name	Lexington
official name	Lexington-FayetteUrban County
Settlement type	Consolidated city-county
Nickname	"Horse Capital of the World", "Athens of the West"
Website	http://www.lexingtonky.gov/
Map caption	Location in the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Coordinates display	inline,title
Coordinates region	US-KY
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision type2	Counties
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision name1	Kentucky
Subdivision name2	Fayette
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Jim Gray (D)
Area magnitude	1 E8
Area total km2	739.5
Area total sq mi	285.5
Area land km2	736.9
Area land sq mi	284.5
Area water km2	2.6
Area water sq mi	1.0
Area urban km2	180.1
Population as of	2010
Population total	295,803
Population density km2	364.5
Population density sq mi	953
Population urban	260,994
Population metro	472,099
Population blank1 title	Demonym
Population blank1	Lexingtonian
Timezone	EST
Utc offset	−5
Timezone dst	EDT
Utc offset dst	−4
Latns	N
Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
Longew	W
Elevation m	298
Elevation ft	978
Postal code type	ZIP Code
Postal code	40502–40517, 40522–40524, 40526, 40533, 40536, 40544, 40546, 40550, 40555, 40574–40583, 40588, 40591, 40598 40514, 40513, 40503
Area code	859
Footnotes	}}

Lexington (officially Lexington-Fayette Urban County) is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region. In the 2010 Census the city's population was 295,803, anchoring a metropolitan area of 472,099 people and a Combined Statistical Area of 687,173 people.

Lexington ranks tenth among US cities in college education rate, with 39.5% of residents having at least a bachelor's degree. It is home to the headquarters of Lexmark International, the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland race course, Red Mile race course, Transylvania University, the University of Kentucky and Bluegrass Community & Technical College.

Lexington was selected as the site of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.

History

Lexington was founded in June 1775 in what was then Virginia (17 years before Kentucky became a state in 1792). A party of frontiersmen, led by William McConnell, camped on the Middle Fork of Elkhorn Creek (today called Town Branch and rerouted under Vine Street) at the location known today as McConnell Springs. Upon hearing of the colonists' victory in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, on April 19, 1775, they named their campsite Lexington after Lexington, Massachusetts. Due to the danger of Indian attacks, permanent settlement was delayed for four years. In 1779, Colonel Robert Patterson and 25 companions came from Fort Harrod and erected a blockhouse. Cabins and a stockade were soon built, making the fort, known as Bryan Station, a place of importance. Colonists defended it against a British and American Indian attack in 1782, during the last part of the American Revolution.

The town of Lexington was established on May 6, 1782, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. The First African Baptist Church was founded c. 1790 by Peter Durrett, a Baptist preacher and slave held by Rev. Joseph Craig. Durrett helped guide "The Traveling Church", a group migration of several hundred pioneers led by the preacher Lewis Craig and Captain William Ellis from Virginia to Kentucky in 1781. It is the oldest black Baptist congregation in Kentucky and the third oldest in the United States.

By 1820, Lexington was one of the largest and wealthiest towns west of the Allegheny Mountains. So cultured was its lifestyle that the city gained the nickname "Athens of the West". One early prominent citizen, John Wesley Hunt, became the first millionaire west of the Alleghenies. The growing town was devastated by a cholera epidemic in 1833: 500 of 7,000 residents died within two months, including nearly one-third of the congregation of Christ Church Episcopal. London Ferrill, second preacher of First African Baptist, was one of three clergy who stayed in the city to serve the suffering. Additional cholera outbreaks occurred in 1848–49 and the early 1850s. Cholera was spread by people using contaminated water supplies, but its transmission was not understood in those years. Often the wealthier people would flee town for outlying areas to try to avoid the spread of disease.

Planters held slaves for use as field hands, laborers, artisans, and domestic servants. In the city, slaves worked primarily as domestic servants and artisans, although they also worked with merchants, shippers, and in a wide variety of trades. In 1850, one-fifth of the state's population were slaves, and Lexington had the highest concentration of slaves in the state. It also had a population of free blacks. By 1850, First African Baptist Church, led by London Ferrill, a free black, had a congregation of 1820, the largest of any, black or white, in the state.

Many of 19th-century America's most important people spent part of their lives in the city, including U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis (who attended Transylvania University in 1823 and 1824); Confederate general John Hunt Morgan; U.S. Senator and Vice President John C. Breckinridge; and Speaker of the House, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State Henry Clay, who had a plantation nearby. Lincoln's wife Mary Todd Lincoln was born and raised in Lexington, and the couple visited the city several times after their marriage in 1842.

In 1935 Lexington founded one of the first drug rehabilitation clinics, known as the "Addiction Research Center". Expanded as the first alcohol and drug rehabilitation hospital in the United States, it was known as "Narco" of Lexington. The hospital was later converted into a federal prison.

Geography

Lexington, which includes all Fayette County, consists of , mostly gently rolling plateau, in the center of the inner Bluegrass Region. The area is noted for its fertile soil, excellent pastureland, and horse and stock farms. ''Poa pratensis'' (bluegrass) thrives on the limestone beneath the soil's surface, playing a major role in the area's scenic beauty and in the development of champion horses. Numerous small creeks rise and flow into the Kentucky River.

The Lexington-Fayette Metro area is home to five counties: Clark, Jessamine, Bourbon, Woodford, and Scott, . This is the second largest metro area in the Ohio Valley and in Kentucky. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (0.35%) is water.

Climate

Lexington is in the humid subtropical climate, although nearing the humid continental climate. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are cool with mild periods.

The average temperature in Lexington is . Annual precipitation is . Lexington and the Bluegrass have four distinct seasons that include cool plateau breezes, moderate nights in the summer, and no prolonged periods of heat, cold, rain, wind, or snow.

Lexington is recognized as a high allergy area by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The results for the spring of 2008 rank Lexington at first.

Cityscape

Lexington features a diverse cityscape. From its vibrant downtown, which supports infill and historic preservation projects, to its famed horse farms, the city prides itself in featuring an urban growth boundary that includes greenbelts and strict zoning definitions. This has been done not only to protect the Bluegrass landscape from further development but to protect thoroughbred horse farms, the trademark industry of the region.

The city is home to several notable high rises. As of 2009, the Lexington Financial Center is the tallest building, followed by Kincaid Towers, and the World Trade Center complex. It is the location of many other notable structures and too many new urban developments in two major districts. In recent years numerous condominium projects and shopping centers have opened in the old Tobacco Warehouse District just south of Downtown. Due to uncertain financial backing, after demolishing the existing historic buildings, construction was permanently halted on what was to be the state's second tallest building/ The site is now planted with grass and fenced off from public access.

Forbes has named Lexington as one of the world's seventeen cleanest cities.

Planning

Lexington faces a rare challenge among American cities in that it must manage a rapidly growing population while maintaining the character of the surrounding horse farms that give the region its identity. To do so Lexington enacted the nation's first Urban Growth Boundary in 1958, where new development could only occur in the Urban Service Area. It set a strict minimum area requirement, currently , to maintain open space in the Rural Service Area. A historic District Zoning Overlay was adopted as well to protect the historic character of the surrounding neighborhoods. Two years later, a comprehensive Design Plan for the downtown was completed, which called for the removal of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway lines on what is today's Vine Street. In 1967, the Urban Service Area was decreased in area; various zoning regulations were also amended from the original 1958 issue. Several years later, in 1973, the first Lexington Comprehensive Plan was completed.

[[Image:DowntownLexUpperJBM.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Cheapside Ave in Downtown, now closed to vehicles]]

In 1980, the Comprehensive Plan was updated and the Urban Service Area was modified to include Urban Activity Centers and Rural Activity Centers. The Urban Activity Centers were commercial and light-industrial districts in urbanized areas, while Rural Activity Centers were retail trade and light-industrial centers clustered around the Interstate 64/Interstate 75 interchanges. In 1996, the Urban Service Area was expanded when of the Rural Service Area was acquired through the Expansion Area Master Plan. This was not without controversy; the first major update to the Comprehensive Plan in over a decade was accompanied by arguments about the future of Lexington and the thoroughbred farms. The Expansion Area Master Plan included impact fees, assessment districts, neighborhood design concepts, design overlays, mandatory greenways, major roadway improvements, stormwater management and open space mitigation for the first time; it also included a draft of the Rural Land Management Plan, which included large-lot zoning and traffic impact controls. A pre-zoning of the entire expansion area was refuted in the Plan. A minimum proposal was also defeated, although discussion of the proposal led to a deluge of subdivisions in the Rural Service Areas.

Three years after the expansion was initiated, the Rural Service Area Land Management Plan was adopted, which increased the minimum lot size in the agricultural rural zones to minimums. In 1998, a moratorium was issued on rural lot creations to curb the development of new rural subdivisions, which were incompatible with the existing agricultural uses. Two years later, the Purchase of Development Rights plan was adopted, which granted the city power to purchase the development rights of existing farms; in 2001, $40 million was allocated to the plan from a $25 million local, $15 million state grant. An Infill and Redevelopment study was also initiated during that time, along with design guidelines for the areas surrounding the new Fayette County courthouses.

Government and politics

Federally, Lexington is part of Kentucky's 6th congressional district, represented by Democrat Ben Chandler, elected in 2004.

The state's senior member of the United States Senate is the Republican Floor Leader, Mitch McConnell, elected in 1984. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Rand Paul, elected in 2010. The Governor of Kentucky is Democrat Steve Beshear, elected in 2007.

In 1974, the governments of the city of Lexington and Fayette County, Kentucky, combined to create the current ''Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government'', often abbreviated ''LFUCG''. Lexington has an elected mayor and city council-style of government.

Mayor

On November 2, 2010, former vice-mayor Jim Gray was elected mayor, becoming the city's first openly gay mayor. He was sworn into office on January 2, 2011, by Kentucky Supreme Court justice Mary Noble. Gray was preceded by Mayor Jim Newberry, and the two collaborated on developing improved industrial and agricultural opportunity for the City of Lexington and the State of Kentucky.

Urban County Council

The Urban County Council is a 15-member legislative group. Twelve of the members represent specific districts and serve two-year terms; three are elected city-wide as at-large council members and serve four-year terms. The at-large member receiving the highest number of votes in the general election automatically becomes the Vice Mayor who, in the absence of the Mayor, is the presiding officer of the Council. The current council members are:

Linda Gorton: Vice Mayor

Chuck Ellinger II: At-Large

Steve Kay: At-Large

1st District: Chris Ford

2nd District: Tom Blues

3rd District: Diane Lawless

4th District: Julian Beard

5th District: Bill Farmer, Jr.

6th District: Kevin Stinnett

7th District: K. C. Crosbie

8th District: George Myers

9th District: Jay McChord

10th District: Doug Martin

11th District: Peggy Henson

12th District: Ed Lane

The Urban County Council Clerk is Susan Lamb.

