Patsy Cline Historic House — Winchester, Virginia

The Patsy Cline Historic House at 608 South Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia, is where the young Virginia Patterson Hensley — later known to the world as Patsy Cline — lived during her teenage years and launched her performing career. The family moved here in 1948 when Patsy was 16, and it was from this modest home that she began singing at local clubs, talent contests, and on the radio, gradually building the reputation that would carry her to Nashville.

The house is a simple wood-frame dwelling in a working-class neighbourhood, typical of the Shenandoah Valley homes of the era. Patsy's mother Hilda ran the household largely on her own after Patsy's father Sam abandoned the family, and money was always tight. Patsy dropped out of school to work at Gaunt's Drug Store downtown, but music was her obsession — she sang anywhere that would have her, from the Palace Restaurant to the local radio station.

The house was restored and opened as a museum in 2011, furnished to reflect how it looked during the Hensley family's years there. Visitors can see the small room where Patsy slept, the kitchen where the family gathered, and displays of memorabilia from her early career including photographs, records, and personal items. Volunteer guides share stories about Patsy's Winchester years that you won't find in the Nashville museum — the local perspective on a girl who everyone in town knew was going to be a star.

Winchester has embraced its connection to Cline. The annual Patsy Cline Music Festival draws fans from around the world, and a driving tour connects sites around town associated with her life, including Gaunt's Drug Store and the fairgrounds where she won a talent contest that helped launch her career.