*The deadline for page submissions and pre-orders has been extended to December 15th.
McCracken County, Kentucky - Bicentennial History Book, 1825-2025
Since the early 1800s, when pioneers came to explore the Jackson Purchase and the permanent settlement of Pekin (later changed to Paducah), was established at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, the area that would become McCracken County has been a center for both agriculture and business, beautiful homes and rich traditions, a place where people are known for hard work, steadfast faith, and family values.
To celebrate our county’s upcoming 200th Anniversary in 2025, the McCracken County Fiscal Court is proud to announce a new comprehensive historical book of the county, its people and communities, with hundreds of photographs representing all eras of local county history.
We Need Your Help!
The McCracken County, Kentucky Bicentennial History Book will contain hundreds of photos, sketches and highlights of our county throughout the years. To make sure the book fully represents the county and its people, WE WANT TO INCLUDE YOUR NEVER BEFORE SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS, because this book documenting the history of our county is for everyone!
If you have a photograph representing something of historic significance to McCracken County that has never been published before, please send it in. We cannot guarantee the image will be included, but we are interested in unpublished photos that help tell our collective history.
You may send original photographs and we will handle them with care, or send professional duplicate prints (no Xerox copies, please) of any irreplaceable photos. In addition, high resolution photographs may be emailed to:
Please write your name, address and caption on the back explaining who and what is depicted in the photograph and, if possible, the date it was taken. All photographs will be reviewed for content and clarity, with the goal of using as many as we can, and all will be returned when the book is completed. There is NO CHARGE for having your photos published in the McCracken County, Kentucky - Bicentennial History Book. Your pictures (and any book orders) should be sent in no later than October 31st, 2024. Additional information and ideas on what photos to send are located online at: https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/mccracken-county-kentucky-bicentennial-edition/.
SPECIAL BOOK OFFER
This hardbound, library quality 8.5 x 11-inch coffee- table volume will be printed on a heavy-weight gloss paper for superior photo reproduction, and will be beautifully bound in a rich leatherette cover with the McCracken County seal stamped in gold foil. Copies of this limited edition series may be reserved $49.95 by December 15th.
How To Participate:
How To Participate
Send your photographs, book orders, and checks to:
McCracken County Bicentennial History Book
c/o McCracken County Public Library
555 Washington Street – Paducah, KY 42003
Make checks payable to McCracken Co., KY Bicentennial Book
McCracken County, Kentucky
QUESTIONS? Call (270) 444-4707, email [email protected], or visit https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/mccracken-county-kentucky-bicentennial-edition/
AN INVITATION TO RECORD THE HISTORY OF YOUR BUSINESS
The McCracken County Fiscal Court and The McCracken County Public Library, with the cooperation of Acclaim Press, have undertaken a historic project for all residents of McCracken County. Along with a comprehensive history celebrating the first 200 years of McCracken County, this Commemorative History Book will contain an expanded BUSINESS section outlining the history of the area’s vital businesses and industries, as recorded in 2025 for future generations to read.
As a significant member of the business community, you will want to put the history of your business in print for future generations and historians to enjoy. All local businesses, old and new, are invited to submit their written history for prominent display in the professionally designed business history section, where your company’s story will be preserved alongside all the other businesses in this PERMANENT RECORD of McCracken County during its Bicentennial. This handsome book will be 200-300 pages, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, hardbound, with a luxurious burgundy leatherette cover and a gold seal on the front. Acid-free, enamel-coated archival paper will be used to ensure excellent photo reproduction.
In writing your business history, include any information you feel pertinent––date your business was started, location(s), who started it, original owners, leaders, growth, etc.––plus one historic and one current photo of the business (if possible). For a full-page, you will want to submit approximately two typewritten, double-spaced pages of copy and two or three photos. A copy of a sample page is attached for you to use as a guide. If you do not wish to write your business history, just send the facts and we will write it for you.
Since these pages are dedicated, special features, all businesses are asked to contribute $300.00 for a full page (full-page features receive a complimentary copy of the book)* or $200.00 for a half-page.
The deadline for reserving space and submitting materials for your business history is December 15th, 2024. Please complete the below agreement to reserve space for your business history! Contact the history book committee ([email protected]) if you would like a representative to show you business histories in other county history books that the publisher has produced or to assist you in developing your business history. All materials submitted for the book will be returned to you.
AN INVITATION TO INCLUDE YOUR CHURCH'S HISTORY
The McCracken County, Kentucky Bicentennial History Book is a comprehensive, historic volume being sponsored by the McCracken County Fiscal Court and the McCracken County Public Library, in celebration of the county’s upcoming 200th Anniversary. Our purpose in publishing a history of our community, churches, businesses, and organizations, is to preserve historical records for the enjoyment and education of future generations.