Law enforcement

Primary law enforcement duties within Lexington are the responsibility of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Police. The Division of Police resulted from the merger of the Lexington Police Department with the Fayette County Patrol in 1974. The Fayette County Sheriff's Office is responsible for court service, including court security, prisoner transport, process and warrant service, and property tax collection. The University of Kentucky Police Department, the Transylvania University Department of Public Safety, Blue Grass Airport Public Safety, Fayette County Schools Department of Law Enforcement, the Veterans Affairs Police Department and the Kentucky Horse Park Police also have jurisdiction within their geographic areas in Lexington-Fayette County. In addition, the Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control exercises law enforcement over animal control issues and the Kentucky State Police, KSP Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources can be seen performing their respective law enforcement duties within the county.

Demographics

The Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Jessamine, Scott, and Woodford counties. The MSA population in 2006 was estimated at 436,684. The Lexington-Fayette-Frankfort-Richmond, KY Combined Statistical Area had an estimated population of 645,006 in 2006. This includes the metro area and an additional seven counties.

As of the census of 2000, there were 260,512 people, 108,288 households, and 62,915 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 116,167 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.04% White, 13.48% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.29% of the population.

There were 108,288 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.

The age distribution was 21.3% under 18, 14.6% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,813, and the median income for a family was $53,264. Males had a median income of $36,166 versus $26,964 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,109. About 8.2% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under the age of 18 and 8.6% of those ages 65 and older.

_{Sources: 1790 to 1960 census: 1970 census: 1980 census: 1990 census: 2000 to 2005 census: 2006 census:}

Economy

With its abundance of government and technology jobs, Lexington has one of the nation's most stable economies. Economists have referred to Lexington as having "a fortified economy, strong in manufacturing, technology and entrepreneurial support, benefiting from a diverse, balanced business base". The Lexington Metro Area had a July 2008 unemployment rate of only 5.4%. Lexington was named the 5th best city for "Businesses and Careers" in 2008 by Forbes Magazine, and the 5th best city for Young Professionals in 2008 by Kiplinger.

As such, the city is home to several large corporations. There are three Fortune 500 companies located within the city, Affiliated Computer Services, Lexmark International and Hewlett Packard, employing 1,200, 3,450, and 250 respectively. United Parcel Service, Trane, Tempur-Pedic and Amazon.com, Inc. have a large presence in the city, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky is within the Lexington CSA in adjoining Georgetown. The city is also host to a Jif peanut butter plant that produces more peanut butter than any other factory in the world, and to the Forcht Group of Kentucky, a holding company that employs more than 2,100 people across Kentucky. Forcht Group operates several businesses in Lexington including First Corbin Bancorp, Kentucky National Insurance Company, My Favorite Things, BSC, a bank data services company, and First Lab, among others.

The citys largest employer, the University of Kentucky, employs 10,668, however, it does not include the College of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service which has a staff of over 900. The University is the ninth largest economic company in the state of Kentucky, with an annual budget of $1.4 billion, and the College of Medicine within the University is the 21st-largest company in the state.

Other sizable employers include the Lexington-Fayette County government and other hospital facilities. This includes the Fayette County Public Schools, employing 4,651, and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, employing 3,936. Central Baptist Hospital, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, and the Veterans Administration Hospital employ 6,206 total.

Education

According to the United States Census, of Lexington's population over the age of twenty-five, 22.4% hold a bachelor's degree, 11.4% hold a master's degree, and 3.1% hold a professional degree. Just 2.6% hold a doctorate degree. Lexington was ranked 10th in a list of America's most educated cities with a population of more than 250,000, ranked by percentage of bachelor's degrees among residents 25 and older, according to the United States Census Bureau. In a report released by Jack Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University, Lexington ranks 13th in the United States in terms of literacy rate. The index was compiled through six indicators of literacy, including Internet sources, newspaper circulation, the number of bookstores, library resources, education and periodical resources.

The city is served by the Fayette County Public Schools. The system consists of 5 high schools, 11 middle schools, and 33 elementary schools, along with six private schools. There are also two traditional colleges: the University of Kentucky, which is the states flagship public university, and Transylvania University, which is the states oldest four year university. Other institutions of higher learning include Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Sullivan University, Spencerian College, MedTech College, Strayer University, Commonwealth Baptist College, and a newly opened distance-learning extension of Indiana Wesleyan University.

Culture

Annual cultural events and fairs

Lexington is home to many thriving arts organizations including a professional orchestra, two ballet companies, professional theatre, several museums including a basketball museum, several choral organizations and a highly respected opera program at the University of Kentucky. In addition, there are several events and fairs that draw people from throughout the Bluegrass.

Mayfest Arts Fair is a free outdoor festival that takes place annually over Mother's Day weekend. Held in Gratz Park between the Carnegie Center and Transylvania University, the festival typically features up to 100 art and craft booths, live entertainment throughout the weekend, food, children's activities, adult activities and literary events, free carriage rides, a traditional Morris and Maypole dance and various demonstrations.

Taking part the first full weekend of June is the Festival of the Bluegrass, Kentucky's oldest bluegrass music festival. It includes three stages for music and a "music camp" that teaches the bluegrass music to school children. Also in June is the popular Broadway review presented by UK Opera Theatre, "It's A Grand Night for Singing!" usually held the 2nd and 3rd weekends.

Later in June, the Gay and Lesbian Service organization hosts the Lexington Pride Festival, currently into the planning phases of its third festival as of 2009, the event is popular among the diverse communities in Lexington.

Lexingtonians gather downtown for the Fourth of July festivities which extend for several days. On July 3, the Gratz Park Historic District is transformed into an outdoor music hall when the Patriotic Music Concert is held on the steps of Morrison Hall at Transylvania University. The Lexington Singers and the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra perform at this event. On the Fourth, annual festivities include a reading of the Declaration of Independence on the steps of the Old Courthouse, a waiter's race in Phoenix Park, a parade, a country music concert, and fireworks. Also, throughout the day street vendors sell their wares and food to the downtown visitors. The Fourth of July is considered to be the biggest holiday in Lexington. "Southern Lights: Spectacular Sights on Holiday Nights", taking place from November 18 to December 31, is held at the Kentucky Horse Park. It includes a three-mile (5 km) drive through the park, showcasing numerous displays, many in character with the horse industry and history of Lexington. The "Mini-Train Express", an indoor petting exotic animal petting zoo, the International Museum of the Horse, an exhibit showcasing the Bluegrass Railway Club's model train, and Santa Claus are other major highlights.

The Lexington Christmas Parade: Held usually the day after Thanksgiving, the parade route follows Main Street between Midland and Broadway. Festivities include a Holiday Market with over 25 arts and craft vendors, a stage with entertainment, food, and the annual tree lighting ceremony, which occur in Triangle Park.

Other events and fairs include:

The Artists Market: A small display of arts and craft booths which is set up concurrently with the Farmer's Market each Saturday from the first weekend in June through the last weekend in August. Located in Cheapside Park adjacent to the Lexington Farmer's Market.

Thursday Night Live: An annual summer series of free, public concerts held in Cheapside Park every Thursday evening from 4:30pm – 7:30pm in from May – October.

''A Midsummer Night's Run:'' A 5K race in early August.

The Woodland Art Fair: An annual event of the Lexington Art League, is held annually in August at Woodland Park and features many local and national artists working in a variety of media.

The Roots & Heritage Festival: An event that takes place throughout the month of September and consists of a wide variety of culturally enriching activities including art exhibits, literary readings, film presentations, the Festival Ball and the ever-popular two-day street festival featuring live musical performances from internationally renowned artists.

The Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra presents several annual concerts.

The Kentucky Women Writers Conference which has hosted dozens of the nations foremost women writers.

Festival Latino in September

Gallery Hop: a seasonal event where the city's art galleries are open to the public on the third Friday of February, April, June, September and November.

Beaux Arts Ball: A masquerade ball hosted by the University of Kentucky's College of Design (formerly College of Architecture).

Tournament of Champions: One of three national high school debate championship tournaments featuring policy debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate. The best teams in the nation meet after qualifying during the regular season on the first weekend in May annually, hosted by the University of Kentucky Debate Team.

Lexington Pride Festival: An annual summer event to celebrate pride in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Lexington has one of the highest concentrations of gay and lesbian couples in the United States for a city its size.

Historical structures and museums

Lexington is home to numerous museums and historical structures. One of the most famous is Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate along Richmond Road east of downtown. This two-story museum is a National Historic Landmark and was the former home of statesman Henry Clay.

Lexington Public Library, in the Phoenix Park area near the geographic center of Lexington, houses the world's largest ceiling clock, a five-story Foucault pendulum and a frieze depicting the history of the horse in the Bluegrass. The library and its branches also house art galleries and traveling exhibits.

Another important museum is the Lexington History Center in the old Fayette County Courthouse in the heart of downtown. It offers two museums, one dedicated to the history of the region and the other dedicated to public safety. A third museum, devoted to the history of pharmaceuticals in the Bluegrass, is under construction. It will also be home to the Isaac Scott Hathaway Museum in 2007 as well. Additional historic sites are the following:

Aviation Museum of Kentucky

First African Baptist Church

The Headley-Whitney Museum

Hunt-Morgan House

Kentucky Theatre

Lexington Cemetery

Martin Castle

Mary Todd Lincoln House

Old Morrison, on the Transylvania University campus

Rupp Arena

Waveland State Historic Site

The University of Kentucky Art Museum is the premier art museum for Lexington and the only accredited museum in the region. Its collection of over 4000 objects ranges from Old Masters to Contemporary, and it also hosts ongoing special exhibitions.

The local Woolworth's building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as a site of civil rights protests against segregation during the 1960s. The building was demolished by its owner in 2004 and the area paved for use as a parking lot until further development.

Media

Lexington's largest daily circulating newspaper is the Lexington Herald-Leader. The region is also served by eight primary television stations, including WLEX, WKYT, WDKY, WTVQ, The CW, WKLE, and MyNetworkTV, and online news agency KyForward.com. The state's public television network, Kentucky Educational Television (KET), is headquartered in Lexington and is one of the nation's largest public networks.

Parks and outdoor attractions

City parks and facilities

Lexington has over 100 parks ranging in size from the Smith Street Park to the Masterson Station Park. There are also six public golf courses at Avon, Kearney Links, Lakeside, Meadowbrook, Tates Creek and Picadome and four dog parks, at Jacobson, Masterson Station, Coldstream, and Wellington. It also has two public 18-hole disc golf courses at Shillito Park and at Veterans Park, and a public skate park at Woodland Park, featuring of "ramps, platforms, bowls, and pipes".

Lexington Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places, not only because of notable people interred there, but because it was founded during the major cholera epidemic of 1848.

Horse racing tracks

Lexington is home to two historic horse racing tracks. Keeneland, sporting live races in April and October since 1936, is steeped in tradition where much has not changed since the track's opening. The Red Mile Harness Track is the oldest horse racing track in the city, and second oldest in the nation. This is where horses pull two-wheeled carts called sulkies while racing, also referred to as harness racing. The Kentucky Horse Park, located along scenic Iron Works Pike, is a relatively late-comer to Lexington, opening in 1978. It is a working horse farm and an educational theme park, along with holding the distinction of being a retirement home for some of the world's greatest competition horses including Cigar and 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide. Lexington also played host to the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in September and October 2010.

