Greenville is privileged to be the home of Muhlenberg County Public Libraries’ Thistle Cottage Museum & Archives, located at 122 South Cherry Street. Thistle Cottage is a historic home built in 1912 by William Graham Duncan, owner of the Duncan Coal Company, in the Spanish Mission Revival style. The home, which is part of the National Register’s South Cherry Street Historical District, features a red tile roof, stained glass windows, intricate inlaid wood flooring, and multiple other notable architectural details.
The home was donated to the city of Greenville in 1986 by Hamilton R. Duncan Sr., grandson of builder W.G. Duncan, and it officially opened as a museum in 1989. The museum includes memorabilia from Muhlenberg County schools, businesses, coal mines and more, as well as a temporary exhibit gallery that hosts rotating art and history exhibits throughout the year.
A portion of the museum also serves as community event space (subject to availability) when the library is closed. A fee of $125 per 4-hour rental is assessed for using the facility.
In late 2013, ownership of Thistle Cottage was transferred from the city of Greenville to Muhlenberg County Public Libraries. The History and Genealogy Annex library then moved to Thistle Cottage in 2018, creating a full-service history museum and archives facility all in one building. The museum is located on the main floor of the building (accessible through the home’s front door), and the archives and research facilities are located on the lower level (accessible through the double doors on the side of the building off the parking lot).
Thistle Cottage is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as special events throughout the year. Walk-in access to specific records or exhibits may be available but is not guaranteed due to periodic staff limitations. Appointments are recommended if you need to access specific materials. You may also make an appointment for basic genealogy training/assistance with staff if you need help getting started.
If you need information but are unable to visit Thistle Cottage in person, staff may be available to assist with simple searches or inquiries on a limited basis.
Please call 270-338-4760 for more information about Thistle Cottage, to make an appointment or submit a request for information.
In-depth research services are also available (dependent upon staff availability) for a fee of $25 per hour ($12.50 minimum), plus copies and postage charges. A deposit will be required before work begins. Please contact us for more information about this service.
Thistle Cottage Resources
- Leader-News and Times-Argus newspapers on microfilm or digital format (1934 to the present plus some older editions of local papers)
- Extensive collection of family genealogy books and local county history and genealogy materials
- Significant collection of other counties’ history and genealogy books and including other states
- Access to Ancestry.com and Family Search Affiliate records
- Detailed Sanborn maps of Greenville and Central City
- Extensive vertical files containing family records, research notes, newspaper clippings and pamphlets pertaining to towns, businesses and citizens of the area
- Church histories including clippings and photographs
- Cemetery records
- Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, World War I & World War II info
- Kentucky Death Certificates (1911 – 1967)
- Births/Deaths Information for Kentucky (1911 – 1999) in physical and digital formats
- Other official records and documents, including censuses, vital statistics, court records, will and deed indices, and more
- Public access computer for genealogical research
- History and art exhibits with self-guided or staff-led tours
- Community event space (fee applies)
Local historic tour guides are available in a print format at the museum and archives facility or online at the following links:
Central City Historic Driving Tour
Greenville Historic Driving Tour (coming soon!)
Other online resources provided by the library include:
Ancestry Library Edition is now available for free at all library branches! You can access Ancestry from any device connected to our network.
(This service is only available on library premises.)
Use at home online with your library card!
Heritage Quest provides access to many useful records for those doing genealogical research. Muhlenberg County Public Libraries cardholders can access Heritage Quest for free from any location; simply sign in with your library card number (also known as a “barcode” on Heritage Quest) when prompted at the log in page.
