KY:Historical Society - Historical Marker Database

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Calloway Normal College
(Marker Number: 1945)

County: Calloway
Location: Kirksey, United Methodist Church, KY 299

Description: This institution of higher learning was established by 1899 under the leadership of Rainey T. Wells, later president of Murray State Teachers College. Land for college was deeded to trustees in 1899. Students came from a wide area and boarded in private homes in Kirksey. The school operated as a teachers college until 1913. Presented by Kirksey and Calloway Friends.

(Reverse) Calloway Normal College - After Calloway Normal College ceased operation in 1913, Kirksey High School occupied the property. It remained here until 1960, when county high schools were merged. The school then functioned as an elementary center until 1974, when these centers consolidated. The next year Kirksey United Methodist Church purchased property. Over. Presented by Kirksey and Calloway Friends.

(Subjects: Methodist Church | Schools)

Cleanth Brooks (1906-94)
(Marker Number: 1977)

County: Calloway
Location: Faculty Hall, Murray State University Campus, 16th St.

Description: Murray native Cleanth Brooks became a major figure in the teaching and study of literature. With fellow Kentuckian Robert Penn Warren, he co-founded the Southern Review and directed attention to close reading of literature-the "New Criticism"-through the influential texts Understanding Poetry and Understanding Fiction.

(Reverse) Cleanth Brooks (1906-94) - An acclaimed critic, Brooks wrote Modern Poetry and the Tradition, The Well Wrought Urn, and studies of William Faulkner's novels. A Rhodes Scholar 1929-32, educated at Vanderbilt and Tulane, he also received many honorary degrees. He taught at Louisiana State 1932-47 and at Yale 1947-75. Presented by citizens of Murray and professional colleagues.

(Subjects: Authors)

County Named, 1822
(Marker Number: 825)

County: Calloway
Location: Murray, Courthouse lawn, US 641

Description: For Col. Richard Calloway. Came to Ky. with Daniel Boone, 1776. One of founders of Boonesborough, he instilled confidence in success among other settlers. In one year, 1777, appointed Col. of Militia; Justice of the Peace; elected a representative of Ky. County in General Assembly of Va. Killed by Indians at Boonesborough 1780. County formed from Hickman.

(Subjects: Boone, Daniel | Boonesborough | Indians)

Desegregation of Murray State College
(Marker Number: 2191)

County: Calloway
Location: College grounds, Mayfield

Description: Shortly after the historic U.S. Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education, et. al. decision, Murray State College "with all deliberate speed," welcomed Mary Ford Holland of Kuttawa, Ky., as a student in the summer of 1955. Holland's enrollment earned her the distinction of being Murray's first African American student.

Holland's enrollment at Murray State occurred without incident. In the fall of 1955, four more African American students enrolled. They were Geneva Arnold, Bobby Brandon, Arlene Keyes, & Willie Earl Perry- graduates of Murray's segregated Frederick Douglass High School. *Given by MSU Office of Equal Opportunity

(Subjects: African American | Schools | Murray State College)

First Courthouse
(Marker Number: 1263)

County: Calloway
Location: Murray State Univ. Campus, Chestnut St., Murray, KY 121

Description: First public building in Jackson Purchase area. Built in 1823 for $100, it was originally erected at Wadesboro, Calloway county seat, 1822-42, where its first session of court was held, Feb. 13, 1823. Remained in use till new one built in 1831. Murray became county seat in 1843 and the log building was moved here then. It has been used as a residence for over a century.

(Subjects: Courthouses | Jackson Purchase)

Fort Heiman
(Marker Number: 147)

County: Calloway
Location: Near state line, KY 121, Ft. Heiman Rd.

Description: Confederate fort erected in 1861. Federals occupied 1862. Seized by CSA Gen. Forrest in fall 1864. With field cannon his cavalrymen sank 2 Union river transports, captured another and a gunboat, and commandeered them. Due east, this side of Kentucky Lake.

(Subjects: Civil War | Forrest, Nathan Bedford | Forts and Stations)

Gerard Furnace
(Marker Number: 1373)

County: Calloway
Location: Mt. Carmel Church, KY 121

Description: Built 21/4 miles east in 1854 by Browder, Kennedy and Co. Inside it was 24 ft. high and 101/2 ft. across at widest point, burning locally made charcoal fuel. Its air blast machinery was powered by steam. In 34 weeks of 1857, it produced 1,595 tons of pig iron, mostly shipped by steamboats on Tennessee River. Did not operate after 1858. See the other side.

(Reverse) Iron Made in Kentucky - A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Charcoal-furnace era ended in 1880s with depletion of ore and timber and use of modern methods. Over.

(Subjects: Iron Industry)

Murray State University
(Marker Number: 1427)

County: Calloway
Location: West side of Murray campus, KY 121 Alt.

Description: Established 1922. Founder, Rainey T. Wells (1875-1958). His home, where the idea of the University was born, 350 feet SE of here. Dr. Wells second president of Murray State. Gov. Morrow signed bill authorizing two "normal schools"-one in east Ky., other in west Ky., on March 8, 1922. Murray chosen as site in west Ky., Sept. 17, 1922. Doors opened Sept. 24, 1923. Dr. John W. Carr (1859-1960) was first president. His home 285 feet SW. To locate school at Murray, citizens of Calloway Co. gave to Ky. $17,000 to acquire land for campus and $100,000 to construct Administration Building 150 feet NE of here.

Stubblefield Birthplace
(Marker Number: 87)

County: Calloway
Location: Murray State Univ., US 641 & KY 94

Description: Nathan Bowman Stubblefield was born near here in 1860. He successfully demonstrated wireless voice transmission as early as 1892. His early patents were granted in that year.

(Subjects: Inventors)

The Cooperative Program
(Marker Number: 1770)

County: Calloway
Location: Murray, 203 S. Fourth St.

Description: Under leadership of H. Boyce Taylor, First Baptist Church, Murray, began in 1900 a new approach to church finance. Taylor, pastor 1897-1931, avidly promoted this unified budget plan; appointed chairman of a State Baptist Committee, 1913, "to consider . . . unifying our work" under one budget. During 1914-1915 Taylor and layman F. D. Perkins toured the state promoting unified plan. Over.

(Reverse) The Cooperative Program - The Gen. Assoc. of Baptists in Ky. (now Ky. Bapt. Conv.) adopted first "budget plan for the collection of funds" in 1915. Taylor served as chairman of first budget committee. This was Kentucky's part in the development of world mission budget plan adopted by Southern Baptist Convention in Memphis, 1925, known as the Cooperative Program. See over. Presented by Kentucky Baptist Convention.

(Subjects: Baptist Church)

Wadesboro
(Marker Number: 200)

County: Calloway
Location: Dexter, Jct. US 641 & KY 1346

Description: Two miles west was District seat of Jackson Purchase area 1818, now being Kentucky's eight and Tennessee's twenty westernmost counties. Settled in 1821 and U.S. Public Land Office opened. Calloway County Seat, 1822-1842. Then it was moved to Murray.

(Subjects: Jackson Purchase)

Waters Schoolhouse
(Marker Number: 2198)

County: Calloway
Location: Gil Hopson Drive, Murray

Description: This one-room school building, named for Joseph Spillman Waters (1822-1898), its first teacher, once sat near New Concord. School operated from mid-1800s to 1936. Moved here, it was preserved as a representative of the type of school building that was once common. Renovation started in 1985, completed in 2002.

(Subjects: Schools)