Driving Tour of Pikeville, KY

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After their original home on Blackberry Creek in Hardy was set on fire and destroyed by a group of men from the Hatfield family in 1888, members of the McCoy family relocated to Pikeville and eventually lived in this home on Main Street. The McCoy patriarch, Randolph McCoy, worked as a ferry operator during these years with his wife Sarah. Today the former McCoy home is the location of Chirco's Restaurant. The home includes a historical marker and is listed as a state historical landmark. Parts of the original home have been preserved and the owners frequently allow diners and visitors to explore the landmark.

2. York House

York House, located at 210 Main Street in Pikeville, KY was constructed in the years leading up to the Civil War, though its exact date of construction has not been preserved on historical documents. It was initially occupied and owned by Col. John Dils and his wife, the former of whom was a well-known businessman and abolitionist. In 1864, the home was passed down to the Dils' daughter and her husband, J.M. York, a prominent judge in Pikeville. Today, it serves as the location of a children's boutique in addition to being accepted by the National Register of Historic Places for its notable Italianate architecture and its status as the oldest unaltered residence in Pikeville.

3. Big Sandy Heritage Center

Opened in September, 2003, the Big Sandy Heritage Center houses several collections highlighting the culture of the Big Sandy area of Kentucky. These collections include artifacts from the Hatfield and McCoy feud, Native Americans, early settlers, coal mining, military history, the Country Music Highway, and the Cut-Through.

4. Chesapeake and Ohio Passenger Depot (Pikeville, KY)

The Chesapeake and Ohio Passenger Depot was constructed in 1923 along Hambley Boulevard in Pikeville, Kentucky. The depot was built by the Chesapeake Ohio Railway company following their successful expansion into Pikeville beginning in 1907. The depot soon became an integral part of the town for many years before finally closing in 1983. Following the termination of the railway, the depot has since served as a town hall, a local history museum, and a cafe.

5. Octavia Hatcher Grave at Pikeville Cemetery

The legend of Octavia Hatcher and her life-size monument in Pikeville Cemetery is one that has fascinated and disturbed locals and macabre tourists for well-over a century. The story follows one Octavia Hatcher, the wife of a wealthy businessman in Pikeville, Kentucky during the late 1800s. After falling into a comatose state following the death of her infant son, Jacob Hatcher, Octavia was hastily buried during the particularly hot summer when embalming was still in its early development. Octavia's husband, John Hatcher, began to suspect the horrifying notion that his wife had been buried alive when other residents of Pikeville, previously having fallen into comas, were waking up. Octavia's grave was exhumed and her remains were found contorted with agony, proving her husband's fears to be true. Racked with guilt, John Hatcher commissioned a life-size monument to his deceased wife, which overlooks not only the city of Pikeville, but the small grave of Jacob Hatcher as well, who was buried in a small plot beside his mother. Rumors of hauntings and similar oddities at the site abound and the story of Octavia Hatcher was featured in an episode of The Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum.

6. Feudists on Trial and the Hanging of Ellison "Cottontop" Mounts Historical Marker

After the New Year's Day attack on the McCoy Home in 1888, the Hatfield men who led the raid were pursued by law enforcement. The governors of West Virginia and Kentucky both spoke out against the violence and a bounty hunter helped the McCoy family capture nine of the Hatfield men involved in the raid. This marker shares the history of the arrest and trial of the feudists, including Ellison "Cottontop" Mounts, cousin to Hatfield clan leader "Devil Anse." For his role in the raid and the deaths of Calvin and Alifair McCoy which occurred during the attack, Mounts was sentenced to death by hanging. His death makes him the only person who was legally executed during the feud. He was also one of only a handful of men to ever face legal repercussions as a result of their actions during the feud. This marker is located at the site of Mounts' execution in Pikeville.

7. Augusta Dils York Mansion

The Augusta Dils York Mansion, also known as Creekmore Mansion or simply shorted to York Mansion, was built in 1918 by Augusta Dils York. Augusta was the daughter of famed abolitionist and businessman John Dils as well as the wife of J.M. York, a prominent judge. The home is located along Elm Street in Pikeville, KY, and is based on the designs drawn up by Augusta herself. Though paid for and built to the specifications of the Yorks, the two never lived in the homes themselves, with it instead becoming lauded for its unique architecture and eventually being recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

8. Pikeville Academy College Building

The Pikeville Academy Building was constructed on College Street in Pikeville, Kentucky, in 1890. The building is the oldest surviving educational building in Pike County, Kentucky. It was constructed after a group of men, affiliated with the Presbyterian church, noticed the need of a place where Pike County residents could learn both academically and spiritually. Though used primarily for educational purposes, the building has also been used as a theater and hosted religious and social gatherings. Today, the building sits on the main campus of the University of Pikeville.

9. College Street Historic District

Pikeville's College Street Historic District consists of nine homes and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984 despite significant redevelopment since that time. The neighborhood included the former shop of Kate Dils Thornberry Hatcher which opened in 1909 and is believed to be the first female-run business in the community. Most of the buildings are located along College Street in downtown Pikeville. The district, which begins next to the Pikeville College Academy Building, includes nine historic homes including this former shop and the Methodist Parsonage, one of the oldest religious buildings in Pikeville.

10. Pikeville Historic Mansion Bed and Breakfast

The Pikeville Historic Mansion Bed and Breakfast was built by Augusta York and her husband J.M. York in 1892 at 179 College Street in Pikeville, Kentucky. The home was originally resided in by the Yorks' daughter, Kate, and her husband, before then passing through a series of owners. In the early 2000s the residence was acquired by Romaine Keith, who, while retaining as much of its original design as possible, remodeled the home and transformed it into a bed and breakfast. The business features antique decor and architecture in addition to each of the rooms available to rent being named after an influential figure in the history of Pikeville.

11. Randolph McCoy Grave Site

Randolph McCoy was the face of the infamous McCoy clan from the famous feud with the Hatfields. McCoy lost 5 of his 16 children to the feud which raged in the Tug River Valley for 12 years. The feud that started with an argument over a hog would claim the lives of many involved and ended with the hanging of a Hatfield, Ellison Mounts. Randolph McCoy and his family suffered much at the hands of the Hatfields – their home was burned down, 3 children executed, 2 others shot. In return they put 8 Hatfields in jail for life. This feud is one of the most famous in national history, and buried here in Dils Cemetery is the patriarch of the McCoy clan and his wife, Sarah.

12. Col. John Dils & Dils Cemetery

The Dils Cemetery is believed to be the first racially integrated cemetery in Eastern Kentucky. Colonel John Dils, who was opposed to slavery, provided employment for many formerly enslaved persons at his tannery and general store. He later provided gravesites for these individuals and their descendants. Graves of soldiers from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I can be found at the cemetery along with the graves of members of the Hatfield and McCoy families. Dils Cemetery also includes lovely botanical gardens, a walking trail and an overlook.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

Driving Tour of Pikeville, KY

Created by Miranda Smith on July 6th 2019, 8:54:24 pm.

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The county seat of Pike County, Kentucky, Pikeville was founded in 1822 as Piketon before later changing its name in 1850. The city is a regional hub and perhaps most famous for its role in the Hatfield and McCoy feud. Trials related to the feud occurred in Pikeville and several participants of the feud lived in the city which also became the eventual home of the McCoy family. The tour includes architecturally significant buildings, historic homes, local history museums and sites related to the town's labor and railroad history as well as its diverse communities.

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Driving Tour of Pikeville, KY

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