Natural areas

The city is home to Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, a nature preserve along the Kentucky River Palisades. There are of back-country hiking trails that range from wheelchair-accessible paved trails to difficult single-track trails. It is common to run across hopeful Appalachian Trail backpackers. The city has recently purchased land adjacent to the park which will make Raven Run the largest park in the city. Raven Run is home to over 56 species of trees, 600 species of plants, 200 species of birds, and other wildlife. Remains of a grist mill, homestead and limekiln remain. The preserve also has a nature center and various educational programs throughout the year. Such programs include seasonal wildflower walks, stargazing during the warmer months, evening insect tours, and historical walks and presentations.

The Arboretum is a preserve adjacent to the University of Kentucky. It features the ''Arboretum Woods'', a small, Bluegrass Woodland patch that is home to eighteen native Kentucky tree species, and more than 50 native Kentucky grasses and herbs. It also has 1,500 varieties of roses in the ''Rose Garden'', a ''Home Demonstration Garden'', and numerous paved paths and trails.

The city also plays host to the historic McConnell Springs, a park within the industrial confines off of Old Frankfort Pike. There are two miles (3 km) of trails that surround the namesake springs, historic dry-laid stone fences, and historical structures.

Sports

College athletics

The Kentucky Wildcats, the athletic program of the University of Kentucky, is by far Lexington's most popular sports entity. The school fields 22 varsity sports teams, most of which compete in the Southeastern Conference. The most famous team by far is the men's basketball team, which has won 7 NCAA championships and is the winningest program in college basketball history, being the first to reach 2000 wins. Lexington's only other collegiate team, the Transylvania University Pioneers, competes in NCAA Division III athletics.

Lexington produced a number a major collegiate and professional athletes. The more well known include World Athletics Championships multiple gold medal-winning sprinter Tyson Gay; former Tates Creek High School and Louisville Cardinals kicker David Akers, who is the all-time scoring leader for the Philadelphia Eagles; former Louisville Cardinals football player and Cleveland Browns cornerback Frank Minnifield; New York Yankees outfielder Austin Kearns; former Kentucky and Pittsburgh Steelers center Dermontti Dawson; former Tates Creek High School basketball player Darrin Horn, now head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team; and NBC Sports announcer Tom Hammond.

Professional sports

Lexington is home to the Lexington Legends, a Class A minor league affiliate of the Houston Astros. Since its inception in 2001, Lexington has produced numerous major leaguers including: 2009 National League All-Star Hunter Pence (Outfielder) of the Philadelphia Phillies, John Buck (Catcher) of the Florida Marlins, Mike Gallo (Pitcher), who is currently a free agent, and Josh Anderson, (Right fielder) who is currently a Free Agent. The Legends belong to the South Atlantic League, have one league title (2001) and four playoff appearances since 2001. Roger Clemens pitched in one game for the Legends in 2006 as part of his preparation to return to the Houston Astros.

Lexington was at one time home to the Lexington Horsemen, an arena football team in the arenafootball2 league.

Lexington was at one time home to the Kentucky Thoroughblades, a minor league (AHL) hockey team that played between 1996 and 2001. For one season (2002–2003) the ECHL Men O' War played minor league hockey in Lexington.

The University of Kentucky Hockey team which competes at club level in the American Collegiate Hockey Association

For a time the city was home to the Lexington Bluegrass Bandits who competed in the USL Premier Development League

In fall 2009, Lexington's first professional basketball team, the American Basketball Association's Bluegrass Stallions, tipped off at Kentucky Horse Park.

Horse racing and equestrian events

Lexington has been known as a major center for Thoroughbred breeding since the late 18th century due to the high calcium content in the soils of the Inner Bluegrass Region, which leads to stronger bones and greater durability in horses. The city is home to two horse racing tracks, Keeneland and the The Red Mile harness track.

The Kentucky Horse Park in Northern Fayette County hosts the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, one of the top 3 annual equestrian eventing competitions in the world. The city hosted the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games from September 25 to October 10, 2010.

Transportation

Highways

Lexington is serviced by both Interstate 64 and Interstate 75, though neither they nor any other freeway run through the city proper. New Circle Road (KY 4) acts as an inner-beltway around the city, Man o' War Boulevard is a semi outer-beltway south of New Circle Road, and numerous U.S. routes and arterial highways radiate out from downtown to provide access to the numerous bedroom communities ringing the metropolitan area. Citation Boulevard is planned to provide some relief to northern New Circle between Leestown Road and Russell Cave Road. Lexington suffers considerable traffic congestion for a city of its size due to the lack of out- or inbound freeways, the proximity of the University of Kentucky to downtown, and the substantial number of commuters from outlying towns.

Air

The Blue Grass Airport is Lexington's primary commercial airport. It provides approximately 65 direct and nonstop flights daily from its two runways. Seven major airlines operate connection service at Blue Grass, including Airtran Airways, Allegiant Air, American Eagle Airlines, Continental Express, Delta Air Lines, United Express, and US Airways Express.

The airport is located four miles (six km) west of the city center, at the intersection of US 60 (Versailles Road) and Man o' War Boulevard.

In addition to commercial airline service, the airport is also home to several private {general aviation} operators. TACAIR is located on Bluegrass Field, along with a brand new general aviation runway 9-27 dedicated August 4, 2010. In addition to private charter services, there is a student pilot training center and the Aviation Museum of Kentucky.

Public transportation

Lexington is served by LexTran, a public transit bus agency operated by LFUCG and has been in existence since 1972.

Transportation planning

The Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is responsible for transportation planning for Fayette and Jessamine Counties. This includes activities such as carpool matching, administering a commuter vanpool program, air quality forecasting, bicycle and pedestrian planning, congestion management, and developing transportation plans and documents.

Sister cities

Deauville, France since 1957 County Kildare, Ireland since 1984 Newmarket, United Kingdom since 2003 Shinhidaka, Japan since 2006

* Shinhidaka was formed by a 2006 local government merger. One of the entities involved in the merger was Shizunai, which established a sister city relationship with Lexington in 1988.

All four are, like Lexington, major centers of the Thoroughbred breeding industry in their respective countries.

See also

Lexington in the American Civil War

Notable residents of Lexington, Kentucky

References

External links

Official website of Lexington, Kentucky

Official website of Downtown Lexington Corporation

Lexington Kentucky: The Athens of the West, a National Park Service ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' Travel Itinerary

Downloadable PDF and Plain text versions of George Washington Ranck's 1872 book, ''History of Lexington, Kentucky''

Category:Cities in Kentucky Category:Consolidated city–counties in the United States Category:County seats in Kentucky Category:Populated places established in 1775

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The Commonwealth of Kentucky () is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth (the others being Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts). Originally a part of Virginia, in 1792 it became the 15th state to join the Union. Kentucky is the 37th largest state in terms of total area, the 36th largest in land area, and ranks 26th in population.

Kentucky is known as the "Bluegrass State", a nickname based on the fact that bluegrass is present in many of the pastures throughout the state, based on the fertile soil. It made possible the breeding of high-quality livestock, especially thoroughbred racing horses. It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources, including the world's longest cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park; the greatest length of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous United States; and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River. It is also home to the highest per capita number of deer and turkey in the United States, the largest free-ranging elk herd east of Montana, and the nation's most productive coalfield. Kentucky is also known for horse racing, bourbon distilleries, bluegrass music, automobile manufacturing, tobacco and college basketball.

Origin of name

It is generally accepted that the historic Native American tribes who hunted in what is now Kentucky referred to the region as ''Catawba,'' or some similar variant. The origin of Kentucky's modern name (variously spelled ''Cane-tuck-ee'', ''Cantucky'', ''Kain-tuck-ee'', and ''Kentuckee'' before its modern spelling was accepted) comes from an Iroquois word meaning "meadow lands", referring to the buffalo hunting grounds in Central Kentucky's savanna. Members of the ''Haudenosaunee'', the Iroquois Confederacy, were historically based in New York and Pennsylvania. They penetrated to this area of the Ohio River Valley and drove other tribes out in order to control more hunting land. In addition to buffalo, they trapped beaver for the lucrative fur trade with the French and English, long before European-American settlement in this area.

Geography

Kentucky is considered to be situated in the Upland South. It is infrequently included in the Midwest. A significant portion of eastern Kentucky is part of Appalachia.

Kentucky borders seven states, from the Midwest and the Southeast. West Virginia lies to the east, Virginia to the southeast, Tennessee to the south, Missouri to the west, Illinois and Indiana to the northwest, and Ohio to the north and northeast. Only Missouri and Tennessee, both of which border eight states, touch more states.

Kentucky's northern border is formed by the Ohio River and its western border by the Mississippi River. The official state borders are based on the courses of the rivers as they existed when Kentucky became a state in 1792. In several places, the rivers have changed courses away from the original borders. For instance, northbound travelers on US 41 from Henderson, after crossing the Ohio River, will be in Kentucky for about a half-mile (800 m) longer on the north side. Ellis Park, a thoroughbred racetrack, is located in this small piece of Kentucky. Waterworks Road is part of the only land border between Indiana and Kentucky.

Kentucky is the only U.S. state to have a non-contiguous part existing as an exclave surrounded by other states. Fulton County, in the far west corner of the state, includes Kentucky Bend. This small part of Kentucky on the Mississippi River, bordered by Missouri and accessible via Tennessee, was created by the 1816 New Madrid Earthquake changing the course of the river.

Regions

Kentucky can be divided into five primary regions: the Cumberland Plateau in the east, the north-central Bluegrass region, the south-central and western Pennyroyal Plateau, the Western Coal Fields and the far-west Jackson Purchase. The Bluegrass region is commonly divided into two regions, the Inner Bluegrass—the encircling 90 miles (145 km) around Lexington—and the Outer Bluegrass—the region that contains most of the Northern portion of the state, above the Knobs. Much of the outer Bluegrass is in the Eden Shale Hills area, made up of short, steep, and very narrow hills. This map is a rough depiction of the regions because it relies largely on county lines; as a result, the Inner Bluegrass appears larger than it is, and the Cumberland Plateau appears slightly smaller. The latter region is more commonly known in Kentucky as the East Kentucky Coal Field. Note the singular; these regions are not the sites of coal "fields" but one continuous field with many overlapping seams; the West Kentucky Coal Field is part of the Illinois Basin.

Climate

Located within the southeastern interior portion of North America, Kentucky has a climate that can best be described as a humid subtropical climate (Koppen ''Cfa''). Monthly average temperatures in Kentucky range from a summer daytime high of to a winter low of . The average precipitation is a year. Kentucky experiences all four seasons, usually with striking variations in the severity of summer and winter from year to year. Kentucky's highest recorded temperature was at Greensburg on July 28, 1930 while the lowest recorded temperature was at Cynthiana on January 28, 1963.

Major weather events that have affected Kentucky include:

Event	! Death Toll
March 1890 Mid-Mississippi Valley tornado outbreak	Louisville Tornado of 1890	est. 76–120+
Ohio River flood of 1937	?
Super Outbreak	April 3, 1974 Tornado Outbreak	72
April 7, 1977 Flooding (Cumberland River toppled Pineville floodwall)	?
March 1, 1997 Flooding	18
North American blizzard of 2003	?
2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak	Weather.com reported 17 deaths
Effects of Hurricane Ike in inland North America	September 2008 Windstorm	1
January 2009 Central Plains and Midwest ice storm	January 2009 ice storm	24+
July 2010 flooding of Pike County, Kentucky	?

