kids encyclopedia robot

Calloway County, Kentucky facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Calloway County
U.S. county
Calloway County courthouse in Murray
Calloway County courthouse in Murray
Flag of Calloway County
Flag
 Official seal of Calloway County
Seal
Map of Kentucky highlighting Calloway County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Kentucky
Founded November 3, 1822
Named for Richard Callaway
Seat Murray
Largest city Murray
Area
 • Total 411 sq mi (1,060 km2)
 • Land 385 sq mi (1,000 km2)
 • Water 26 sq mi (70 km2)  6.3%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 37,103
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 38,280 Increase
 • Density 90.27/sq mi (34.86/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st

Calloway County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is located on the southwest border of the state. In 2020, about 37,103 people lived there.

The main town and county seat is Murray. The county was started in November 1822. It was named after Colonel Richard Callaway. He was one of the people who helped start Boonesborough. Calloway County is part of the Murray, KY area. In most of Calloway County, alcohol sales are not allowed, except for the city of Murray.

History of Calloway County

Calloway County was formed in 1822. The land for the county came from Hickman County. The first courthouse was built in 1823.

Sadly, a fire at the courthouse in 1906 destroyed almost all the county's old records. The county is named after Richard Callaway.

Geography of the County

Calloway County covers a total area of about 411 square miles. Most of this area, about 385 square miles, is land. The rest, about 26 square miles, is water. This means about 6.3% of the county is covered by water.

Neighboring Counties

Calloway County shares its borders with several other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

A part of Fort Donelson National Battlefield is located here. This part is called Fort Heiman.

Population Information

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1830 5,164 —
1840 9,794 89.7%
1850 8,096 −17.3%
1860 9,915 22.5%
1870 9,410 −5.1%
1880 13,295 41.3%
1890 14,675 10.4%
1900 17,633 20.2%
1910 19,867 12.7%
1920 20,802 4.7%
1930 17,662 −15.1%
1940 19,041 7.8%
1950 20,147 5.8%
1960 20,972 4.1%
1970 27,692 32.0%
1980 30,031 8.4%
1990 30,735 2.3%
2000 34,177 11.2%
2010 37,191 8.8%
2020 37,103 −0.2%
2023 (est.) 38,280 2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

In 2000, there were 34,177 people living in Calloway County. The population density was about 88 people per square mile. The median age of people in the county was 34 years old. Many young people aged 18 to 24 live here because of Murray State University.

Towns and Communities

Calloway County has several towns and smaller communities.

Cities in Calloway County

Special Census Place

  • Dexter is a place defined for census purposes.

Other Small Communities

Interesting Places to Visit

Famous People from Calloway County

Many notable people have come from Calloway County:

  • W. Earl Brown, an actor and musician
  • T.R.M. Howard, a surgeon and civil rights leader
  • Joe Staton, a cartoonist
  • Frank Stubblefield, a politician
  • Nathan Stubblefield, an inventor
  • Harry Lee Waterfield, a politician
  • Molly Sims, an actress and model
  • Cleanth Brooks, a professor and literary critic
  • Mel Purcell, a professional tennis player
  • Jackie DeShannon, a singer-songwriter from the 1960s
  • Tim Masthay, an NFL Punter and Super Bowl Champion

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Calloway para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Calloway County, Kentucky Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.