The churches have provided leadership and stability to the people of our community since before McCracken County was formally established. This history book will provide an excellent opportunity for each church to commemorate and record its religious heritage. FUTURE GENERATIONS AND RESEARCHERS will refer to this new book in their research of the county’s families, history, businesses, organizations, schools and CHURCHES.
Along with this flyer, I am also enclosing a sample church history page for you to use as a guide in developing your church’s story for inclusion in the book.
Since these pages are dedicated, special features, all businesses, organizations, churches, schools, clubs, etc. must also pay for their space in the book. As indicated below, churches receive a discount off the regular business rate.
| Church Discount | Business Rate | |
| FULL PAGE | $150.00 | $300.00 |
| 1/2 PAGE | $100.00 | $200.00 |
The deadline for reserving space and submitting materials for your church history is December 15th, 2024. Please complete the below agreement to reserve space for your church history! You may submit your story of up to 2 typed, double-spaced pages and 2 or 3 photos (old and new) for each page purchased. Contact the history book committee ([email protected]) if you would like a representative to show you church histories in other county history books that the publisher has produced or to assist you in developing your church’s history. All materials submitted for the book will be returned to you.
HONOR A LOVED ONE WITH A MEMORIAL OR TRIBUTE
The McCracken County Fiscal Court and The McCracken County Public Library, with the cooperation of Acclaim Press, have undertaken a historic project for all residents of McCracken County. Along with a comprehensive history celebrating the first 200 years of McCracken County, this Commemorative History Book will contain an expanded MEMORIAL & TRIBUTE section outlining the history of the area’s vital businesses and industries, as recorded in 2025 for future generations to read.
Having been invited to contribute to the section, we are sure that you have someone in mind that you will want to pay tribute to in print for future generations and historians to enjoy. Golden anniversaries, silver anniversaries, accomplishments, tributes, dedications for service, and memorials to those who have passed away are all welcome for submission and prominent display in the professionally designed memorial and tribute section, where your family’s story will be preserved alongside all the other special tributes in this PERMANENT RECORD of McCracken County.
This luxurious book will be 200-300 pages, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, hardbound, with a handsome burgundy leatherette cover and a gold seal on the front. Acid-free, enamel-coated archival paper will be used for excellent photo reproduction.
In writing your memorial or tribute, include any information you feel pertinent––date of the event, location(s), accomplishments, etc.––plus one historic and current photo of the person being honored (if possible). For a full-page, you will want to submit approximately two typewritten, double-spaced pages of copy and two or three photos. A copy of a sample page is attached for you to use as a guide. If you do not wish to write your memorial or tribute, just send the facts and we will write it for you.
Since these pages are dedicated, special features, all memorials and tributes are asked to contribute $300.00 for a full page (full-page features receive a complimentary copy of the book) or $200.00 for a half-page.
The deadline for reserving space and submitting materials for your memorial or tribute is December 15th, 2024.* Please complete the below agreement to reserve space for your memorial or tribute! Contact the history book committee ([email protected]) if you would like a representative to show you memorials or tributes in other county history books that the publisher has produced or to assist you in developing your memorial or tribute. All materials submitted for the book will be returned to you.
AN INVITATION TO RECORD YOUR ORGANIZATION’S HISTORY
The McCracken County Fiscal Court and The McCracken County Public Library, with the cooperation of Acclaim Press, have undertaken a historic project for all residents of McCracken County. Along with a comprehensive history celebrating the first 200 years of McCracken County, this Commemorative History Book will contain an expanded ORGANIZATIONAL section outlining the history of the area’s vital businesses and industries, as recorded in 2025 for future generations to read.
As a significant member of the community, you will want to put the history of your organization in print for future generations and historians to enjoy. All McCracken County organizations, old and new, are invited to submit their written history for prominent display in the professionally designed organizational history section, where your organization’s story will be preserved alongside all the other organizations in this PERMANENT RECORD of McCracken County. This handsome book will be 200-300 pages, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, hardbound, with a luxurious burgundy leatherette cover and a gold seal on the front. Acid-free, enamel-coated archival paper will be used for excellent photo reproduction.
In writing your organization’s history, include any information you feel pertinent––date your organization was started, location(s), who started it, original members, leaders, growth, etc.––plus one historic and current photo of the organization (if possible). For a full-page, you will want to submit approximately two typewritten, double-spaced pages of copy and two or three photos. A sample page is attached for you to use as a guide. If you do not wish to write your organization’s history, just send the facts and we will write it for you.
Since these pages are dedicated, special features, all businesses, organizations, churches, schools, clubs, etc. must also pay for their space in the book. All organizations are asked to contribute $300.00 for a full page (full-page features receive a complimentary copy of the book) or $200.00 for a half-page.
The deadline for reserving space and submitting materials for your organization’s history is December 15th, 2024. Please complete the below order form to reserve space for your organizational history! Contact the history book committee ([email protected]) if you would like a representative to show you organizational histories in other county history books that the publisher has produced or to assist you in developing your organization history. All materials submitted for the book will be returned to you.