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Lexington

Louisville

Paducah

Pikeville

Ashland

Lakes and rivers

Kentucky's of streams provides one of the most expansive and complex stream systems in the nation. Kentucky has both the largest artificial lake east of the Mississippi in water volume (Lake Cumberland) and surface area (Kentucky Lake). It is the only U.S. state to be bordered on three sides by rivers—the Mississippi River to the west, the Ohio River to the north, and the Big Sandy River and Tug Fork to the east. Its major internal rivers include the Kentucky River, Tennessee River, Cumberland River, Green River and Licking River.

Though it has only three major natural lakes, the state is home to many artificial lakes. Kentucky also has more navigable miles of water than any other state in the union, other than Alaska.

Natural environment and conservation

Kentucky has an expansive park system which includes one national park, two National Recreation areas, two National Historic Parks, two national forests, two National Wildlife Refuges, 45 state parks, of state forest, and 82 Wildlife Management Areas.

Kentucky has been part of two of the most successful wildlife reintroduction projects in United States history. In the winter of 1997, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources began to re-stock elk in the state's eastern counties, which had been extinct from the area for over 150 years. As of 2009, the herd had reached the project goal of 10,000 animals, making it the largest herd east of the Mississippi River.

The state also stocked wild turkeys in the 1950s. Once extinct here, more wild turkeys thrive in Kentucky today than in any other eastern state. Hunters telechecked a record 29,006 birds taken during the 23-day season in Spring 2009. Only bearded turkeys were allowed to be hunted; the females are protected for breeding.

In March 2011, Kentucky was rated last place amongst the states in the American State Litter Scorecard, presented at the American Society for Public Administration national conference.

Significant natural attractions

Cumberland Gap, chief passageway through the Appalachian Mountains in early American history.

Cumberland Falls State Park, the only place in the Western Hemisphere where a "moon-bow" may be regularly seen, due to the spray of the falls. Mammoth Cave National Park, featuring the world's longest known cave system.

Red River Gorge Geological Area, part of the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Land Between the Lakes, a National Recreation Area managed by the United States Forest Service.

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area near Whitley City.

Black Mountain, state's highest point. Runs along the border of Harlan and Letcher counties. Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve, state nature preserve on southern slope of Pine Mountain in Letcher County. Includes one of the largest concentrations of rare and endangered species in the state, as well as a waterfall and a Kentucky Wild River. Jefferson Memorial Forest, located in the southern fringes of Louisville in the Knobs region, the largest municipally run forest in the United States. Lake Cumberland, of shoreline located in South Central Kentucky.

Natural Bridge, located in Slade, Kentucky Powell County

Breaks Interstate Park, located in southeastern Pike County, Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia. The Breaks is commonly known as the "Grand Canyon of the South."

History

Although inhabited by Native Americans from at least 1000 BCE to about 1650 CE, when European and colonial explorers and settlers began entering Kentucky in greater number in the mid-18th century, there were no major Native American settlements in the region. The Shawnees from the north and Cherokees from the south sent parties into the area regularly for hunting. As more settlers entered the area, warfare broke out because the American Indians saw settlers' attempts to own land to be encroachment on their traditional hunting grounds. The Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky still lives in Kentucky today as a state Recognized Tribe.

According to a 1790 U.S. government report, 1,500 Kentucky settlers had been killed in Indian raids since the end of the Revolutionary War. In an attempt to end these raids, Clark led an expedition of 1,200 drafted men against Shawnee towns on the Wabash River in 1786, one of the first actions of the Northwest Indian War.

After the American Revolution, the counties of Virginia beyond the Appalachian Mountains became known as Kentucky County. Eventually, the residents of Kentucky County petitioned for a separation from Virginia. Ten constitutional conventions were held in the Constitution Square Courthouse in Danville between 1784 and 1792. In 1790, Kentucky's delegates accepted Virginia's terms of separation, and a state constitution was drafted at the final convention in April 1792. On June 1, 1792, Kentucky became the fifteenth state to be admitted to the union. Isaac Shelby, a military veteran from Virginia, was elected the first Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Kentucky was a border state during the American Civil War. Although frequently described as never having seceded, representatives from several counties met at Russellville calling themselves the "Convention of the People of Kentucky" and passed an Ordinance of Secession on November 20, 1861. They established a Confederate government of Kentucky with its capital in Bowling Green. Though Kentucky was represented by the central star on the Confederate battle flag, the Russellville Convention did not represent the majority of residents. A year earlier, philosopher Karl Marx wrote to Friedrich Engels that the result of a vote deciding how Kentucky would be represented at a convention of the border states was "100,000 for the Union ticket, only a few thousand for secession." Kentucky officially remained "neutral" throughout the war due to Union sympathies of many of the Commonwealth's citizens. Confederate Memorial Day is observed by some in Kentucky on Confederate President Jefferson Davis' birthday, June 3.

The Black Patch Tobacco Wars, a vigilante action, occurred in the area in the early 20th century. As result of the tobacco industry monopoly, tobacco farmers in the area were forced to sell their tobacco at low prices. Many local farmers and activists united to refuse to sell tobacco to the tobacco industry. A vigilante wing, the "Night Riders", terrorized farmers who sold their tobacco at the low prices demanded by the tobacco corporations. They burned several tobacco warehouses, notably in Hopkinsville and Princeton. In the later period of their operation, they were known to physically assault farmers in the middle of the night who broke the boycott. The Governor declared martial law and deployed the Kentucky Militia to end the Black Patch Tobacco Wars.

On January 30, 1900, Governor William Goebel, flanked by two bodyguards and walking to the State Capitol in downtown Frankfort, was mortally wounded by an assassin. Goebel was contesting the election of 1899, which William S. Taylor was initially believed to have won. For several months, J. C. W. Beckham, Goebel's running mate, and Taylor fought over who was the legal governor, until the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in May in favor of Beckham. After fleeing to Indiana, Taylor was indicted as a co-conspirator in Goebel's assassination. Goebel is the only governor of a U.S. state to have been assassinated while in office.

Law and government

Kentucky is one of four U.S. states to officially use the term commonwealth, which it inherited from Virginia. Kentucky is also one of only five states that elects its state officials in odd-numbered years (the others are Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia). Kentucky holds elections for these offices every 4 years in the years preceding Presidential election years. Thus, the last year when Kentucky elected a Governor was 2007; the next gubernatorial election will occur in 2011, with future gubernatorial elections to take place in 2015, 2019, 2023, etc.

Executive Branch

The executive branch is headed by the governor who serves as both head of state and head of government. The lieutenant governor may or may not have executive authority depending on whether the person is a member of the Governor's cabinet. Under the current Kentucky Constitution, the lieutenant governor assumes the duties of the governor only if the governor is incapacitated. (Prior to 1992, the lieutenant governor assumed power any time the governor was out of the state.) The governor and lieutenant governor usually run on a single ticket (also per a 1992 constitutional amendment), and are elected to four-year terms. Currently, the governor and lieutenant governor are Democrats Steve Beshear and Daniel Mongiardo.

Other elected constitutional offices include: the Secretary of State, Attorney General, Auditor of Public Accounts, State Treasurer and Commissioner of Agriculture. Currently, Democrat Elaine N. Walker serves as the Secretary of State. The commonwealth's chief prosecutor, law enforcement officer, and law officer is the attorney general. The current Kentucky attorney general is Democrat Jack Conway. The Auditor of Public Accounts is held by Democrat Crit Luallen. Democrat Todd Hollenbach is the current Treasurer. Former University of Kentucky basketball player Richie Farmer, a Republican, serves as the current Commissioner of Agriculture.

Legislative Branch

Kentucky's legislative branch consists of a bicameral body known as the Kentucky General Assembly.

The Senate is considered the upper house. It has 38 members, and is led by the President of the Senate, currently Republican David L. Williams.

The House of Representatives has 100 members, and is led by the Speaker of the House, currently Democrat Greg Stumbo.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch of Kentucky is called the Kentucky Court of Justice and comprises courts of limited jurisdiction called District Courts; courts of general jurisdiction called Circuit Courts; specialty courts such as Drug Court, Family Court; an intermediate appellate court, the Kentucky Court of Appeals; and a court of last resort, the Kentucky Supreme Court.

The Kentucky Court of Justice is headed by the Chief Justice of the Commonwealth.

Unlike federal judges, who are usually appointed, justices serving on Kentucky state courts are chosen by the state's populace in non-partisan elections.

Federal representation

Kentucky's two Senators are Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, both Republicans. The state is divided into six Congressional Districts, represented by Republicans Ed Whitfield (1st), Brett Guthrie (2nd), Geoff Davis (4th), and Hal Rogers (5th), and Democrats John Yarmuth (3rd) and Ben Chandler (6th).

Judicially, Kentucky is split into two Federal court districts: the Kentucky Eastern District and the Kentucky Western District. Appeals are heard in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Law

Kentucky's body of laws, known as the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS), were enacted in 1942 to better organize and clarify the whole of Kentucky law. The statutes are enforced by local police, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, and constables and deputy constables. Unless they have completed a police academy elsewhere, these officers are required to complete training at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training Center on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University. Additionally, in 1948, the Kentucky General Assembly established the Kentucky State Police, making it the 38th state to create a force whose jurisdiction extends throughout the given state.

Kentucky is one of 36 states in the United States that sanctions the death penalty for certain crimes. Those convicted of capital crimes after March 31, 1998 are always executed by lethal injection; those convicted before this date may opt for the electric chair. Only three people have been executed in Kentucky since the U.S. Supreme Court re-instituted the practice in 1976. The most notable execution in Kentucky, however, was that of Rainey Bethea on August 14, 1936. Bethea was publicly hanged in Owensboro for the rape and murder of Lischia Edwards. Irregularities with the execution led to this becoming the last public execution in the United States.

Kentucky has been on the front lines of the debate over displaying the Ten Commandments on public property. In the 2005 case of ''McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky'', the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals that a display of the Ten Commandments in the Whitley City courthouse of McCreary County was unconstitutional. Later that year, Judge Richard Fred Suhrheinrich, writing for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of ''ACLU of Kentucky v. Mercer County'', wrote that a display including the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Ten Commandments, the Magna Carta, ''The Star-Spangled Banner'', and the national motto could be erected in the Mercer County courthouse.

Kentucky has also been known to have unusually high political candidacy age laws, especially compared to surrounding states. The origin of this is unknown, but it has been suggested it has to do with the commonwealth tradition.

Politics

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Where politics are concerned, Kentucky historically has been very hard fought and leaned slightly toward the Democratic Party, although it was never included among the "Solid South". In 2006, 57.05% of the state's voters were officially registered as Democrats, 36.55% registered Republican, and 6.39% registered with some other political party. Despite this, the state often supports Republican candidates for federal offices.

