Graves County, Kentucky

Graves County, Kentucky
Graves County Courthouse in Mayfield
Location in the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location in the U.S.
Founded	1824
Named for	Benjamin F. Graves
Seat	Mayfield
Largest city	Mayfield
Area
• Total	557 sq mi (1,443 km2)
• Land	552 sq mi (1,430 km2)
• Water	5.0 sq mi (13 km2), 0.9%
Population
• (2010)	37,121
• Density	67/sq mi (26/km²)
Congressional district	1st
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.gravescountyky.com

Graves County is a county located in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,121. Its county seat is Mayfield. The county was formed in 1824 and was named for Major Benjamin Franklin Graves, a politician and fallen soldier in the War of 1812.

Graves County comprises the Mayfield, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Paducah-Mayfield, KY-IL Combined Statistical Area.

Graves County is a "limited" dry county, meaning that sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except for wine and beer. The city of Mayfield has full alcohol service in both bars and restaurants.

Graves County was named for Capt. Benjamin Franklin Graves, who was one of numerous Kentucky officers killed after being taken as a prisoner in the disastrous 1813 Battle of Raisin River in Michigan Territory during the War of 1812. He disappeared while being forced by Potawatomi to walk to the British Fort Malden in Amherstburg, Ontario. The Indians killed prisoners who could not keep up. Nearly 400 Kentuckians died in the January 22 battle, the highest fatality of any single battle during the war.

Graves is one of Kentucky's largest counties. The fertile land attracted early settlers from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, who brought with them education, culture, and a fierce determination to succeed. They put down roots to blend a political, economic, and social environment unique, perhaps only to Graves County.