A few of Kentucky's Hidden Treassures housed in Crittenden County Historical Museum

The Crittenden County Historical Museum is housed in the oldest church in Marion, built in 1881.  The interior of the Church includes the original wood floors, pulpit, balcony and stain glass windows. Among the hundreds of local items on display is a large collection of military uniforms and service-related articles, dating back to the Civil War; a 200 year old loom; spinning wheels; a large collection of farm related items; the bell from the county's first court house;

church bells with funeral toller; old telephone switchboard; a large collection of old Marion photos; vintage clothing and accessories dating back to the early 1900's; papers and memorabilia from Marion's two United Sates senators; memorabilia, pictures and histories of many of the one room school houses.
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM.
(April 1st through October 31st) Free admission.

Special tours in the off-season can be arranged. email us!

History of Ben. E. Clement and the Heritage of Mining

(Information extracted from the Fall 2000 article in the MATRIX.)
Ben E. Clement arrived in the fluorspar district of Kentucky just prior to the 1920’s, a period which coincided with the economic growth of the fluorspar industry.  With a dream of establishing his own business, Clement used his limited resources to operate a succession of fluorspar mines. 

These mines were successful in supplying fluorspar ore to the growing US steel industry where it was used as a flux.  When foreign ore became cheaper for the industry in the early 1960’s, Clement turned his attention toward supplying fluorite and accessory minerals to a growing collector market, an endeavor he continued until his death in 1980.  

During his career in mining, Clement recognized that he was experiencing a segment of American industrial history not likely to be duplicated.  As a result, he undertook a preservation effort of monumental proportions.  Today we have thousands of fluorite specimens, accessory minerals, photographs, letters, records and other memorabilia collected by Mr. Clement.  It is the finest legacy of physical evidence and connects us to this little-known segment of American mineral history.   This treasure trove of collected material has been opened to the public, at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum in Marion, Kentucky.

The Heritage of Mining in Western Kentucky

Crittenden County is believed to be the first place in Kentucky where the mineral fluorspar was mined. The Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District is located in Crittenden, Livingston, and Caldwell counties of western Kentucky and adjacent Hardin and Pope Counties in southern Illinois. The western Kentucky Fluorspar District was mined prior to the Civil War.  In 1836, President Andrew Jackson  was part owner of the Columbia Mine, located 41/2 miles W-NW of Marion, where night digs are now conducted.  The main purpose of this mine was to extract galena for the lead and silver content (approximately 2 oz of silver per ton of galena). Fluorspar was also recovered from the mine but there was no market for it at the time.  Not until 1873, were uses for fluorspar recognized in lowering the melting temperature of iron to remove impurities (flux) during smelting.  Since mining began in 1873, the Western Kentucky Fluorspar District has produced about 3.5 million tons of fluorspar, 70,000 tons of zinc, 12,500 tons of lead, and 45,000 tons of barite concentrate.  Trace elements such as silver, copper, cadmium and gallium have also been recovered.  Thirty percent of the fluorspar came from the Tabb Fault system, a major curvilinear fault in southern Crittenden County.(Trace and Amos, 1984)



Economics has always played an integral part in the business of mining. Between 1900 and 1950, the use of fluorite in steel, aluminum, chemicals, glass, and nuclear processes gave birth to hundreds of mines that supplied, by river and rail, over 40 percent of the world's needs.

After 1950 a tremendous influx of inexpensive foreign fluorspar sharply curtailed domestic production.   Subsequent years have resulted in the progressive loss of the steel, aluminum, and chemical industry to overseas firms putting to rest an industry that had vigorously led the world in production.

There are only a couple of operating mines today.  Plans to expand the mining operations in the future are underway.  It is believed that there are still substantial reserves of fluorspar, lead, and zinc in deep deposits.

