[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 39 (Thursday, March 3, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CALLOWAY COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, in 1822, pioneer settlers founded 
Calloway County in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase. Two hundred years 
later, in November, the residents of this community are celebrating 
their bicentennial and paying tribute to the adventurous forefathers 
who made it possible. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring 
Calloway County for reaching this impressive milestone.
  Like the rest of the Jackson Purchase, Calloway County was bought by 
the Federal Government from the Chickasaw Indians in 1818. This fertile 
land, bordered by the Tennessee, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers, was 
prime territory for American farmers seeking to move westward from the 
young Nation's eastern core. Those early settlers poured into Calloway 
County, on the Purchase's eastern edge, and incorporated the county in 
1822, with the early settlement of Wadesboro serving as their county 
seat.
  Calloway County developed like much of the rest of the Purchase, with 
large farms bolstered by easy access to Kentucky's inland waterways and 
the urban markets that lay beyond. Calloway's early residents built a 
one-room, log courthouse in 1823--the first public building constructed 
in the Jackson Purchase--and founded several towns, including Murray, 
the current county seat. Calloway quickly grew into a prosperous 
community with thousands of residents.
  By the end of the 19th century, Calloway County formed an integral 
part of Western Kentucky's commerce, culture, and governance. In 
recognition of the county's significance, Calloway native Rainey T. 
Wells started the Calloway Normal College in the 1890s to train 
teachers. Though that school closed in 1913, Wells secured State funds 
to construct Murray State Normal School in 1923, now known as Murray 
State University. Wells became Murray State's second president in 1926 
and would go on to practice law in front of the Supreme Court in 1937, 
before returning to his Calloway County home until his death.
  Another important moment in Calloway's history came when the 
Tennessee Valley Authority dammed the Tennessee River and created 
Kentucky Lake, a vast reservoir on the county's eastern edge. In 
addition to supplying hydroelectric power to Calloway County residents, 
the lake created new recreational attractions for the local community. 
Today, Kentucky Lake--and the Land Between the Lakes National 
Recreation Area that governs its neighboring forest areas--is one of 
the largest natural attractions in the Commonwealth, bringing millions 
of tourists to the region every year.
  Today, Calloway County is a unique Kentucky community, navigating new 
pathways in education and recreation while still remaining firmly 
rooted in its agricultural and historical traditions. Murray is a 
burgeoning town with nearly 20,000 residents, serving as both a host to 
thousands of Murray State University students and a gateway to the Land 
Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The county's attractions 
include museums, parks, Civil War forts, and miles of beautiful rolling 
hills. It is no surprise that, every year, more and more families 
decide to call Calloway County home.
  Calloway County residents will have much to celebrate in their 
upcoming bicentennial. They and their pioneer ancestors have built a 
thriving community, complete with everything prospective newcomers 
could desire in a new home. Their upcoming celebration will include 
local civic groups, nonprofits, churches, sports teams, and 
businesses--a colorful tapestry of every organization that makes 
Calloway County great.
  I want to give special thanks to the Calloway County civic leaders 
who are working so hard to make this year's bicentennial celebration 
possible. Through their hard work, their community continues to 
prosper, even 200 years after its founding. On behalf of the Senate, I 
share our congratulations with every Calloway Countian and join them in 
honoring 200 years of proud Kentucky traditions.

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