DCPL Kentucky Room

DCPL Kentucky Room Daviess County's only genealogy and local history research center. Located in the DCPL. These resources are available to the general public at no cost.

In 1922 the Carnegie Free Public Library of Owensboro started an effort to collect materials related to Kentucky. In 1935, the library's collections of Kentucky histories along with its Daviess County and Owensboro histories were assembled in one room known as the Kentucky Room. The current Kentucky Room now holds an immense collection of genealogy and local history resources and artifacts. Our st

aff of experienced genealogists and researchers are eager to help with any genealogy or history questions you may have.

*Due to time constraints we do not do full family trees. We will do up to 3 generations and help you with any brick walls you may come across.*

Ever wonder what's in the Kentucky Room? Join us on Monday, August 25th at 2:00 to learn about the resources (treasures...
08/08/2025

Ever wonder what's in the Kentucky Room? Join us on Monday, August 25th at 2:00 to learn about the resources (treasures) kept in the Kentucky Room and how to use them for your historical or genealogical research. Afterwards, there will be time to explore the resources and KY Room staff will be available to help you with your research.

With "Back to School" time quickly approaching, we wanted to share this Kentucky Room Class Photo of our current staff i...
08/06/2025

With "Back to School" time quickly approaching, we wanted to share this Kentucky Room Class Photo of our current staff in our elementary school days, and let you know that we are always ready to assist you in the new school year. In keeping with this theme, we will be offering "Kentucky Room 101: An Introduction to the Kentucky Room's Resources" on August 25th at 2:00. We'll post more information about the program soon, so check back. We'd love to see you there!

In case you missed it, yesterday (the first Sunday in August) was National Sister's Day, a day to celebrate the unique b...
08/05/2025

In case you missed it, yesterday (the first Sunday in August) was National Sister's Day, a day to celebrate the unique bond between sisters. Nobody has your back like a sister- and that was certainly the case of the Edwards sisters, Annie, Theresa and May. When their brother George was shot in a dispute, they became the "Girls on Warpath" as you can read in this Owensboro Inquirer article from July 26, 1910. Fortunately, George was not fatally wounded (he died in 1975 at age 85), the sisters did not harm anyone, and the charges of Breach of Peace were dismissed a few days later. Are you fortunate enough to have a sister like that?

Officially, July is Picnic Month, but here in Owensboro we enjoy picnics from June to September! Whether it's work, chu...
07/30/2025

Officially, July is Picnic Month, but here in Owensboro we enjoy picnics from June to September! Whether it's work, church, or a family picnic, one can find some good food and fun most every weekend. Here's a photo from an Owensboro Wagon Company Picnic circa 1910. While they look a bit overdressed, it does look like barbecue on the plate. What's your favorite picnic food?

This may not be what you think of when someone mentions an Ice Cream Truck, but wouldn't some Velvet Ice Cream taste goo...
07/28/2025

This may not be what you think of when someone mentions an Ice Cream Truck, but wouldn't some Velvet Ice Cream taste good on these hot July days?

We've all heard it- first cousins twice removed, second cousins four times removed, etc. The terms are usually only use...
07/24/2025

We've all heard it- first cousins twice removed, second cousins four times removed, etc. The terms are usually only used as bad jokes in comedies. But in honor of today- National Cousin's Day- we thought it would be nice to give you a cheat sheet. Now, you can impress your relatives at the next family reunion with your genealogical terminology!

It's FAIR season! That time of year to show off your biggest tomato, tastiest jar of preserves, or your prize-winning pi...
07/21/2025

It's FAIR season! That time of year to show off your biggest tomato, tastiest jar of preserves, or your prize-winning pig while eating some cotton candy and watching the Tractor Pull! Between county fairs and the state fair, there's plenty to see and do. The first Daviess County Fair was organized in 1852 to showcase the labor and skill of the farmer and improvements made in agricultural science. Modern fairs continue that tradition along with beauty pageants, amusement rides, and funnel cakes.

07/18/2025

Join us as we learn about Herbert Lee Clark, farmer, builder, folk artist and farmsteader!

Do current events having you reminiscing about simpler times? Think it's time to start your own garden or raise chicken...
07/16/2025

Do current events having you reminiscing about simpler times? Think it's time to start your own garden or raise chickens? Curious about home remedies?

Join us on Friday, July 18th at 6:00 in the Public Lounge to learn about Herbert Lee Clark, a farmer, builder, folk artist, and Kentucky farmsteader. Author Louis S. DeLuca will introduce you to Mr. Clark's journals and the man who recorded them as he discusses his book, Old-Time Kentucky Farmsteading: Ways and Means, From the Journals of Herbert Lee Clark.

Happy Birthday to Owensboro native Ellen Hart Smith! Who's that, you ask? A popular 1950's author you probably don't kn...
07/14/2025

Happy Birthday to Owensboro native Ellen Hart Smith!
Who's that, you ask? A popular 1950's author you probably don't know- and for good reason. By day, Ellen Hart Smith was a literary critic for the New York Herald Tribune, author of the scholarly biography of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and a long-serving member of the Owensboro-Daviess County Public Library Board. By night, she penned very popular crime novels featuring a Latin teacher, Miss Julia Tyler, under the fictious name of Louisa Revell. To one fan who tried to locate information about Louisa Revell, Miss Smith wrote, "your failure to find biographical information about "Louisa Revell" was not your fault, but our triumph. Other ladies leading double lives have sometimes written too much, to their own undoing." This was a secret she took to her grave. (Full disclosure, we're not really sure she divvied her "personalities" between day and night.)

Address

2020 Frederica Street
Owensboro, KY
42301

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 9pm
Tuesday 9am - 9pm
Wednesday 9am - 9pm
Thursday 9am - 9pm
Friday 9am - 8pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when DCPL Kentucky Room posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to DCPL Kentucky Room:

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Our Story

This is the previous page for the Daviess County Historical Society. The Society disbanded in September 2018 and the Kentucky Room at the Daviess County Public Library now holds all the records for the previous society. This page is managed by workers in the Kentucky Room and posted material comes from it’s archives which include county records, photographs, genealogies and local histories.