From 1964 through 2004, Kentucky voted for the eventual winner of the election for President of the United States. In the 2008 election, however, the state lost its bellwether status when John McCain, who won Kentucky, lost the national popular and electoral vote to Barack Obama (McCain carried Kentucky 57 to 41%). The Commonwealth supported the previous three Democratic candidates elected to the White House, all elected from Southern states: Lyndon B. Johnson (Texas) in 1964, Jimmy Carter (Georgia) in 1976, and Bill Clinton (Arkansas) in 1992 and 1996. In presidential elections, the state has become a Republican stronghold, supporting that party's presidential candidates by double-digit margins in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

{| class=wikitable ! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 26, 2010 |- ! colspan = 2 | Party ! Number of Voters ! Percentage | Democratic | align = center | 1,619,391 | align = center | 56.59% | Republican | align = center | 1,052,902 | align = center | 36.79% | Other | align = center | 189,499 | align = center | 6.62% |- ! colspan = 2 | Total ! align = center | 2,861,792 ! align = center | 100% |}

Demographics

As of July 1, 2006, Kentucky has an estimated population of 4,206,074, which is an increase of 33,466, or 0.8%, from the prior year and an increase of 164,586, or 4.1%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 77,156 people (that is 287,222 births minus 210,066 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 59,604 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 27,435 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 32,169 people. As of 2004, Kentucky's population included about 95,000 foreign-born persons (2.3%). The population density of the state is 101.7 people per square mile.

Kentucky's total population has grown during every decade since records began. However, during most decades of the 20th century there was also net out-migration from Kentucky. Since 1900, rural Kentucky counties have experienced a net loss of over 1 million people from migration, while urban areas have experienced a slight net gain.

The center of population of Kentucky is located in Washington County, in the city of Willisburg.

Race and ancestry

The largest ancestries in the commonwealth are: English (30.6%), German (12.7%), Irish (10.5%), and African American (7.8%). In the state's most urban counties of Jefferson, Oldham, Fayette, Boone, Kenton, and Campbell, German is the largest reported ancestry. Americans of Scots-Irish and English stock are present throughout the entire state, and many claim Irish ancestry because of the term "Scots-Irish", but most of the time in Kentucky this term is used for those with Scottish roots, rather than Irish. Southeastern Kentucky was populated by a large group of Native Americans of mixed heritage, also known as Melungeons, in the early 19th century. Groups like the Ridgetop Shawnee were organizing the descendants of those early Native American settlers.

African Americans, who made up one-fourth of Kentucky's population prior to the Civil War, declined in number as many moved to the industrial North in the Great Migration. Today, the African American population of Jefferson County is 20%; 44.2% of Kentucky's African American population is in Jefferson County and 52% are in the Louisville Metro Area. Other areas with high concentrations, besides Christian and Fulton Counties, are the city of Paducah, the Bluegrass, and the city of Lexington. Many mining communities in far Southeastern Kentucky also have populations between five and 10 percent African American.

Religion

In 2000, The Association of Religion Data Archives reported that of Kentucky's 4,041,769 residents:

46.57% were not affiliated with any church

33.68% were members of evangelical Protestant churches

* Southern Baptist Convention (979,994 members, 24.25%)

* Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ (106,638 members, 2.64%)

* Church of Christ (58,602 members, 1.45%)

10.05% were Roman Catholics

8.77% belonged to mainline Protestant churches

* United Methodist Church (208,720 members, 5.16%)

* Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (67,611 members, 1.67%)

0.05% were Orthodox Christians

0.88% were affiliated with other theologies.

Today Kentucky is home to several seminaries. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville is the principal seminary for the Southern Baptist Convention. Louisville is also the home of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Lexington has two seminaries, Lexington Theological Seminary, and the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. Asbury Theological Seminary is located in nearby Wilmore. In addition to seminaries, there are several colleges affiliated with denominations. Transylvania in Lexington is affiliated with the Disciples of Christ. The University of Pikeville in Pikeville, Kentucky is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. In Louisville, Bellarmine and Spalding are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. In Owensboro, Kentucky, Kentucky Wesleyan College is associated with the Methodist Church and Brescia University is associated with the Roman Catholic Church. Wilmore is home to Asbury University (a separate institution from the seminary), which is associated with the Christian College Consortium. The University of the Cumberlands, located in Williamsburg, Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Georgetown College in Georgetown and Mid-Continent University in Mayfield all have connections with the Southern Baptist Convention. Louisville is also home to the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and their printing press. Louisville is also home to a sizable Muslim and Jewish population.

Economy

Early in its history Kentucky gained recognition for its excellent farming conditions. It was the site of the first commercial winery in the United States (started in present day Jessamine County in 1799) and due to the high calcium content of the soil in the Bluegrass region quickly became a major horse breeding (and later racing) area. Today Kentucky ranks 5th nationally in goat farming, 8th in beef cattle production, and 14th in corn production.

Today Kentucky's economy has expanded to importance in non agricultural terms as well, especially in auto manufacturing, energy fuel production, and medical facilities.As of 2010 24% of electricity produced in the USA depended on either enriched uranium rods coming from the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (the only domestic site of low grade uranium enrichment), or from the 107,336 tons of coal extracted from the state's two coal fields (which combined produce 4% percent of the electricity in the United States). Kentucky ranks 4th among U.S. states in the number of automobiles and trucks assembled. The Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac XLR (2004–2009), Ford Explorer, Ford Super Duty trucks, Ford Excursion (2000–2005), Toyota Camry, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Solara, and Toyota Venza are assembled in Kentucky.

The total gross state product for 2006 was US$146 billion, 27th in the nation. Its per-capita personal income was US$28,513, 43rd in the nation.

As of October 2010, the state's unemployment rate is 10%.

Taxation

There are six income tax brackets, ranging from 2% to 6% of personal income. The sales tax rate in Kentucky is 6%. Kentucky has a broadly based classified property tax system. All classes of property, unless exempted by the Constitution, are taxed by the state, although at widely varying rates. Many of these classes are exempted from taxation by local government. Of the classes that are subject to local taxation, three have special rates set by the General Assembly, one by the Kentucky Supreme Court and the remaining classes are subject to the full local rate, which includes the tax rate set by the local taxing bodies plus all voted levies. Real property is assessed on 100% of the fair market value and property taxes are due by December 31. Once the primary source of state and local government revenue, property taxes now account for only about 6% of the Kentucky's annual General Fund revenues.

Until January 1, 2006, Kentucky imposed a tax on intangible personal property held by a taxpayer on January 1 of each year. The Kentucky intangible tax was repealed under House Bill 272. Intangible property consisted of any property or investment which represents evidence of value or the right to value. Some types of intangible property included: bonds, notes, retail repurchase agreements, accounts receivable, trusts, enforceable contracts sale of real estate (land contracts), money in hand, money in safe deposit boxes, annuities, interests in estates, loans to stockholders, and commercial paper.

"Unbridled Spirit"

To boost Kentucky's image, give it a consistent reach, and help Kentucky "stand out from the crowd", former Governor Ernie Fletcher launched a comprehensive branding campaign with the hope of making its $12 – $14 million advertising budget more effective. The "Unbridled Spirit" brand was the result of a $500,000 contract with New West, a Kentucky-based public relations advertising and marketing firm to develop a viable brand and tag line. The Fletcher administration aggressively marketed the brand in both the public and private sectors. The "Welcome to Kentucky" signs at border areas have Unbridled Spirit's symbol on them.

The previous campaign was neither a failure nor a success. Kentucky's "It's that friendly" slogan hoped to draw more people into the state based on the idea of southern hospitality. Though it was meant to embrace southern values, most Kentuckians rejected it as cheesy and ineffective. It was quickly seen that it was also not an image that encouraged tourism as much as initially hoped for. Therefore it was necessary to reconfigure a slogan to embrace Kentucky as a whole while also encouraging more people to visit the Bluegrass.

Transportation

: ''Main article: Transportation in Kentucky.''

Roads

Kentucky is served by five major interstate highways (I-75, I-71, I-64, I-65, I-24), nine parkways, and three bypasses and spurs. The parkways were originally toll roads, but on November 22, 2006, Governor Ernie Fletcher ended the toll charges on the William H. Natcher Parkway and the Audubon Parkway, the last two parkways in Kentucky to charge tolls for access. The related toll booths have been demolished.

Ending the tolls some seven months ahead of schedule was generally agreed to have been a positive economic development for transportation in Kentucky. In June 2007, a law went into effect raising the speed limit on rural portions of Kentucky Interstates from .

Greyhound provides bus service to most major towns in the state.

Rails

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Ashland, South Portsmouth, Maysville and Fulton. The ''Cardinal'' (trains 50 and 51) is the line that offers Amtrak service to Ashland, South Shore, Maysville and South Portsmouth. The ''City of New Orleans'' (trains 58 and 59) serve Fulton. The Northern Kentucky area is served by the ''Cardinal'' at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. The Museum Center is just across the Ohio River in Cincinnati.

As of 2004, there were approximately of railways in Kentucky, with about 65% of those being operated by CSX Transportation. Coal was by far the most common cargo, accounting for 76% of cargo loaded and 61% of cargo delivered.

Bardstown features a tourist attraction known as ''My Old Kentucky Dinner Train''. Run along a stretch of rail purchased from CSX in 1987, guests are served a four-course meal as they make a two-and-a-half hour round-trip between Bardstown and Limestone Springs. The Kentucky Railway Museum is located in nearby New Haven.

Other areas in Kentucky are reclaiming old railways in rail trail projects. One such project is Louisville's Big Four Bridge. If completed, the Big Four Bridge rail trail will contain the second longest pedestrian-only bridge in the world. The longest pedestrian-only bridge is also found in Kentucky—the Newport Southbank Bridge, popularly known as the "Purple People Bridge", connecting Newport to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Air

Kentucky's primary airports include Louisville International Airport (Standiford Field), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), and Blue Grass Airport in Lexington. Louisville International Airport is home to UPS's Worldport, its international air-sorting hub. There are also a number of regional airports scattered across the state.

On August 27, 2006, Kentucky's Blue Grass Airport in Lexington was the site of a crash that killed 47 passengers and 2 crew members aboard a Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet designated Comair Flight 191, or Delta Air Lines Flight 5191, sometimes mistakenly identified by the press as Comair Flight 5191. The lone survivor was the flight's first officer, James Polehinke, who doctors determined to be brain damaged and unable to recall the crash at all.

Water

Being bounded by two of the largest rivers in North America, water transportation has historically played a major role in Kentucky's economy. Most barge traffic on Kentucky waterways consists of coal that is shipped from both the Eastern and Western Coalfields, about half of which is used locally to power many power plants located directly off the Ohio River, with the rest being exported to other countries, most notably Japan.

Many of the largest ports in the United States are located in or adjacent to Kentucky, including:

Huntington/Tri-State (includes Ashland, KY), largest inland port and 7th largest overall

Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky, 5th largest inland port and 43rd overall

Louisville-Southern Indiana, 7th largest inland port and 55th overall

As a state, Kentucky ranks 10th overall in port tonnage.

The only natural obstacle along the entire length of the Ohio River was the Falls of the Ohio, located just west of Downtown Louisville.

Subdivisions and settlements

Counties

Kentucky is subdivided into 120 counties, the largest being Pike County at , and the most populous being Jefferson County (which coincides with the Louisville Metro governmental area) with 741,096 residents as of 2010.

