On June 1, 1792, Kentucky became the 15th state admitted to the Union. It was also the first state admitted from what was then considered, “The West”. Kentucky ranks 26th in US population and 37th in acreage. Nicknamed “The Bluegrass State”, Kentucky citizens are proud of their long history of careful, yet highly productive land and water use. Kentuckians have contributed to the life and well-being not only of the USA but also the world! Here are some interesting things you might not know about this glorious state:
Pronunciation Matters
Here is a question for you. How do you pronounce the capital city of Kentucky? Is it “LEWIS-ville”, “LOUIE-ville”, or perhaps, “LOO-a-vul”? Nope! None of those is the correct answer. The capital city of Kentucky is pronounced, “FRANK-furt”! The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort, a fact that many folks outside of the state don’t know. Louisville may be the largest city in Kentucky, but it is not the state seat of government. That honor belongs to Frankfort and the citizens of that city want to be certain that others know that fact!
Origins of the word “Kentucky”
There are several stories about the origin of the word, “Kentucky”. Consensus is that it actually comes from a Native American word. However, there is no proof as to which tribe. It might have been from the Iroquois word, “ken-take” meaning “meadow-land”. It also may have roots in the Wyandotte, Cherokee, and Iroquois shared word, “ken-tah-the”, meaning “land of tomorrow”. The Algonquian word,”kin-athiki” and a similar Shawnee word, both being connected to “river”, might also have brought modern day “Kentucky” to our vocabulary.
Well-known Kentucky Politicians
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the USA, was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky. His wife, Mary Todd Lincoln was born in Lexington. It is interesting to note that Jefferson Davis, Commander of the Confederate States in the Civil War, was also born in Fairview, Kentucky about 100 miles and 1 year apart from Lincoln! Both men were born in log cabins. Although both men participated in the Black Hawk War, they never claimed to have met one another. Davis had already become the Commander of the Confederate States, when Lincoln was on his way to Washington to his inauguration.
Politician Henry Clay was born in Kentucky and represented that state in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. He also served as Speaker of the House, and as Secretary of State. He played a pivotal role in ending the War of 1812 and also the war with Mexico.
Alben Barkley, a politician and lawyer who served in and for Kentucky for many years, had the distinction of being the oldest Vice-President when he entered office with Harry Truman in 1949.
Bluegrass is not Really Blue
Bluegrass is not actually blue. It received its name from the blue flower that buds at the tip of the blade each Spring. When looking out over open meadow, the grass itself appears to be blue! Limestone enriches the soil wherein the bluegrass (horticultural name: pora pratensis), grows makes it an excellent source of grazing for animals, particularly for Thoroughbred horses.
Lexington is known as “Horse Capital of the World”
Lexington is the second largest city in Kentucky. Situated in the heart of the Bluegrass region, it is known as “The Horse Capital of the World” as well as “Thoroughbred City”. Thriving horse farms dot the landscape around Lexington. There are three horserace tracks, “Keeneland”, “Red Mile”, and “Kentucky Horse Park”. Every year hundreds of people descend upon Lexington for the horse sales. Even the Queen of England has made the pilgrimage to Lexington to purchase Thoroughbred horses, one of her passions and an award-winning part of the horse legends in Kentucky as well as around the world. Most of the horses who will enter the Kentucky Derby are brought to Lexington for training. Keeneland Racetrack is open early each day so that visitors may watch those horses as they workout and race. “Man-o’-War”, arguably the most famous racehorse of all time, was born and raised in Lexington.
Inventors and inventions
Inventions that changed the world have their roots in Kentucky. In 1892, three years prior to Marconi’s claim to have invented the radio, Nathan Stubblefield, farmer, mystic, and amateur electrician, figured out how to transmit voices through the air, a forerunner of the radio and the eventual wireless telephone! The first enameled bathtub was made in Kentucky in 1856. The only place in the world where you can see a Chevrolet Corvette role off the assembly line is in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In Corbin, Kentucky, Harlan Sanders opened the first Kentucky Fried Chicken (now known as “KFC”), using his own recipe. Garret Morgan used his ingenuity to invent that clever device that purportedly keeps auto accidents lower in frequency, the traffic light! He also invented a breathing device that was successfully used in 1916 to save some men who were trapped in a tunnel under Lake Erie. Long before JM Smucker bought the company, “Jif” peanut butter was created and introduced to consumers in 1958. Those famous “Post-It Notes” were invented in 1968 and are still made only in Cynthiana, Kentucky. Elijah Craig is credited with aging corn whiskey in charred oak barrels, creating what came to be called, “bourbon”. Craig was, in fact, a Baptist minister!
