Historical Markers	Click for information from the Kentucky Historical Society about State markers and their text.  Select McCracken County for the Paducah area.
	Check out the book "Historic Architecture of Paducah and McCracken County" written by Steve G. Gabany at the McCracken County Public Library.

McCracken County was originally part of Hickman County, but as population growth occurred, the territory was divided into Hickman, Graves, Calloway, and McCracken Counties.  McCracken County was formed on January 15, 1825 and was named after Captain Virgil McCracken, who was killed at the Battle of the River Raisin during the War of 1812.  In 1832, Paducah became the county seat of McCracken County.

Paducah, originally known as Pekin, was settled around 1815.  Settlers were attracted to the community due to its location at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers.  The community was inhabited by a mix of Native Americans and Europeans who lived harmoniously, trading goods and services.

In 1827, William Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Mississippi-Missouri River region, arrived in Pekin with a title deed to the land, which was issued by the United States Supreme Court.  Clark asked the Chief and the settlers to relocate.  The town was platted in the same year and renamed Paducah in honor of the Chief.  The community was incorporated in 1830.

Paducah thrived due to its port facilities along the waterways that were used by steamboats.  A factory that manufactured red bricks was established and a foundry for making rail and locomotive components was built, ultimately contributing to a river and rail industrial economy.

In 1856, Paducah was chartered as a city.  The community continued to capitalize on its geographic location by becoming the site of dry dock facilities for steamboats and towboats and, in turn, headquarters for various bargeline companies.  Paducah also became an important railway hub for the Illinois Central Railroad (ICRR) due to its proximity to the coal fields in Kentucky and Illinois.

In 1937, the Ohio River at Paducah rose over its 50-foot flood stage.  The flood was considered to be the worst natural disaster in Paducah’s history. As a result of the flood, the United States Army Corps of Engineers built a flood wall to replace the earthen levee that had once been in place.

Other significant events in the community’s history include the selection of Paducah in 1948 for the development of a new Uranium Enrichment Plant, and the development of the Museum of the American Quilter’s Society (MAQS) in Paducah in 1991, which draws quilters from around the world.