Explore McLean County, Kentucky

McLean County, located in the state’s Western Coal Region, was created in 1854. The county was formed by taking land from three other counties- Daviess, Muhlenberg, and Ohio. The county was named for Judge Alney McLean. He traveled from North Carolina to Kentucky and settled in the McLean County area around the turn of the nineteenth century. Alney McLean became a prominent politician for the area. Other famous Kentuckians connected to McLean County include Charles Hansford, William Worthington, and James Bethel Gresham.

The terrain of McLean County consists of low hills and flat valleys. The Green River runs through the middle of the county. This waterway brought settlers to the area and became an important transportation line with the invention of steamboats and installation of locks along the river. Additionally, the Green River helped build the county’s cities of Calhoun and Rumsey.

Becoming the 103rd county in Kentucky, McLean County holds a rich history from steamboat inventors to Civil War encampments that can be discovered on this tour. We hope you will use this app to better understand the important part McLean County has played in Kentucky's past.