Russell Springs | Russell County

From tending Jerseys and preparing for cattle auctions to morning coffee with neighbors and evenings spent helping his wife grade papers, retired teacher and dairy farmer Kamos Carpenter embodies the steady rhythm of rural life in Russell Springs, Kentucky.

“If there weren’t no cans,” says Jerry Gentry, “there’d be no sense in walkin'” — a Russell Springs man who walked 20 miles a day for 15 years collecting aluminum.

Cub Pack 241 in Russell Springs builds character and camaraderie among young scouts through shared outdoor adventures, teaching lessons in patriotism, teamwork, and family.

Shirley Maynard raises eight children and grandchildren in a two-bedroom trailer above Greasy Creek, finding quiet strength and self-reliance amid poverty and hardship.

At 86, Stanley McClure looks back on a lifetime of invention with a mix of pride and bitterness, still tinkering in a home filled with books, gadgets, and unfinished ideas.

“Being a doctor in a small town can be difficult,” says Paula Roy, who often finds herself treating friends and neighbors as their emergency room physician.

Balancing the demands of the courtroom with family life, Judge Jeff Choate juggles early mornings, parenting responsibilities and the challenges of public service. Despite long work hours and limited time together, he and his wife Robin make the most of their moments at home while raising their two young sons.

Lewis Smith commutes from Harrodsburg to Creelsboro every weekend tending to his congregation and, in his spare time, casting a line in the lake behind the church.

Since opening in 1948, Alfred Miller’s grocery has been a gathering spot for generations of Russell County, a tradition he hopes growth won’t erase.

Family, farming, and small-town traditions come together as generations gather for everyday moments, from grocery shopping to spending time with grandchildren. At Circle KK Farms, the care of horses and the quiet rhythm of rural life reflect the close-knit community and family-centered lifestyle.

“There’s no place like here anywhere on God’s earth that is any more beautiful,” says Jake McFarland, 95, who has spent nearly a century farming and living along the Cumberland River.

At 84 years old, O.G. Bottom continues serving as the public administrator of the local hospital, making daily rounds through the office and handling administrative responsibilities.

After turning her family’s old grocery store into a doll shop, Sandy Ellis now spends hours painting and dressing each porcelain creation, hoping it finds just the right home.

Eallena McKinley hangs laundry to dry on a sunny day in Eli, Kentucky, a small fishing stop town where she has lived her entire life alongside her husband, the county coroner.

After 34 years in Russell County schools, from a two-room schoolhouse to the principal’s office, Wilbur Barnes now splits his time between the farm, his family, and his ever-faithful dog, Ugly.

Deputy Bill Popplewell balances duty and community life in Russell Springs, from managing office calls with his wife and secretary Ann to sharing stories and camaraderie with fellow law enforcement officers.

Known to nearly everyone as “the preacher,” Ron Tucker has spent 16 years bagging groceries in Russell Springs, cruising town in his beloved 1955 Chevy along the way.

At the end of a long line of portraits in Jamestown’s police station hangs one that marks a first: Steve Taylor, the town’s first Black police chief.

Inside the Fruit of the Loom factory, workers move through each stage of production—from knitting and sewing to finishing and shipping orders—keeping the garment operation running smoothly.

Brother Dan Grider brought a contemporary, positive ministry to First Baptist Jamestown, tripling the congregation by embracing the community as family rather than as outsiders.

Despite losing sight in one eye and surviving a heart attack, Dr. Joe Pettey has kept practicing medicine in Russell County since 1952, walking two miles a day to stay fit for his patients.

Jamestown and Russell Springs, Kentucky, balance the charm of small-town traditions and close-knit community life with the economic changes that have left many downtown storefronts empty while tourism and industry reshape the region. From the annual Pumpkin Festival to the growing Lake Cumberland resort area, residents reflect on their towns’ rich past while looking toward a future driven by new jobs and visitors.

Thirty student photographers spent three days confronting fear, building trust, and capturing the quiet dignity of Russell County life under the guidance of seasoned professionals at the Mountain Peoples Workshop.