Paradise, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paradise
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 Paradise
Location in Kentucky
Paradise
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Muhlenberg |
| Elevation | 404 ft (123 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 500167 |
Paradise was a small town in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, United States. It was located about 10.5 miles (17 km) east-northeast of Greenville. The town was once a trading post along the Green River. It was also known as Stom's Landing.
In the 20th century, the land around Paradise was used for strip mining. What was left of the town was bought and torn down in 1967 by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). This happened because of health concerns from the nearby Paradise Fossil Plant, which burned coal, and because the plant needed to expand.
Contents
The Story of Paradise
Paradise began as a settlement in the early 1800s. It was first called Stom's Landing, named after Leonard Stom, who started a ferry there. Some people think it might have been called Monterey at one point. No one knows for sure how it got its final name, Paradise. It's thought that early settlers, arriving around 1797, found the area so beautiful they called it "Paradise."
A Town with a Post Office
A post office opened in Paradise on March 1, 1852. It stayed open for many years but finally closed in March 1967. Even though the town faced many floods from the Green River over the years, it always managed to survive.
Coal Mining in Paradise
Paradise was an important coal mining town. People had been digging for coal in the area since the 1820s. This industry was a big part of the town's life and economy for a long time.
The TVA Power Plant and Its Impact
In 1959, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) started building a large power plant right where the town of Paradise was located. The first part of this plant began working in May 1963. These coal-fired power plants were often criticized by environmental groups. They were concerned about the plant's emissions, which are gases released into the air.
Over the years, the plant worked to reduce its pollution. For example, new equipment called "scrubbers" were added to one of its large units. This greatly reduced the amount of harmful emissions from the plant. From 2017 to 2022, the plant was changed to use natural gas instead of coal. The last coal-fired unit was stopped in 2020.
Why Paradise Disappeared
About 800 people lived in Paradise in its final years. The town was officially closed down, and its last residents moved away by December 30, 1967. The TVA bought out the remaining homes and buildings. They then tore everything down to expand the power plant and because of worries about the health effects of ash falling from the plant.
Paradise in Song: John Prine
The story of Paradise, Kentucky, became famous through a song called "Paradise." It was written and performed by the well-known singer-songwriter John Prine. The song talks about how the town was destroyed by the Peabody company, referring to the strip mining that took place there.
Even after the Pittsburg & Midway Coal Company and Peabody Coal Company mined coal around the town, parts of Paradise still remained. However, after the TVA built its first two power units, ash from the plant caused health concerns for the people still living in the village. The TVA then bought out the remaining residents. Soon after, they tore down all the buildings and built the world's largest cyclonic fired boiler at the new "Paradise Unit 3." Today, all that is left of the original town is a small cemetery on a hill near the plant.
Where Paradise Was Located
Paradise was situated on the eastern edge of Muhlenberg County, right along the Green River. Kentucky Route 176 was the main road in and out of the area. It led west to the cities of Drakesboro and Greenville. Before the early 1960s, this road also went east across the Green River into Ohio County, connecting Paradise to Rockport.