County government, under the Kentucky Constitution of 1891, is vested in the County Judge/Executive), (formerly called the County Judge) who serves as the executive head of the county, and a legislature called a Fiscal Court. Despite the unusual name, the Fiscal Court no longer has judicial functions.

Consolidated city-county governments

Kentucky's two most populous counties, Jefferson and Fayette, have their governments consolidated with the governments of their largest cities. ''Louisville-Jefferson County Government'' (Louisville Metro) and ''Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government'' (Lexington Metro) are unique in that their city councils and county Fiscal Court structures have been merged into a single entity with a single chief executive, the Metro Mayor and Urban County Mayor, respectively. Although the counties still exist as subdivisions of the state, in reference the names Louisville and Lexington are used to refer to the entire area coextensive with the former cities and counties. Somewhat incongruously, when entering Lexington-Fayette the highway signs read "Fayette County" while most signs leading into Louisville-Jefferson simply read "Welcome to Louisville Metro."

Cities and towns

+	! Rank	! City	! 2010 Pop	! 2000 Pop	! Δ Current Pop

The Louisville Metro government area has a 2010 population of 741,096. Under United States Census Bureau methodology, the population of Louisville was 566,503. The latter figure is the population of the so-called "balance"—the parts of Jefferson County that were either unincorporated or within the City of Louisville before the formation of the merged government in 2003. In 2010, the Louisville Combined Statistical Area (CSA) has a population of 1,451,564; including 1,061,031 in Kentucky, which is nearly one-fourth of the state's population. Since 2000, over one-third of the state's population growth has occurred in the Louisville CSA. In addition, the top 28 wealthiest places in Kentucky are in Jefferson County and seven of the 15 wealthiest counties in the state are located in the Louisville CSA.

The second largest city is Lexington with a 2010 census population of 295,803 and its CSA, which includes the Frankfort and Richmond statistical areas, having a population of 687,173. The Northern Kentucky area (the seven Kentucky counties in the Cincinnati MSA) had a population of 425,483 in 2010. The metropolitan areas of Louisville, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky have a combined population of 2,173,687 as of 2010, which is 50.1% of the state's total population.

The two other fast growing urban areas in Kentucky are the Bowling Green area and the "Tri Cities Region" of southeastern Kentucky, comprising Somerset, London and Corbin.

Although only one town in the "Tri Cities", namely Somerset, currently has more than 10,000 people, the area has been experiencing heightened population and job growth since the 1990s. Growth has been especially rapid in Laurel County, which outgrew areas such as Scott and Jessamine counties around Lexington or Shelby and Nelson Counties around Louisville. London significantly grew in population in the 2000s, from 5,692 in 2000 to 7,993 in 2010. London also landed a Wal-Mart distribution center in 1997, bringing thousands of jobs to the community.

In northeast Kentucky, the greater Ashland area is an important transportation, manufacturing, and medical center. Iron and petroleum production, as well as the transport of coal by rail and barge, have been historical pillars of the region's economy. Due to a decline in the area's industrial base, Ashland has seen a sizable reduction in its population since 1990. The population of the area has since stabilized, however, with the medical service industry taking a greater role in the local economy. The Ashland area, including the counties of Boyd and Greenup, are part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649. More than 21,000 of those people (as of 2010) reside within the city limits of Ashland.

The largest county in Kentucky by area is Pike, which contains Pikeville and suburb Coal Run Village . The county and surrounding area is the most populated region in the state that is not part of a Micropolitan Statistical Area or a Metropolitan Statistical Area containing nearly 200,000 people in five counties: Floyd County, Martin County, Letcher County, and neighboring Mingo County, West Virginia. Pike County contains slightly over 68,000 people.

Only three U.S. states have capitals with smaller populations than Kentucky's Frankfort (pop. 25,527), those being Augusta, Maine (pop. 18,560), Pierre, South Dakota (pop. 13,876), and Montpelier, Vermont (pop. 8,035).

Education

Kentucky maintains eight public four-year universities. There are two general tiers: major research institutions (the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville) and regional universities, which encompasses the remaining 6 schools. The regional schools have specific target counties that many of their programs are targeted towards (such as Forestry at Eastern Kentucky University or Cave Management at Western Kentucky University), however most of their curriculum varies little from any other public university. "UK" and "U of L" have the highest academic rankings and admissions standards although the regional schools aren't without their national recognized departments - examples being Western Kentucky University's nationally ranked Journalism Department or Morehead State offering one of the nation's only Space Science degrees. "UK" is the flagship and land grant of the system and has agriculture extension services in every county. The two research schools split duties related to the medical field, "UK" handles all medical outreach programs in the eastern half of the state while "U of L" does all medical outreach in the state's western half.

The state's sixteen public two-year colleges have been governed by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System since the passage of the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997, commonly referred to as House Bill 1. Prior to the passage of House Bill 1, most of these colleges were under the control of the University of Kentucky.

Transylvania University, located in Lexington, is the oldest university west of the Allegheny Mountains, founded in 1780. Transylvania is a liberal arts university, consistently ranked in the top tier in the country.

Berea College, located at the extreme southern edge of the Bluegrass below the Cumberland Plateau, was the first coeducational college in the South to admit both black and white students, doing so from its very establishment in 1855. This policy was successfully challenged in the United States Supreme Court in the case of ''Berea College v. Kentucky'' in 1908. This decision effectively segregated Berea until the landmark ''Brown v. Board of Education'' in 1954.

Kentucky has been the site of much educational reform over the past two decades. In 1989, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that the state's education system was unconstitutional. The response of the General Assembly was passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) the following year. Years later, Kentucky has shown progress, but most agree that further reform is needed.

Culture

Although Kentucky's culture is generally considered to be Southern, it is unique in that it is also influenced by the Midwest and Southern Appalachia in certain areas of the state. The state is known for bourbon and whiskey distilling, tobacco, horse racing, and college basketball. Kentucky is more similar to the Upland South in terms of ancestry which is predominantly American. Nevertheless, during the 19th century, Kentucky did receive a substantial number of German immigrants, who settled mostly in the Midwest, along the Ohio River primarily in Louisville, Covington and Newport. Only Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia have higher German ancestry percentages than Kentucky among Census-defined Southern states, although Kentucky's percentage is closer to Arkansas and Virginia's than the previously named state's percentages. Scottish Americans, English Americans and Scotch-Irish Americans have heavily influenced Kentucky culture, and are present in every part of the state. Kentucky was a slave state, and blacks once comprised over one-quarter of its population. However, it lacked the cotton plantation system and never had the same high percentage of African Americans as most other slave states. With less than 8% of its current population being black, Kentucky is rarely included in modern-day definitions of the Black Belt, despite a relatively significant rural African American population in the Central and Western areas of the state. Kentucky adopted the Jim Crow system of racial segregation in most public spheres after the Civil War, but the state never disenfranchised African American citizens to the level of the Deep South states, and it peacefully integrated its schools after the 1954 ''Brown v. Board of Education'' verdict, later adopting the first state civil rights act in the South in 1966.

The biggest day in horse racing, the Kentucky Derby, is preceded by the two-week Derby Festival in Louisville. Louisville also plays host to the Kentucky State Fair, the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, and Southern gospel's annual highlight, the National Quartet Convention. Bowling Green, the state's third-largest city and home to the only assembly plant in the world that manufactures the Chevrolet Corvette, opened the National Corvette Museum in 1994. The fourth-largest city, Owensboro, gives credence to its nickname of "Barbecue Capital of the World" by hosting the annual International Bar-B-Q Festival.

Old Louisville, the largest historic preservation district in the United States featuring Victorian architecture and the third largest overall, hosts the St. James Court Art Show, the largest outdoor art show in the United States. The neighborhood was also home to the Southern Exposition (1883–1887), which featured the first public display of Thomas Edison's light bulb, and was the setting of Alice Hegan Rice's novel, ''Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' and Fontaine Fox's comic strip, the "Toonerville Trolley.

The more rural communities are not without traditions of their own, however. Hodgenville, the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, hosts the annual Lincoln Days Celebration, and will also host the kick-off for the National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration in February 2008. Bardstown celebrates its heritage as a major bourbon-producing region with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. (Legend holds that Baptist minister Elijah Craig invented bourbon with his black slave in Georgetown, but some dispute this claim.) Glasgow mimics Glasgow, Scotland by hosting the Glasgow Highland Games, its own version of the Highland Games, and Sturgis hosts "Little Sturgis", a mini version of Sturgis, South Dakota's annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The residents of tiny Benton even pay tribute to their favorite tuber, the sweet potato, by hosting Tater Day. Residents of Clarkson in Grayson County celebrate their city's ties to the honey industry by celebrating the Clarkson Honeyfest. The Clarkson Honeyfest is held the last Thursday, Friday and Saturday in September, and is the "Official State Honey Festival of Kentucky."

Music

The breadth of music in Kentucky is indeed wide, stretching from the Purchase to the eastern mountains.

Renfro Valley, Kentucky is home to Renfro Valley Entertainment Center and the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and is known as "Kentucky's Country Music Capital," a designation given it by the Kentucky State Legislature in the late 1980s. The Renfro Valley Barn Dance was where Renfro Valley's musical heritage began, in 1939, and influential country music luminaries like Red Foley, Homer & Jethro, Lily May Ledford & the Original Coon Creek Girls, Martha Carson, and many others have performed as regular members of the shows there over the years. The Renfro Valley Gatherin' is today America's second oldest continually broadcast radio program of any kind. It is broadcast on local radio station WRVK and a syndicated network of nearly 200 other stations across the United States and Canada every week.

Contemporary Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman is a Paducah native, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Everly Brothers are closely connected with Muhlenberg County, where older brother Don was born. Kentucky was also home to Mildred and Patty Hill, the Louisville sisters credited with composing the tune to the ditty Happy Birthday to You in 1893; Loretta Lynn (Johnson County), and Billy Ray Cyrus (Flatwoods). However, its depth lies in its signature sound—Bluegrass music. Bill Monroe, "The Father of Bluegrass", was born in the small Ohio County town of Rosine, while Ricky Skaggs, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys, Keith Whitley, David "Stringbean" Akeman, Louis Marshall "Grandpa" Jones, Sonny and Bobby Osborne, and Sam Bush (who has been compared to Monroe) all hail from Kentucky. The International Bluegrass Music Museum is located in Owensboro, while the annual Festival of the Bluegrass is held in Lexington.

Kentucky is also home to famed jazz musician and pioneer, Lionel Hampton (although this has been disputed in recent years). Blues legend W.C. Handy and R&B; singer Wilson Pickett also spent considerable time in Kentucky. The R&B; group Midnight Star and Hip-Hop group Nappy Roots were both formed in Kentucky, as were country acts The Kentucky Headhunters, Montgomery Gentry and Halfway to Hazard, The Judds, as well as Dove Award-winning Christian groups Audio Adrenaline (rock) and Bride (metal). Heavy Rock band Black Stone Cherry hails from rural Edmonton, Indie rock band My Morning Jacket with lead singer and guitarist Jim James also originated out of Louisville, on the local independent music Scene. Rock band Cage the Elephant is also from Bowling Green. The bluegrass groups Driftwood and Kentucky Rain, along with Nick Lachey of the pop band 98 Degrees are also from Kentucky.

