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, sponsored by the Magoffin County Historical Society.
The Festival offers
young people opportunities to enter contests and win prize money for
excelling in academic subjects such as math, spelling, essay writing,
and art. Pageants are 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
gain 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 offer other opportunities
for young people to perform before large appreciative audiences.
A family surname is
selected each year and that family is honored for their contributions
to the development of our county. A book of genealogy is prepared and
the family surname is engraved on a marker in 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 is held in the fall
during the week before Labor Day.
WHERE:
The festival is held in Salyersville,
KY, the county seat of Magoffin County. Most activities take 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.
