Caldwell County’s official historian, Sam Steger, passed away over the weekend.

His contributions to the preservation of local and regional history are immeasurable.

“I can’t think of another person who knew the history of this county, its families, the history of this state like Mr. Steger knew it,” said director of George Coon Public Library Judy Boaz.

“But his legacy will live on in his extensive research materials which he donated to the library.”

Steger gave the local library all of his historic research materials. They are housed in the genealogy section of the library, and Boaz said are available for viewing by the public.

“We were very proud to be the recipient of Mr. Steger’s papers and notes,” said Boaz. “They have proven to be very useful to those interested in researching local and area history.”

Steger’s files contain information on Caldwell and surrounding counties, notable people, the Black Patch Wars, trade and commerce in the area and education.

Steger was reared on a farm in Union County, but settled in Princeton in 1946.

A graduate of Morganfield High School, he was granted a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Kentucky University in 1942.

Immediately upon graduation from Western he entered the U.S. Army as an officer. His service during World War II extended for approximately four years and culminated as a combat tank officer in the English Armored Division.

Steger was decorated for his military service with the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and the European Campaign Medal with four bronze stars noting he had participated in three different campaigns in the European Theater.

When Steger and his wife Catherine Joiner Steger settled in Princeton in early 1946, he opened Steger Lumber Company. During the early 1950s, he founded Steger Construction Company as well.

He moved on to become active in the field of real estate appraisal and in 1967 became a real estate broker in Caldwell and surrounding counties.

Steger also served on the faculties of Western Kentucky University and Murray State University as an adjunct instructor in the field of real estate.

He led the movement for the organization of the Pennyrile Board of Realtors, served as president of that board and chairman of the Roundtable of Small Real Estate Boards of the Kentucky Association of Realtors.

He was involved in regional and Princeton community activities that included serving for a number of years as vice president of Kentucky Western Water Lands, a promotional group for the Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley and Land Between the Lakes recreational region; four years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Western Kentucky University Alumni Association; President of the Princeton Rotary Club; Commander of the Ray-Crider-McNabb Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars; member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; appointed to the Princeton Water and Wastewater Commission; chairman of the Democratic Party; County Fund Chairman for the American Red Cross; and for a number of years was deacon, Sunday School teacher and Training Union Director at First Baptist Church of Princeton.

Steger also followed a vocation of the study and research of western Kentucky and Caldwell County history. In following that pursuit, he was a member of both the Filson Club, the Kentucky Historical Society, Jackson Purchase Historical Society, Caldwell County Historical Society, Lyon County Historical Society and Pennyrile Historical Society.

He also served on the Caldwell County Bicentennial Committee and was active in the effort to refurbish the Butler school building.

He wrote historical columns regularly for the Caldwell County Times, Princeton Leader and Lyon County Herald Ledger and his work was compiled in a book.

His efforts in the area of state history were recognized by the governor of Kentucky who appointed him as a representative to the 16-member Kentucky Heritage Council.

Steger was honored numerous times by local civic organizations with such awards as the Woodmen of the World Citizen of the Year and Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Achievement award.

Steger also gave of himself to deliver speeches to numerous organizations whenever called upon. A collection of these speeches can be found in the Steger files at the George Coon Public Library.

And he always made himself available to answer questions.

“I went to Mr. Sam for a lot of advice,” said Caldwell County Judge/Executive Van Knight. “The monument that sits out in front of the courthouse is a good example of that. We called on him for some advice when that monument was proposed.

“And if you ever had a question about any road in this county or this part of the state for that matter, he could answer it.”

Knight said in addition to giving advice, Steger made other contributions to the county, including the 41 Bill Granstaff prints that hang in the Caldwell County Courthouse.

“He donated all those prints, plus helped us get them framed and even helped us place them,” said Knight.

Knight said as far as he is concerned, Steger will be hard to replace as county historian.

“As far as historians go, he can’t be replaced,” said Knight. “Not only was he full of knowledge, he was a good man. And I am going to miss him.”