McCracken County, Kentucky
McCracken County is located in far western Kentucky, where the Ohio and Tennessee rivers meet. It also sits along the Illinois border.
Paducah serves as the county seat and is best known for its quilts. Yes, quilts. There’s even an entire museum dedicated to them.
Paducah is a UNESCO Creative City and is home to the National Quilt Museum. The county also has a riverside park featuring an old steamboat that visitors can tour. I-24 and U.S. Route 60 make McCracken County easy to reach.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| County Name | McCracken County |
| County Seat | Paducah |
| Etymology | Named after Virgil McCracken, a Captain in the War of 1812 |
| Cities, Towns, and Communities | Paducah, Lone Oak, Reidland, West Paducah, Hendron |
| Interstates and Highways | I-24, US-45, US-60, US-62 |
| FIPS Code | 21-145 |
| Total Area (Land and Water) | 268 sq mi (Land: 249 sq mi; Water: 19 sq mi) |
| Adjacent Counties (and Direction) | Massac County, Illinois (North), Livingston County (Northeast), Marshall County (East), Graves County (South), Carlisle County (Southwest), Ballard County (West) |
| Time Zone | Central Time Zone (CT) |
| State | Kentucky |
| Coordinates | 37.0756° N, 88.7055° W |
| Major Landmarks | National Quilt Museum, Paducah Riverwalk, Land Between the Lakes |
| Population | Approximately 66,000 |
