History

Calloway Monument Company is a locally-owned and operated business which has been in operation since 1944. The original log cabin, built in 1931, is still standing at 1707 West Main Street in Murray, Kentucky. It was built with chestnut logs and brought by wagon from Whiskey Ridge, Illinois. It was first used as a service station for a few years and then was a hamburger and barbeque place operated by Charles Robertson. The building next to the log cabin is the original Culley Steele Store which came from Kentucky Lake in 1943 before the lake was raised.

The store was purchased by Vester Orr and Cletus McClain then placed at the previous location on Main Street. The business then became known as Calloway Monument Company in the spring of 1944. Jim Smothers started working for the company in 1947. He continued working for the company and became the owner in the mid 1970's. Mr. Smothers continued his tenure at the company until his death in 1998 at which time his daughter, Jennifer Morris, became the owner and still works at Calloway County Monument Company today. Calloway Monument Company is now owned by Mike Garland and Jeremy Grogan.

Many advances have been made in the monument business since it's beginning in 1944. A modern computer system offers unique and individualized layouts for a variety of personal preferences. Recently hand etchings have been added as a choice for many monument designs.