Genealogy Tourism
Casey County was one of the first areas of the state settled by the pioneers that followed the Wilderness Trail, forged by Daniel Boone. Waves of immigrants passed through to the west via the Cumberland Gap, which played a pivotal role in the formation of the united states through the wilderness trail. As a result, there are many active genealogy hobbyists in the area and this is a hot bed for genealogical research.
A lot of family stories (and legends) began in south central Kentucky. With our many genealogical resources available, we invite you to come learn more about your past. This area is rich with epic pioneer legends, rogues, and stories of hardships and perseverance.
The Casey County Public Library is an invaluable resource for anyone doing genealogical research in the area. The library staff goes has always been incredibly helpful to anyone trying to find out information about their family ties.
In addition to a dedicated genealogical research section of the library, there are also many local reference materials including rare and out of print books by local authors and historians. The Casey County News microfilm archives are also available and feature publications going all the way back to 1910. Microfilm archives are not indexed and are available on a first come first serve basis.
Casey County Public Library
The library also has other important reference materials to aid in your search. They have a list of cemeteries and churches as well as an impressive yearbook and oral history audio file collection.
In cooperation with visiting researchers, the Casey County Public Library neatly compiles genealogy information by family surname in binders that can be used in conjunction with your own research. In every spare moment, they are also hard at work digitizing all the ancestral files they have available.
If you are looking for historical information about the county, the library also has CD-ROM copies of “The History of Casey County” available for purchase ($25).
For genealogy inquiries, please visit their Website or email [email protected].
Location
Phone: 606-787-9381
Hours: Mon-Wed., Fridays 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Closed Thursday) and Saturday from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM.
The Old Courthouse Building
The Deed Room in the old courthouse building, a historical landmark in its own right, houses the marriage records, old military discharge records, property deeds and wills. These public records are indexed and easily searched, though military discharge records are only available to family members.
Location
Phone: 606-787-6471
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Facebook Groups
Identify Me Casey County
Casey County, Kentucky is a group that was set up several years ago when the Casey County News liquidated its photographic archives. A woman from Maine volunteered to catalog the photographs and periodically scans them in as she has time. Members of the group work together to identify the family members in the photographs.
Casey County History
The Casey County, History Facebook group, casually shares family photographs and discusses historical events in the county’s history. Several members of the group no longer live in Casey County but actively participate and share valuable information within the group.
Internet Resources
Find A Grave is a very large internet archive that catalogs the final resting places of famous individuals, friends, and family members.
Genealogy Trails
Genealogy Trails transcribes genealogical and historical data submitted by volunteers and is 100% free to use.