Graves

Formed January 1, 1824 (76^th county)

Graves County (36,657), Mayfield (10,020)

The clock tower on the 1888 dark red brick Victorian building stands out in the community.  Built on Broadway between 6^th and 7^th streets, United States Highway 45 passes beside this courthouse.  The building was enlarged in 1939 and renovated 1990.  The courthouse architects are H. P. McDonald & Brothers.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  This courthouse was severely damaged in December 2021.  The county was organized on January 1, 1824 from Hickman County as the 76^th county with Mayfield as the only county seat.  The county is named for War of 1812 hero Major Benjamin Franklin Graves.  Mayfield Creek is the namesake of the county seat. 

Graves County government consists of a sheriff, County Judge Executive, and 3 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge and One District Court Judge serve Graves County.  The county is in far west Kentucky.  Paducah, Kentucky is directly north of the county.  The county center is 6.4 miles Southwest of Mayfield nearer Pryorsburg.  The county is surrounded clockwise by McCracken, Marshall, and Calloway counties and Tennessee and Hickman and Carlisle counties. 

The area of the county is 556 square miles.  It is 7 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 29 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 65.9 persons per square mile making it 55 out of 120 in the state.  Graves County has 28.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 45 goes north to southwest through the county from McCracken County to Hickman County.  The county is a tall rectangle.  Mayfield is located near the center of the county.  Mayfield is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 27.3% of the county population.  This county is in the Mayfield Micropolitan Statistical Area.