Resources & Media
County Historical Resources
View the scans of the Acts of the General Assembly in 1822 naming Calloway County, Kentucky.
Calloway County is blessed to have resources available to those interested in the history of the county and the region. The Pogue Library and the Calloway County Public Library are both remarkable treasures with staff at the ready to assist in your search. Several publications are also available either digitally or in hard copy.
While this certainly not an exhaustive list, the following publications may be of particular interest regarding Calloway County history.
- 1885 Perrin Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin - Calloway County section
- 1904 Busy People of Murray and Calloway County
- 1911 Calloway County Gazette Special Magazine Edition
- 1920 Murray Telephone Directory
- 1931 The History of Calloway County by the Ledger & Times
- 1943 Murray County Seat for 100 Years by the Ledger & Times
- 1964 Dr. McElrath's Murray by Hugh M. McElrath
- 1969 150th Anniversary of the Jackson Purchase by the Mayfield Messenger
- 1978 The Story of Calloway County, Kerby and Dorothy Jennings
- 2008 Memories Stories and Places, Ruth Cole
- History of Murray State University
- Histories and Biographies of Ballard, Calloway, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, McCracken and Marshall Counties, Kentucky
- Map of Calloway County Cemeteries
For old newspaper records, the Pogue Library provides an online search engine at https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/
The Calloway County Public Library also offers digital access for patrons researching their family trees. Go to https://callowaycountylibrary.org/ancestry-library-edition/
Media & Items of Interest
Coloring Book
A Coloring Book Contest was open to Fourth Graders at area elementary schools. Teachers choose the Top 10 entries from their grade level. Winning entries were displayed on November 3rd, the day of the Calloway County 200th Bicentennial Celebration. Although the contest is now over, you can download the coloring book for future use.
Murray First Baptist Church Celebrates 175 Years
Murray First Baptist Church celebrated 175 years in 2022. They produced a video interviewing three of their members reflecting on their church. Also, KentuckyToday.com wrote an excellent piece on the celeration and the history of the church.
Animation of Downtown Murray Along Main Street from the mid-1900s
David Dowdy posted on Facebook this video animation showing what Main Street on the Court Square probably looked like 50 to 60 years ago.
Bicentennial Videos
The Calloway County Bicentennial released a video showcasing some of the historical landmarks in Calloway County.
Calloway County History Video - Short Form
Calloway County History Video - Long Form
Murray State's 100th Anniversary Makes Readers Digest
Reader's Digest featured Murray State's Centennial. Read about this in "Things Turning 100 in 2022" on their website.
