Local History Collection

The local history collection includes resources that relate closely to Paducah, McCracken County, and the surround region. These resources include the Irvin Cobb Collection, highlighting the works of one of Paducah’s most famous authors. The Mary S. Wheeler Collection is a collection of manuscripts and other documents produced by Ms. Wheeler, including the world’s largest collection of river song transcripts. We also house numerous subject files on the area, city directories dating back to the late 1800s, newspapers, biographies, and more.
 

Resources on Microfilm

  • Various Early West Kentucky Newspapers
  • Kentucky Land Records West of the Tennessee River
  • Land Certificates, Vol. 1 through 8
  • Land Grants Index, Books 1 through 11
  • World War I Draft registration cards –selected counties of Kentucky, East Tennessee, Southern Illinois
  • Various Western Kentucky Family Bible Records
  • Various Western Kentucky Church Records
  • Civil War records
  • Kentucky 1890 Special Schedules Union Veterans and Widows
  • First Confederate Cavalry Regiments (Formerly King’s Battalion, Kentucky Mounted Rifles)

Civil War Records

  • The Civil War Collection includes general resources on the history of the civil war, pension lists, official records, photographic histories, reports, and more. The collection also contains personal letters and journals from soldiers in the area. The department also houses the full transcripts and case records of the court marshall proceedings for Brig. Gen. E. A. Paine in 1865.
  • Related Links: Kentucky Civil War Pensions Online Books
  • War of the Rebellion Official Records of Union and Confederate Armies
  • The Confederate Veteran 1893-1932, with index
  • Kentucky Adjutant General’s Report Veterans of Jackson Purchase Counties
  • 1890 Veterans Census
  • The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War
  • Confederate Pensioners of Kentucky
  • Other Resources:
  • Personal letters and journals
  • Gen. Lloyd Tilghman resources
  • Complete case and transcripts of the court marshall case of Brigadeer General E. A. Paine in 1865.

Kentucky

  • Biographies
  • History and culture
  • Journals and periodicals
  • Subject files
  • Literature

Archives

  • Irvin S. Cobb Collection
  • Mary Wheeler Collection
  • Paul Twitchell Collection
  • History of McCracken County Public Library

Subject Files

  • Paducah subject files
  • Kentucky subject files
  • Family History files