncertainty and determination would be the ghost of Hindmans present and perseverance and hope would be the ghost of Hindmans future. I drove into Hindman just as the snow started to fall and the roads began to freeze up. I was over an hour past my planned arrival time when I sheepishly called the owners of the Quiltmaker Inn where I was scheduled to stay. I couldnt help but wonder if they would be upset at my late arrival but, in typical Appalachian fashion, they couldnt have been more gracious and accommodating. The owners of the Inn, Shawn and Cyndi, have reopened it after it had sat empty for well over a decade. Refurbishing a building built in the 1930s is impressive enough but what really made jumped out at me was the motive behind doing it. They didnt do it to make a fortune of money - they did it to make a difference in the greater community. Hindman is diversifying the economy by making an art-friendly infrastructure and by taking advantage of the natural beauty of the area (Hindman is known as The Elk Capital of the East for having the largest population of elk east of the Rocky Mountains.) Hindman is home of the Appalachian Artisan Center, a luthiery shop where you can make your own stringed instruments, a host of ATV and horse riding trails but prior to the Quiltmaker Inn there was no place to stay in town. Once I checked into my room I was struck by how it felt like a cross between a Bed & Breakfast and the spare bedroom in my grandmothers house. It made for a one-of-a-kind experience and I highly recommend staying there for the cozy atmosphere and the hospitality. We had an interview at the Appalachian Artisan Center with Eastern Kentucky artist Bonita Skaggs-Parsons. I was very impressed with the facility as it has plenty of studio space and features exhibits from regional artists. We spoke with the director of the center, Corbett Mullins, who has a passion and a vision for the future of the town and how the art community plays into it. I dont know Hindmans future but I do know that with the determination and commitment that I saw from the folks we met that Hindmans future is in good hands. Going into our interview, Hindman was a town I had never heard of but it is now a town that I wont soon forget. Learning about Hindman was like being let in on a secret art community. However, this is the kind of secret I want to tell others and not keep to myself. - Shane.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:17:22 +0000
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