The community that would
become Lone Oak first sprung up around a grist mill built by W.T.
Pepper in the late 1870's. The mill was near the present-day
intersection of Potter (Lone Oak) Road and Lovelaceville
Road. In 1899, D.M. (Doc) Potts, owner
of the first store in Pepper's Mill, applied for a post office.
That name could not be used, so a post office was approved for
"Lone Oak," hastily named for a massive stubby landmark not far
from the mill site.
Since its beginnings, Lone Oak became a bussling suburb of
Paducah. Many families and businesses have come to call the
community home. Lone Oak was first incorporated as a city in
1979. The city had a total area of 0.2 square miles of
land. According to the 2000 census, there were 454 people,
220 households, and 128 families residing in the city. On
November 4, 2008, the citizens of Lone Oak voted 75–64 to
dissolve the city and allow it to be absorbed by McCracken County.
The area is still referred to as the community of Lone Oak.