Music
Music, and music-making, have long been an integral part of Kentucky culture. In 1817, at a Lexington tavern Anthony Philip Heinrich, who had immigrated from Bohemia, led the first performance in the United States of Ludwig Von Beethoven’s Symphony Number 1. While there are demonstrable roots of what is called, “Bluegrass Music” from European folk music, Bill Monroe gave the style its name. Born in Rosine in 1911, Monroe turned up the tempo; added mandolins and banjos; double timed the picking and used a more nasal high pitched “wail” style in his singing. His music and his band, “The Blue Grass Boys”, became the standard for the genre, and influenced diverse musicians such as Elvis Presley and Jerry Garcia. Sister schoolteachers Patty and Mildred Hill hold the claim to creating the song we know as “Happy Birthday”. The song was originally written as “Good Morning to All” and sung in Patty’s kindergarten class in the 1890’s. The sisters altered the words to “Happy Birthday to You” whenever a child in the classroom had a birthday. After a long and convoluted journey, the song finally entered public domain thanks to a court ruling.
Celebrations!
The folks in Kentucky know how to celebrate occasions and events. The famous “Kentucky Derby”, held each May in Louisville, is the culmination of over one month of celebrating in advance of the race itself. There are marathon races to cheer or participate. There are hot-air balloon events. “The Great Steamboat Race” involves paddle-wheelers racing on the Ohio River. Parades are a must see, and one of the nation’s largest fireworks displays, “Thunder Over Louisville” happens, too. There are pageants, parties, special foods, charitable activities, all designed to help kick-off the “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” event that is the Derby itself. The tradition of ladies’ hats at the Derby is an entire article of its own!
Every Halloween there are upwards of 2,000 “zombies” who rise from historic Kentucky Theatre in Lexington and dance their way down the street to the music of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Lexington was the first city to have a “Thriller” re-enactment and the tradition has stayed very much deadly alive!
Fourth of July activities in Lexington last for four days with parties, fireworks, entertainment, food, and fun for all ages.
Owensboro hosts the “International Bar-B-Q Festival” each year. Barbeque has many different recipes throughout Kentucky, each area claiming its sauce as the best. At the festival visitors can dine on “burgoo”, a stew dish native to Kentucky that holds mutton, chicken, and vegetables.
Creativity
Throughout the state there are places where time tested arts and crafts are taught and practiced. Everything from pottery, woodworking, quilting and hand sewing, painting and more can be found in this great state. Folks place great value on hand-crafted items and the techniques have been passed down through generations. There are museums all over the state housing and showcasing the talents and abilities of Kentucky citizens.
Quirkiness
In Florence, Kentucky, there is a huge water tower that can be seen from the highway. The words “Florence Y’all” appear on the sign. That sign originally said, “Florence Mall”, to advertise a new shopping venue in the area. The State chose to see it as advertising (and in fact it was), thereby declaring it to be in violation of state ordinances regarding signage. Rather than tear it all down, the mayor suggested changing the “M” to a “Y’” – and now a festival happens every year to celebrate, “Florence, Y’all”!
There is a law in Lexington that forbids carrying an ice cream cone in your back pocket. Really. It’s a law.
In 1933, Dr. Thomas Hunt Morgan received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in acknowledgement of his work in the field of genetics. Despite that great achievement, the newspaper in his Lexington hometown titled the article, “Nephew of John Hunt Morgan wins Nobel Prize”.
The Jif Peanut Butter factory produces more peanut butter than any other factory in the world.
Children, and adults, are certainly grateful for that fact!
There are 120 counties in Kentucky. A few stand out from the others. “Christian County” allows liquor to be sold and served. “Bourbon County” doesn’t allow liquor to be sold or served. Then, of course, there is “Barren County” where the agricultural output is one of the best in the nation.
And last, but not least, 95% of all bourbon produced in the world is produced in Kentucky. There are nearly 6 million barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky distilleries, outnumbering the state’s population by nearly 2 million. Are you thirsty? – Ryan Smith