Kentucky was the 15th state to be admitted in the United States on June 1, 1792. It’s located in the Southeastern region while it’s also one of the states of the Upper South of the United States. Kentucky, officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is bordered by Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia and Virginia to the east, Tennessee to the south, and Missouri to the west. Let’s find out 10 interesting facts about Kentucky in this article.
1. Kentucky is One of Only Four U.S. States to Use the Term “Commonwealth” in Official Name
There are only four states in the United States that use the term “Commonwealth” in their official name and Kentucky is one of them. The other three are Massachusetts, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Kentucy itself is historically a splitting from Virginia before its statehood.
2. The Capital City of Kentucky is Frankfort, While Its Largest City is Louisville
Frankfort is the capital city of Kentucky, while the largest city of Kentucky is Louisville. Louisville is also the largest metro and urban area of Kentucky. As the largest city of Kentucky, Louisville is the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville was founded in 1778 and named after King Louis XVI of France. It’s one of the oldest cities west of the Appalachians.
3. World’s Longest Cave System is Located in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Mammoth Cave, located in Mammoth Cave National Park, is the longest cave system known in the world with more than 420 miles (680 km) of surveyed passageways. Mammoth Cave is nearly twice as long as the second-longest cave system, Mexico’s Sac Actun underwater cave. Mammoth Cave National Park was established to preserve the cave system.
4. Kentucky Produces 95% of the World’s Supply of Bourbon Whiskey
As of 2018, approximately 95% of all bourbon is produced in Kentucky. There were more than 50 whiskey distilleries for bourbon production in Kentucky as of 2019. The number of barrels of bourbon being aged in Kentucky (more than 5.7 million) exceeds the state’s population. Kentucky’s bourbon production has been growing from year to year.
5. Old Louisville is the Largest Victorian Historic Neighborhood in the United States
Old Louisville is the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture. It’s also the third-largest National Preservation District in the United States. Old Louisville hosts the St. James Court Art Show, the largest outdoor art show in the United States since 1957.
6. Kentucky Has a Non-Contiguous Part Known as Kentucky Bend
Kentucky Bend is a non-contiguous part of Kentucky that is located at the far west corner of the state. As an exclave, Kentucky Bend is surrounded completely by Missouri and Tennessee but it belongs to Fulton County of Kentucky. Road access to Kentucky Bend requires a trip through Tennessee. Kentucky Bend is basically a result of surveying error in the past.
7. Black Mountain is the Highest Natural Point of Kentucky
The highest natural point of Kentucky is Black Mountain with a summit elevation of 4,145 feet (1,263 m). Black Mountain is alternatively known as Katahrin’s Mountain. It’s located in Harlan County, Kentucky near the Virginia border. Route 160 east of Lynch and west of Appalachia crosses the mountain.
8. Northern Cardinal is the Official State Bird of Kentucky
The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is the official state bird of Kentucky that was designated in 1926. The Northern cardinal is a popular state bird as it becomes the state bird of 7 states. Besides Kentucky, the Northern cardinal is also the state bird of Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.
9. Goldenrod is the Official State Flower of Kentucky
In 1926, Goldenrod was designated as the official state flow of Kentucky. Goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) is North American plant species that reaches heights of up to 2 m (6.6 ft). It can be found in most of non-arctic North America east of the Rocky Mountains. Besides the state flower of Kentucky, Goldenrod is also the official state flower of Nebraska.
10. Tulip Poplar is the Official State Tree of Kentucky
Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), also known as the Tulip tree, is the official state tree of Kentucky. Tulip poplar is the tallest eastern hardwood that can grow to more than 50 m (160 ft) and can be found widely in eastern North America from Southern Ontario and possibly southern Quebec to Illinois eastward to southwestern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and south to central Florida and Louisiana. The tulip tree is also the state tree of Indiana and Tennessee.
Besides those 10 facts about Kentucky, there are surely many more interesting facts about this Bluegrass State. It’s surely welcome if you want to add other interesting facts about Kentucky.