WHO:

Magoffin County KY Founders Days Festival Committee of Interested Citizens

WHAT:

A county festival for the people of Magoffin County and those who have roots in eastern Kentucky and others who are interested in the genealogy and history of our area, was sponsored by the Magoffin County Historical Society.

The Festival offered young people opportunities to enter contests and win prize money for excelling in academic subjects such as math, spelling, essay writing, and art. Pageants were held for young people from age one day to age 14 for boys and girls and for young women from age 17 to age 26. Entrants gained confidence and poise by speaking and/or performing before an audience. The parade, drama, fashion shows, pet shows, clogging and other dance exhibitions, and specialty acts offered other opportunities for young people to perform before large appreciative audiences.

A family surname was selected each year and that family was honored for their contributions to the development of our county. A book of genealogy was prepared and the family surname was engraved on a marker on the Community Center lawn. These markers also serve as historical landmarks for visitors to our area. The markers, along with our printed publications and log cabins, bring many visitors to our county all year long.

WHEN:

The festival was previously held in the fall during the week before Labor Day.

WHERE:

The festival was held in Salyersville, KY, the county seat of Magoffin County. Most activities took place at the Magoffin County Historical Society Log Cabin Complex located beside the Lloyd M. Hall Community Center.

WHY:

Our county was established and named in 1860. Before that we were part of Floyd, Johnson, and Morgan counties. Our area was settled mostly by the families of Revolutionary War soldiers and pioneers from the Carolinas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and other states who wanted to find a good place to settle and raise their families.

Our residents today are, for the most part, descendants of these hardy pioneers who carved from the wilderness homeplaces and livelihoods for their families. These descendants continue to live on and love the land of their illustrious ancestors. The Magoffin County KY Founders Days Festival works toward honoring these ancestors and allows us to show our pride in our eastern Kentucky heritage and our county.