McCreary County Museum

McCreary County will turn 100 years old on March 12, 2012 and the Museum and its volunteers are taking a strong lead on this event and celebration. As we prepare for the McCreary County Centennial we will share projects and updates right here on our website.  If you have any questions feel free to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , post it on Facebook or give us a call at (606) 376-5730. 

McCreary County Museum Celebrating Business Timeline

The McCreary County Museum is requesting local business owners to share a history of their business with the Museum so we they can document current businesses across the county. Staff will also be interviewing individuals to recall businesses of the past. With a goal to document every business over the past one hundred years, the Museum plans to create a timeline that will Celebrate Businesses of the Past and Present. The Museum plans to reveal the exhibit during the Centennial in 2012. If you are a local business owner or a local historian and want to help – please let us know. You can also download the Business Questionnaire below, complete it, interview a local business or an individual that recalls businesses of long ago and return it to the McCreary County Museum. Thanks for your help sharing our business history.

Business Interview Questionaire PDF

Business Interview Questionaire Word Document

Museum Recipe Request

The Museum is currently gathering recipes for a new county wide cookbook. As we begin planning for the County’s Centennial in 2012 we thought this would be a great time to represent the best chefs of our county.

What we’re planning!

We are compiling recipes from the past and present to create a cookbook that will be treasured for years to come. All residents are encouraged to submit two recipes: one from themselves and one that has been passed down from a mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, great grandma, etc. We envision this cookbook to represent the citizens of McCreary County for the past one hundred years.

How can I submit my recipes?

You can contact the Museum or any of the local businesses mentioned below to get a Recipe Collection Sheet or download one from the Museum’s website or Facebook page. Then you must return your recipe via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  , mail (P.O. Box 452 Stearns, KY 42647) or by dropping it off to one of the local participating businesses mentioned here:

Participating Businesses:

Bank of McCreary County

Bestway Beauty Shop

Crabtree Wilson Insurance Agency

Forcht Bank

McCreary County Museum

McCreary County Record

Mickey’s Flower Shop

Sweet Kreations & Gift Shoppe

The McCreary County Voice

Please Note: In the top section of the collection form—submitted by—please use the following format:

For Self: John Doe, Whitley City, Kentucky (or Town of Residence)

For recipes that have been passed down from a deceased loved one: John Doe (1929-2009)

For recipes that have been passed down from a living loved one: Jane Doe, Whitley City, Kentucky (or Town of Residence)

Please send yours today!

Recipe Collection Deadline is set for October 31, 2011.

If you are unable to obtain a recipe collection form but wish to submit a recipe to be included in the cookbook. Feel free to email or mail those recipes directly to the Museum including a telephone number for a volunteer transcriber to call if they have questions.

Oral History Project 

With several projects underway one of the most important to the Museum and its volunteers is to conduct 100 Oral Histories within the year of the centennial. The importance of this project is clear to those who research their family history or the history of their community whether it is Oz, Camargo, Pigeon, Silerville, or Honeybee. McCreary County is the youngest county in the state of Kentucky. Preserving the stories of those that have lived here all their life or nearly all of it is as priceless as an 85 year old man crying because he seen a photo he had only heard stories of his entire life. Our project is just that simple, to preserve this story and countless others like it. Our project goal includes obtaining oral histories, transcription of those histories and making them available to the general public and the researching community via a website as the interviewees allow based on their recording release.

Other Centennial Group Projects:

Centennial Book/CD/DVD

Centennial volunteers are considering a historical book, booklet, or a book with a CD or DVD that will document the county and it's communities over the past one hundred years. 

Birthday Celebration

Centennial volunteers are planning a birthday celebration for the County that will be held on the day the county was formed one hundred years ago - March 12th.

USPS - Postage Cancellation Stamp

The United States Potal Service allows groups to create canceled postage stamps to commemorate events  - the centennial group will be designing a centennial stamp and hopes to have it available during the birthday celebration.

Pre History

Volunteers have been travelling to surrounding to counties to obtain history of McCreary County before it was McCreary County.  This committee is also charged with interviewing local historians and gathering newspaper articles and surrounding communities' feelings regarding the development of the county.

Additional Projects

Additional projects also include special centennial events at the National Park Service Heritage Days, a centennial exhibit designed by the US Forest Service and adding centennial based themes to local events including McCreary Fest and Winter Fest.

Potential Projects

Other Potential Projects could also include a Pine Knot Kiosk developed by the McCreary County Historical Society and a potential travelling exhibit designed by the museum.  If your group would like to participate in the centennial with a project please contact the Centennial Committee to coordinate scheduling or to obtain project ideas or suggestions.

If you are interested in any of these projects or would like to provide input please feel free to drop by the next centennial meeting or to contact Amy at the Museum by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone (606) 376-5730 or by mail at Post Office Box 452 Stearns, Kentucky 42647.