Manuscript Collections

The Manuscript Collections contain family papers, diaries, church records, business records, papers of Kentucky authors, genealogical collections, 19th century manuscripts, historical materials relating to Kentucky and the Ohio River Valley region, and 20th century political collections of national importance. Major collections include:

• Henry Clay Memorial Foundation Papers – papers of the Clay, McDowell, and Bullock families, including correspondence, diaries, and account books, along with paintings and everyday objects
• W. Hugh Peal Manuscript Collection – correspondence, poems, and other writings of 19th century authors and intellectuals
• Wade Hall Collection of American Letters – letters, diaries, postcards, and scrapbooks from everyday men and women all over North America, from the Civil War to the Korean War. For more information, visit our Wade Hall Collection Research Guide

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