In eastern Kentucky, old-time music carries on the tradition of ancient ballads and reels developed in historical Appalachia.

Cuisine

Kentucky's cuisine is generally similar to traditional southern cooking, although in some areas of the state it can blend elements of both the South and Midwest. One original Kentucky dish is called the Hot Brown, a dish normally layered in this order: toasted bread, turkey, bacon, tomatoes and topped with mornay sauce. It was developed at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. The Pendennis Club in Louisville is the birthplace of the ''Old Fashioned'' cocktail. Also, western Kentucky is known for its own regional style of barbecue.

Harland Sanders originated Kentucky Fried Chicken at his service station in North Corbin, though the first franchised KFC was located in South Salt Lake, Utah.

Sports

Kentucky is the home of several sports teams such as Minor League Baseball's Class A Lexington Legends and AAA Louisville Bats. They are also home to the Frontier Leagues Florence Freedom and several teams in the MCFL. The Lexington Horsemen and Louisville Fire of the af2 appear to be interested in making a move up to the "major league" Arena Football League. The northern part of the state lies across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, which is home to a National Football League team, the Bengals, and a Major League Baseball team, the Reds. It is not uncommon for fans to park in the city of Newport and use the Newport Southbank Pedestrian Bridge, locally known as the "Purple People Bridge," to walk to these games in Cincinnati. Also, Georgetown College in Georgetown is the location for the Bengals' summer training camp.

As in many states, especially those without major league professional sport teams, college athletics are very important. This is especially true of the state's three Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs, including the Kentucky Wildcats, the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, and the Louisville Cardinals. The Wildcats, Hilltoppers, and Cardinals are among the most tradition-rich college basketball teams in the United States, combining for nine championships and 22 NCAA Final Fours; and all three are on the lists of total all-time wins, wins per season, and average wins per season. The Kentucky Wildcats are particularly notable, leading all Division I programs in all time wins, win percentage, NCAA tournament appearances, and being second only to UCLA in NCAA championships. Louisville has also stepped onto the football scene in recent years, with eight straight bowl games, including the 2007 Orange Bowl. Western Kentucky, the 2002 national champion in Division I-AA football (now Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), completed its transition to Division I FBS football in 2009.

Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville was the primary location for training and rehab for WWE professional wrestlers from 2000 until February 2008, when WWE ended its relationship with OVW and moved all of its contracted talent to Florida Championship Wrestling.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will also have a race at the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, an hour away from Louisville. The race will be called the Quaker State 400. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series also race there.

State symbols

!width=25%	Symbol	Binomial nomenclature	Year Adopted
		''Cardinalis cardinalis''	1926
	Viceroy Butterfly	''Limenitis archippus''	1990
	Clogging		2001
	Milk		2005
		''Micropterus punctulatus''	2005
	Brachiopod	undetermined	1986
	Goldenrod	''Soldiago gigantea''	1926
	Blackberry	''Rubus allegheniensis''	2004
			1986
		''Poa pratensis''	Traditional
	'' "United we stand, divided we fall" ''		1942
Official State Latin Motto	''"Deo gratiam habeamus"'' ("Let us be grateful to God")		2002
	Thoroughbred	''Equus caballus''	1996
	Coal		1998
Official State Outdoor Musical	"The Stephen Foster Story" (now called "Stephen Foster - The Musical")		2002
	Appalachian Dulcimer		2001
	"The Bluegrass State"		Traditional
			2000
	"Kentucky: Unbridled Spirit"		2004
	Crider Soil Series		1990
	Tulip Poplar	''Liriodendron tulipifera''	1994
		''Sciurus carolinensis''	1968
	"My Old Kentucky Home"	(revised version)		1986
Official State Silverware Pattern	''Old Kentucky Blue Grass: The Georgetown Pattern''		1996
Official State Music	Bluegrass music		2007
Official State Automobile	Chevrolet Corvette		2010

Official state places and events

State arboretum: Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

State botanical garden: The Arboretum: State Botanical Garden of Kentucky

State Science Center: Louisville Science Center

State center for celebration of African American heritage: Kentucky Center for African American Heritage

State honey festival: Clarkson Honeyfest

State amphitheater: Iroquois Amphitheater (Louisville)

State tug-o-war championship: The Fordsville Tug-of-War Championship

Covered Bridge Capital of Kentucky: Fleming County

Official Covered Bridge of Kentucky: Switzer Covered Bridge (Franklin County)

Official steam locomotive of Kentucky: "Old 152" (located in the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven)

Official pipe band: Louisville Pipe Band

State bourbon festival: Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Inc., in Bardstown, Kentucky

Unless otherwise specified, all state symbol information is taken from Kentucky State Symbols.

Gallery

See also

List of National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky

List of people from Kentucky

Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky

U.S. state

References

Bibliography

Politics

Miller, Penny M. ''Kentucky Politics & Government: Do We Stand United?'' (1994)

Jewell, Malcolm E. and Everett W. Cunningham, ''Kentucky Politics'' (1968)

History

Surveys and reference

Bodley, Temple and Samuel M. Wilson. ''History of Kentucky'' 4 vols. (1928).

Caudill, Harry M., ''Night Comes to the Cumberlands'' (1963). ISBN 0-316-13212-8

Channing, Steven. ''Kentucky: A Bicentennial History'' (1977).

Clark, Thomas Dionysius. ''A History of Kentucky'' (many editions, 1937–1992).

Collins, Lewis. ''History of Kentucky'' (1880).

Harrison, Lowell H. and James C. Klotter. ''A New History of Kentucky'' (1997).

Kleber, John E. et al. ''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'' (1992), standard reference history.

Klotter, James C. ''Our Kentucky: A Study of the Bluegrass State'' (2000), high school text

Lucas, Marion Brunson and Wright, George C. ''A History of Blacks in Kentucky'' 2 vols. (1992).

Notable Kentucky African Americans http://www.uky.edu/Subject/aakyall.html

Share, Allen J. ''Cities in the Commonwealth: Two Centuries of Urban Life in Kentucky'' (1982).

Wallis, Frederick A. and Hambleton Tapp. ''A Sesqui-Centennial History of Kentucky'' 4 vols. (1945).

Ward, William S., ''A Literary History of Kentucky'' (1988) (ISBN 0-87049-578-X).

WPA, ''Kentucky: A Guide to the Bluegrass State '' (1939), classic guide.

Specialized scholarly studies

Bakeless, John. ''Daniel Boone, Master of the Wilderness'' (1989)

Blakey, George T. ''Hard Times and New Deal in Kentucky, 1929–1939'' (1986)

Coulter, E. Merton. ''The Civil War and Readjustment in Kentucky'' (1926)

Davis, Alice. "Heroes: Kentucky's Artists from Statehood to the New Millennium" (2004)

Ellis, William E. ''The Kentucky River'' (2000).

Faragher, John Mack. ''Daniel Boone'' (1993)

Fenton, John H. ''Politics in the Border States: A Study of the Patterns of Political Organization, and Political Change, Common to the Border States: Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri'' (1957)

Ireland, Robert M. ''The County in Kentucky History'' (1976)

Klotter, James C. ''Kentucky: Portrait in Paradox, 1900–1950'' (1992)

Pearce, John Ed. ''Divide and Dissent: Kentucky Politics, 1930–1963'' (1987)

Remini, Robert V. ''Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union'' (1991).

Sonne, Niels Henry. ''Liberal Kentucky, 1780–1828'' (1939)

Tapp, Hambleton and James C Klotter. ''Kentucky Decades of Discord, 1865–1900'' (1977)

Townsend, William H. ''Lincoln and the Bluegrass: Slavery and Civil War in Kentucky'' (1955)

Waldrep, Christopher ''Night Riders: Defending Community in the Black Patch, 1890–1915'' (1993) tobacco wars

External links

Kentucky.gov: My New Kentucky Home

Kentucky State and County Government Websites

Kentucky State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Kentucky state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.

Kentucky Department of Tourism

The Kentucky Highlands Project

USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Kentucky

Energy & Environmental Data for Kentucky

Kentucky State Facts

Kentucky: Unbridled Spirit

Kentucky Virtual Library

"Science In Your Backyard: Kentucky" U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey, July 3, 2006, retrieved November 4, 2006

U.S. Census Bureau Kentucky QuickFacts

Category:States of the United States Category:States of the Southern United States Category:States and territories established in 1792

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Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
name	Brad Delson
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	Bradford Phillip Delson
alias	Big Bad Brad, BBB
born	December 01, 1977Agoura, California, U.S.
instrument	Guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, saxophone, vocals
genre	Alternative rock, nu metal, alternative metal, rap rock, rap metal, rapcore, electronic rock
occupation	Musician, A&R; Representative
years active	1997–present
labels	Machine Shop, Warner Bros.
associated acts	Linkin Park, Jay-Z, Xero, Fort Minor, Busta Rhymes
website	www.linkinpark.com
notable instruments	PRS Custom Series 24, PRS Standard Series 24, Fender Stratocaster, Ibanez RG, Gibson Les Paul }}

Bradford Phillip "Brad" Delson (born December 1, 1977) is an American guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist and one of the founding members of the Grammy Award winning rock band Linkin Park. He is also the A&R; Representative for Machine Shop Recordings.

Biography

Early life

Brad Delson attended Agoura High School with childhood friend and Linkin Park band mate Mike Shinoda. He played in various bands throughout his high school career, the most notable being Relative Degree, in which he met and teamed up with drummer Rob Bourdon. Relative Degree's goal was simply to play a show, and, after achieving that goal, they disbanded.

After graduating in 1995, Delson, Shinoda, and Bourdon formed Xero, which would eventually become the starting point for Linkin Park.

Delson entered UCLA in 1995 as a Regent Scholar working toward a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies with a specialization in Business and Administration. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and shared a dorm room with future Linkin Park band mate Dave Farrell for three out of his four years at school. Delson also had the opportunity to intern with a member of the music industry as part of his studies and ended up working for Jeff Blue, an A&R; representative at Warner Bros. Records, who offered constructive criticism on Xero's demos. Blue later introduced Chester Bennington, who would become the lead vocalist of Linkin Park, to the rest of the band.

After graduating ''summa cum laude'' in 1999, Delson decided to forgo law school in order to pursue a musical career with Linkin Park. He remains an avid fan of all things blue and gold. Brad is of Jewish descent.

Linkin Park

In 1999, Delson's band, Xero, replaced former lead vocalist Mark Wakefield with Arizona native Chester Bennington and renamed themselves Hybrid Theory. Before long, Delson, along with Shinoda, had produced the six-track ''Hybrid Theory (EP)'', distributing it to various websites online and earning the band its own cult following. By 2000, after one more band name change, Linkin Park was signed by Warner Bros. Records.

On October 24, 2000, Linkin Park released the overwhelmingly successful ''Hybrid Theory''. Over the next year, Delson helped produce the remix album ''Reanimation'' (2002), and added his own creative insight into the remixed interpretation of "Pushing Me Away" ("P5hng Me A*wy").

