A Door to History Awaits You...
Paducah has long been a town comprised of persons with many individual talents. It has also been home to many important businesses and industries. Through photographs, artifacts, and exhibits, Paducah's history once again comes alive at the William Clark Market House Museum.
The William Clark Market House Museum was founded in 1968 for the dual purpose of education and preservation.
William Clark, of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804, was the founder of Paducah, whom he named in honor of the Padouca Indians that they met while on the Voyage of Discovery. He returned and laid out the town of Paducah over a 36,000 acre plot at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee River. He chose a centralized spot for the town’s public market…and thus, the third Market was named the William Clark Market House.
The collection and preservation of quality Paducah artifacts – especially those that underscore the town’s rich historical past – are the primary goals of the museum. Today, over 4,000 square feet of rotating exhibits and displays are offered for the viewing pleasure of our guests. New artifacts arrive continually, and are regularly added to the collection to keep the museum growing and serving the community.
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Take a look at our regularly-updated newsletter and see what’s happening at the Museum and in our historic town!
History Trivia Games
Experience History Outside the Museum!
Special Museum Features
Brief History of the Museum
1963
The Museum project is voted on, and the initiative is undertaken to form the first museum in Paducah.
1966
The last meat vendors leave the Market House. The Museum's Articles of Incorporation are legally initiated on November 17, and the museum begins collecting artifacts for future exhibits.
1968
The Museum opens its doors for viewing in June, with Mrs. William Beaman as the first Board President and her husband "Pete" as the first Executive Director.
1974
A terrible fire sweeps through the Market House in March; dedicated Volunteers give many hours of devoted service to reopen the Museum a year later.
2003
The Museum wins a Kentucky State History Award for the video, “The History of Paducah” produced by S&W Productions.
2014
The Museum and its Executive Director are recognized for superior service to Kentucky and the community by the KY State Historical Society in June.
2018
The Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary!
Historic PHOTOGRAPHS OF PADUCAH Collection
The Museum has a repository of almost 7,000 rare, historic photographs of Paducah.
The photographs are all digitized and kept in acid free protection. We do not include the photograph collection on our day to day tours, and the collection is viewable only by special appointment.
