Visit Our Photographic Collection
Visit the Knox Historical Museum's extensive
collection of photographs.
The Knox Historical Museum closed to the public March 31, 2023, temporarily, due to the Municipal Building, in which the museum is housed, having scheduled a complete renovation, including removal of all internal structures.
The museum has not closed as an institution and will continue research and genealogy services via e-mail and postal mail, but we are not permitted to have public traffic in our temporary facilities.
Contact Information: Museum e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Genealogy e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
U.S. Postal Service:
Knox Historical Museum
PO Box1446
Barbourville, KY 40906
The Knox Historical Museum needs to move its entire collection.
This temporary move is due to the planned complete renovation of the Barbourville Municipal Building taking place in the spring of 2023 and beyond.
The Knox Historical Museum, Inc. is a 501(c)-3 nonprofit organization that operates from the generous donations of patrons and from the sale of items calendars, books, and other items from its Museum Store.
If you'd like to make a donation to help us with the expenses incurred by the Museum to move its collection, you may make a safe and secure online donation using our PayPal account by clicking on the Donate button below. You do not need to have a PayPal account to make a donation.
You may also make a donation by check. Please make your check payable to Knox Historical Museum and write 'Donation' in the memo line and mail it to:
Knox Historical Museum
PO Box 1446
Barbourville, KY 40906
The Knox Historical Museum continues as always to appreciate our generous donors for their gifts. Your gift will be used for our daily operational purposes and will be classified as unrestricted funds unless otherwise indicated. Donors will be provided with a receipt of their donation and a huge thank you.
Our Museum is staffed by Volunteers and our hours of operations currently are such that our Volunteer staff members are only able to check for Online Orders once per week. Typically on either Tuesday or Thursday.
This means that online orders may not be shipped for up to 10 days after your order is placed. PLEASE give our Volunteer staff the time to process your order and ship it out to you. We will do our best to ship all orders as quickly as possible. Before you ask PayPal for a refund due to non-shipment, please send us an e-mail first to ask about your order's status.
Thank You!
The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment recently conducted a community assessment for Barbourville and Knox County, Kentucky. The assessment was part of the Community and Economic Initiative of Kentucky.
This link discusses the descendants of Rev. Andrew and Elizabeth Avent Baker who settled in the Middle Fork area on Richland Creek in Southeastern Kentucky.
Click link below to access Baker history website online:
The museum's Doug Bargo recently came across this article about the unveiling of a new Daniel Boone state in Barbourville, Kentucky.
The article was published in the Columbia Magazine. The statue was unveiled on August 24, 2012. The Columbia Magazine is published monthly by the Knights of Columbus.
Here's the link:
The unveiling of the Daniel Boone statue
The new issue of the Museum's quarterly magazine, The Knox Countian, features coal and prosperity in 1917 as promoted by U.S. Congressman Caleb Powers in his proposed bill to obtain funding for a post office and mine rescue station in Barbourville, Kentucky.
The issue was published in late December 2017.
The Barbourville Utility Company is providing 1977 flood photos and current river levels at the following web address: http://barbourville.com/flood-wall-management. See Flood Wall and River Level link at bottom of website page.
The city's floodwall was raised approximately 10 feet following the devastating 1977 flood. Torrential rain fell from April 2-5 that year, causing devastating floods across southeast Kentucky that killed 10 people.
KHM now open on Wednesdays
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Anyone know of James Anderson Bunch b. 1874
Knox County Museum was closed on Monday when I was passing through, however I did go to the Laurel County Historical Society in London. Searching for Death Record and burial site for my 2nd great-grandma, Sarah Jane Hopper, who married Josephus Hopper in 1886. They were 1st cousins, as their fathers were brothers. Sarah was born in Knox county about 1849 and died after 1910. Last found recorded on the 1910 census in Laurel county. Actual place and death date unknown. Sarah's 1st husband was my 2nd great-grandpa, James William Cox, Jr. (1850-1933) whom she married in 1872 and divorced in 1885.) I've been searching for Sarah and Josephus for many years with no clue as to what may have happened to them after 1910.
Recently bought a kayak and have been looking at the lakes and water way's in the Knox County area and heard of this website. To my surprise found out about the 'Paddle The Cumberland' . I would like to help promote and make this a great event for the Knox Ccounty area. Kayaking has really became a big sport in the surrounding lakes and water ways ... thanks
I am searching for old pictures of the Broughton Family- Job Broughton Lineage line-
Thank you,
Robert Broughton
Cleveland, TN
You file Drawer #3 that contains Broughton Genealogy- when could I come and study those files? Time and days-- I am the Great Grandson to James B. Broughton (1864-1917) I like to work on my family genealogy.
Thank you,
Robert D. Broughton