Category Archives: Businesses

Jackson’s Most Dialed Number

Posted on January 1, 2026 by sdbowling

It was the most dialed number in Jackson and had been for almost six decades when the service ended. Learn about the hottest call in Jackson from 1962 to 2019. Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Breathitt County, Businesses, Firsts, Jackson, Traditions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wife Shoots Husband – Murder or Suicide?

Posted on December 21, 2025 by sdbowling

Peter Combs was shot on the steps leading to his apartment in 1948 by his wife. She was acquitted of the “suicide” by a Breathitt County jury. Learn about this unusual case, often cited as an example of “mountain justice.” Continue reading →

Posted in Breathitt County, Businesses, Jackson, Murder, Tragedy, United States Army | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Alpine Restaraunt

Posted on November 9, 2025 by sdbowling

The Alpine Restaurant opened in 1968 and operated only a short time, but its legacy lives on in the name it left behind. Continue reading →

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The TeePee Burger

Posted on August 22, 2024 by sdbowling

The TeePee Burger was a Breathitt County landmark from its opening day in 1968 until 2019. Continue reading →

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Jackson Mortician Led State Embalmers

Posted on June 19, 2024 by sdbowling

Lee Porter Ray, once known as “Jackson’s Funeral Director,” served as President of the Kentucky Funeral Directors Association in 1940-1941. He is nearly forgotten in Jackson today. Continue reading →

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Happy Birthday, Sonny!

Posted on June 7, 2024 by sdbowling

Lewis “Sonny” Haddix, a beloved Jackson hitchhiker, had a challenging life marked by tragedy. His gentle demeanor endeared him to everyone he met. Happy Birthday, Sonny! Continue reading →

Posted in Breathitt County, Businesses, Jackson, Traditions, Tragedy | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Jaxon Theatre

Posted on June 4, 2024 by sdbowling

The Jaxon Theatre Building has survived numerous fires and reminds many Jackson residents of a bygone era when the Saturday Western was all the rage. Continue reading →

Posted in African-American, Breathitt County, Businesses, Disasters, Entertainment, Fire, Jackson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jackson’s Burger Queen

Posted on January 2, 2024 by sdbowling

The residents of Jackson celebrated when Burger Queen opened just after Christmas in 1979. The “burger place” would only last for about seven months before the name changed. Continue reading →

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Watch East Kentucky Grow

Posted on July 18, 2023 by sdbowling

WEKG (Watch East Kentucky Grow) was not the first radio station but the first commercial station in Breathitt County beginning in 1968. Continue reading →

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Breathitt’s Future – Pickles

Posted on June 21, 2023 by sdbowling

Hays Pigman believed that Breathitt County farmers could make money in the pickle business. It almost worked. Continue reading →

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