Regional History

Early in the history of the District, there were shallow seas that left deposits of limestone and sandstone in layers.  As the continents began to push out of the seas and tectonic plates moved across the earth’s crust, there were earthquakes, faulting, folding, and volcanic events in the area.  The Hicks Dome explosive magmatic event occurred in southern Illinois.  This event released magmatic and hydrothermal fluids that were rich in metals such as sphalerite, galena, barite and calcium into the crust below the surface.  Over time, these hydrothermal fluids dissolved in water to form brines that mixed with hot fluorine-rich magmatic gases, resulting in precipitation along cracks in the fault systems of the area. This precipitation with time resulted in the formation of the minerals and crystals found in the district.

Migrating Indians discovered the soft, colorful deposits of fluorite in the forests of what is today the Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky Fluorspar Region. Using stone-age technology, they were the first to fashion ornaments and carvings from the mineral. Some of these objects are on display in the museum today.  Unknown to them, were the secrets of fluorite, that in the years to come would give rise to a global industry.

To contact Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum  by Phone - (270)-965-4263 or email beclement@att.net                 

Come Find Your Antique Treasures in Marion, Kentucky!

Make Your First Stop in Marion the Welcome Center located at 213 South Main St., Marion KY 42064.

Hunting & Fishing in Crittenden County

Western Kentucky has long been known as a Hunter's Paradise, as Teddy Roosevelt and Daniel Boone testified. We have an abundance of deer, dove, wild turkey, rabbit, squirrel, and other wild game. But despite the abundance, you can still expect a challenge!

Click here for the Hunting Lodge Directory


The Ohio River provides a wide variety of species, including crappie, black and white bass, sunfish, sauger, and catfish. The large mouth bass fishing is outstanding enough to attract several local and national bass tournaments. The angling possibilities are wide enough in numbers and variety to satisfy the most demanding fisherman. For easy access to the river, boat ramps with ample parking are located.

Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake, within 20 miles of Marion, offer some of the best crappie, bass, catfish and bluegill fishing in the nation. Professionals and amateurs alike enjoy the vast fishing opportunities these great lakes have to offer. Click Here for More Hunting Information

White Tail Deer are Kentucky's favorite game animal, and Crittenden County ranks second in the state for the number of deer harvested. Seasons for archery, muzzle loaders, and modern firearms are scheduled between September and January. Regulations vary year by year and county by county; they are outline in the current Deer Guide available from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Marion's annual Big Buck competition attracts hunters from across the nation!

Wild Turkey. Kentucky's turkey restoration program has become a model for the nation over the past decade and a half. Crittenden County has both a Spring and Fall Turkey Hunting Season. Some of the best gobbler hunting in Kentucky is found in Crittenden County. An annual guide to turkey hunting is published by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources,
1 Game Farm Road
Frankfort, KY 40601.

For the help desk call: 1-800-858-1549
or visit their web site at www.fw.ky.gov

Crittenden County Conservation Officer: Randy Conway, 270-965-3049

Public Hunting Areas
Wildlife management Areas operated by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife in the region provide a variety of game, but hunting is often under special regulations and seasons.

Located in Henderson County and Union County:

Sloughs Wildlife Management Area is 10,000 acres of mostly Ohio River bottoms in four separate units is home to upward of 30,000 geese and thousands of ducks winter here annually. Hunting opportunities also include deer, turkey, swamp rabbit, coyote, squirrel, quail and dove. Contact Mike Morton at 270-827-2673

Located in neighboring Union County is the Higginson-Henry Wildlife Management Area, 5,424 acre area provides a variety of public hunting opportunities including deer, dove, rabbit, quail, squirrel, woodcock, turkey, fox and coyote.

This area also offers ten miles of hiking trails as well as 18 miles of roads including many old roads which may be hiked and an 80 acre lake with two smaller lakes. Camping and picnic areas are available.

There are also wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities with more than 135 species of birds, including dove, quail, woodcock, turkey and bald eagles.

Coyote, deer, red and grey fox, rabbit, raccoon, groundhog, and red, grey and fox squirrel have been also been sighted here.

Contact Scott Buser at 270-389-3580

KY Basic Fishing Guide		KY Basic Hunting Guide

Boat Ramps:

• E-town Landing, Highway 297
• Cave in Rock Ferry Landing, Highway 91 N
• Dam 50, Highway 387