Nestled between the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, Paducah, Kentucky was developed by explorer William Clark, one half of exploring duo extraordinaries Lewis and Clark, in 1827. Paducah is the only major city in the State of Kentucky with a Native American name. But the American Indian-named city has another moniker, 'Quilt City USA.' Quilting is amongst Paducah's most popular pastimes; the city even hosts an annual Quilting Fair and Convention.
The Paducah Port and Riverfront is a exuberant site of steamboat docking, fireworks, festivals, and waterside concerts that is a traveler's paradise. Tourists also delight in Paducah's once vibrant tradition of barge transportation. The River Transportation Museum is devoted to honoring the history of barges and the contraption's influence on Paducah development. Paducah's Historic Market House Square is an attractive haunt for shopping, sightseeing, and dining on tangy barbecue, fine French flair, or All-American fare. Twenty blocks of the Paducah Downtown Commercial District have earned the National Register of Historic Places stamp of approval.