Formed April 1, 1842 (95th county)
Marshall County (31,661), Benton (4,755)
The concrete and glass 2003 Justice Center adds to the 1915 Beaux Arts and Neo-Classical courthouse. The courthouse is on a square at Main, 11th, Poplar, and 12th streets. United States Highway 641 is Main Street. Clifford Shopbell is the dark red brick courthouse architect. Veteran memorials are on the grounds. There was an 1888 earlier courthouse also in Benton, the only county seat. The county was taken from Calloway County on April 1, 1842 as the 95th county. It is named for United States Chief Justice John Marshall. The county seat is named for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton.
Marshall County government consists of a sheriff, County Judge Executive, and 3 Commissioners. One Circuit Court Judge, One District Court Judge, and One Family Court Judge serve Marshall and Calloway counties. Marshall County is located in western Kentucky. The Tennessee River forms its northern and eastern borders. Paducah, Kentucky is northwest and Owensboro, Kentucky is northeast of the county. The county center is 4.4 miles Northeast of Benton nearer Briensburg. The county is surrounded clockwise by Livingston, Lyon, Trigg, Calloway, Graves, and McCracken counties.
The area of the county is 305 square miles. It is 63 out of 120 in the state. It ranks 32 out of 120 in population in the state. It has a density of 103.8 persons per square mile making it 27 out of 120 in the state. Marshall County has 24.8% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 24 goes east to west in the county from Livingston County to McCracken County. United States Highway 62 parallels Interstate Highway 24 from Livingston to McCracken counties. United States Highway 68 travels southeast to northwest from Lyon County to McCracken County. United States Highway 641 enters joined with United States Highway 62 from Livingston County, splits and exits south into Calloway County. The county’s shape resembles the end of a bullet. Benton is located in the southern half of the county. Benton is the county seat and the largest city. It is 15.0% of the county population.
Benton
Calvert City
Hardin