After ''Reanimation'', Delson played a key role in the production of Linkin Park's second studio album, ''Meteora'' (2003), which featured heavier guitar riffs than ones in ''Hybrid Theory''.

Linkin Park released their third studio album ''Minutes to Midnight'' on May 15, 2007 in the United States. For this album, the band strayed away from the style of nu metal style they had perfected in ''Hybrid Theory'' and ''Meteora'', and developed an entirely new sound. For Delson, this meant experimenting with different guitars and amps, both new and vintage. It also meant he needed to push aside his disinclination for guitar solos, which are featured in tracks such as "Shadow of the Day", "What I've Done", "In Pieces" and "The Little Things Give You Away".

While the band pieced together the song "The Little Things Give You Away," Delson experimented with an E-Bow, creating a song called "E-Bow Idea," which was later changed to "No More Sorrow". Listeners can also hear him jingling his keys in "Given Up", an idea which he is credited with in the album booklet, as well as the multiple tracks of hands clapping. He has also played the piano for a few of the live shows on the song Hands Held High.

Brad also added his own creative insight into "New Divide" the track composed by Linkin Park for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Album" in 2009. It was also the Band's last single before the whole band got together, away from their side projects to compose music for their forthcoming album - A Thousand Suns.

Side projects

2002–present - A&R; Representative for Machine Shop Recordings, a Warner Bros. Imprint label started by both Delson and Shinoda in 2002. Delson is responsible for scouting artists, such as Holly Brook, and signing them to the label.

2006 - Produced "Where'd You Go (BBB Remix)," which was featured on the retail single of Fort Minor's "Where'd You Go".

2008 - Aided in the production of and provided guitar parts for Busta Rhymes's "We Made It", which featured Linkin Park.

Personal life

Delson married Elisa Boren in September 2003 in a Jewish wedding at the Skirball Cultural Center. Elisa gave birth to their first child, a boy named Jonah Taylor Delson, on March 25, 2008. He has two younger brothers. Delson also handles many of the business aspects of Linkin Park along with his father Donn Delson. Together, the two created BandMerch, which handles the merchandising affairs for Linkin Park and others. In 1991, Delson was an extra in the movie "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey".

He was the keynote speaker at his alma mater UCLA's College of Letters and Science commencement ceremony on June 12, 2009 in Pauley Pavilion.

Philanthropy

2004 - Delson and his wife established the Delson Scholarship Fund at UCLA, which annually awards four-year scholarships to extraordinary students from Huntington Park. 2005 - Linkin Park established Music for Relief, a non-profit organization founded to aid victims of world catastrophes and combat global warming. Since its founding, Music for Relief has raised almost three million dollars, helping victims of the South Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and the Southern California wildfires. 2005 - Signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in underserved public schools throughout the United States. Delson has personally delivered instruments to children in the program and sits on the organization's board of directors as an honorary member.

Playing style and equipment

Delson has been sometimes criticized for playing simple guitar parts and never performing solos in ''Hybrid Theory'' and ''Meteora''. He states that he "doesn't like to show off," giving reason to the fact that performing solos is a rare act for him. He has explained that this is mainly due to the nature of the band, and that he tries to make his guitar playing sound as if it's that of a keyboard or strings to try to fit in with the hip hop and electronica sounds of the band. However, Delson has recorded a few solos into their album, ''Minutes to Midnight'', after his bandmates encouraged him to do so. Delson's guitar solos can be heard on the tracks "Shadow of the Day", "What I've Done", "The Little Things Give You Away", and, most notably, "In Pieces". Delson's playing style has evolved in live performances as well, as is seen by an outro solo in the live version of "Faint" where a rare fast shredding style solo on the lower frets on the neck of the guitar is performed by Delson, as well as some occasional improvisations during the verses of "Given Up".

In the early days of Linkin Park, their usual bassist, David "Phoenix" Farrell was unavailable due to touring commitments with Tasty Snax. So in ''Hybrid Theory'', Delson was usually held as the bassist for recording. On live shows, he occasionally swapped guitars with Farrel and he also plays the keyboard during the song "Hands Held High". During the ''A Thousand Suns Tour'', he played some custom percussion instruments during the tour, did the keyboard for "Waiting for the End" and also did backing vocals for a lot of songs.

The equipment that Delson uses includes the following:

Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Custom 24/Standard 24/CE 24 guitars - Brad's favorite guitar is his custom-made red PRS with the Hybrid Theory soldier on the body.

PRS Custom 22/CE 22 guitars (Actually Brad has 2 Custom 22, one in a greyish colour and one red, with the Hybrid Theory soldier on the body identical to his Custom 24)

Ibanez RG470XL guitar - used on "Don't Stay" and "Nobody's Listening"

Ibanez GRG370DX guitar

Ibanez RG120 guitar - Used on "A Place For My Head" during the Summer Sannitarium 2003 Tour and some Projekt Revolution shows in 2004. (one was smashed at just about every show on Summer Sanitarium in 2003, and occasionally on Projekt Revolution in 2004)

Ibanez RG7620 7 string guitar - Used on "Runaway" and "With You".

Fender Rory Gallagher Tribute Stratocaster - Used on "What I've Done", "The Little Things Give You Away", "Valentine's Day", "Bleed it Out", "New Divide", "Iridescent", "Burning In The Skies" and "The Catalyst".

Fender vintage 1950's Stratocaster - Use mainly in the studio or as a back up for his Fender Rory Gallagher Tribute Stratocaster. (During Summer Sonic 2009 he asked for one in the middle of New Divide as his Rory Gallagher had a problem)

Fender Jaguar

Fender Telecaster

Gibson Les Paul (no longer used)

Ibanez RGT3120 - used on "Runaway" and "With You" in 2003-2006

Gibson J45 - Used on "The Messenger" (A Thousand Suns)

Effects

To avoid problems with pedals being damaged during live performances Delson keeps his effect pedals in a rack along with his amplifiers and controls them through a pedalboard onstage. The board also contains a pedal control which allows him to change the settings for his effect pedals.

Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro floorboard

GCX Audio Switcher

TC Electronics G-Major effects processor

Boss BF-3 Flanger

Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer (x2)

Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble

Boss Expression pedal

Boss DD-7 Digital Delay

Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah

Ibanez LF-7 Lo-fi pedal

Dunlop MXR Micro Amp

Dunlop MXR MC-401

Amplifiers

For the first two albums, he used Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifiers, but during the recording of ''Minutes to Midnight'' Delson decide not to use much of his old equipment to give him a new sound. Several vintage and rare amplifiers such as Soldano SLO's, Marshall JCM 800, Mesa Boogie, a 1972 50 watt Hiwatt Custom, A Bogner Uberschall, and an extremely rare Bo Diddley amplifier with an onboard tape delay that was either made for, or made by Diddley. During live performances Delson relies on several Randall MTS Modules to recreate the sound from these different amplifers.

Randall MTS RM4 pre-amp (x2)

Randall MTS Modules

Randall RT 2/50 power amp

Randall MTS cabinets

Other

Dunlop Picks-Tortex Wedge (0.83mm)

D'Addario strings: EXL115,EXL140,EXL110

DiMarzio pickups - D-Sonic, Tone Zone, and Air Norton

Audio technica wireless transmitters and receivers

JHAudio JH16 In-Ear Monitors

References

External links

Delson's official LPN page from linkinpark.com

Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Jewish American musicians Category:American rock bass guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:Linkin Park members Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area Category:Musicians from California Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni Category:A&R; people Category:Lead guitarists Category:American heavy metal guitarists

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Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
Name	Mike Shinoda
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Michael Kenji Shinoda
Born	February 11, 1977
Origin	Agoura Hills, California, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals, rapping, guitar, keyboard, piano, samples, organ, percussion
Genre	Alternative rock, nu metal, alternative hip hop, rap rock, rap, rap metal
Occupation	Musician, singer-songwriter, lyricist, composer, rapper, vocalist, guitarist, pianist, producer, graphic designer, visual artist
Years active	1996–present
Label	Machine Shop/Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Linkin Park, Fort Minor, Styles of Beyond, Apathy, Cypress Hill, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Skylar Grey
Website	MikeShinoda.com
Notable instruments	PRS GuitarsIbanez GuitarsGibson GuitarsFender Guitars }}

Michael Kenji "Mike" Shinoda (, born February 11, 1977) is an American musician, record producer, and artist. He is best known as the rapper, principal songwriter, keyboardist, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Linkin Park, along with his co-frontman and lead singer Chester Bennington, and as a solo rapper in his side-project, Fort Minor. He also provides artwork, production, and mixing for both groups.

Life and career

Early life

Shinoda was born and raised in the Los Angeles suburb of Agoura Hills. His father is Japanese American, and his mother is a Russian American. He also has a younger brother, Jason. Shinoda attended Parkman Elementary and Lindero Canyon Middle School.

As per his mother's wishes, Shinoda began his classical piano training with lessons around the age of six, his enthusiasm eventually growing. At the age of thirteen, he expressed the desire to move toward playing jazz, blues, and even hip-hop. During his middle school and high school years, he added the guitar and, eventually, rap-style vocals to his repertoire.

After his teens, Mike Shinoda's rap interests found a source of encouragement in Brad Delson, with whom he started to write and record songs in a makeshift studio set up in his bedroom. Shinoda attended Agoura High School with Linkin Park bandmates Brad Delson and Rob Bourdon as well as with members of the band Hoobastank. By the end of high school, Bourdon had become involved in their musical ventures. The trio formed the band Xero, and began to make a more serious attempt to pursue a career in the music industry.

After high school, Shinoda enrolled in the Art Center College of Design to study graphic design and illustration. It was here that he made the acquaintance of DJ and turntablist Joseph Hahn, who, along with Delson's college-mate Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, was soon added to Xero's line-up. It was also here that he experienced a form of identity crisis. Years later, in an interview he said:

"I think it was probably in college that I realized that there was a difference between Japanese and Japanese-American. That's important to realize. It's not the same thing and then eventually with Linkin Park, I toured in Japan. I've been there now I think four times. I remember the first time I went, how familiar it seemed, just getting out of the plane, it smelled like my aunt's house, in the airport, it smelled like Japan. I don't know if anybody else even noticed it but I walked out of the plane and thought this is definitely familiar to me, didn't even see anything yet. And then going to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, you just recognize things about the way people act, the small things that people do such as how you'll grab a piece of paper. There are things that are more obvious like taking somebody's business card with two hands. You don't do that in the States. When I saw somebody do that I went, "Oh yeah, my uncle always does that," you know. There are little things that culturally come from Japan but they also exist in Japanese American culture and it made me feel like the connection was there and I kind of hadn't realized how much of it was there."

Shinoda managed to graduate from college with a bachelor's degree in illustration a year in advance, securing himself a job as a graphic designer instantly. With his background as a graphic artist, Shinoda has taken it upon himself in designing all of Linkin Park's artwork with Hahn, and has even designed the album cover for Styles of Beyond's debut album, ''2000 Fold''. In later years he would go on to showcase his art skills; he had his debut art showcase (Diamonds Spades Hearts & Clubs) at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles in the time leading up to Linkin Park's album ''Minutes to Midnight''.

Linkin Park

Shinoda's band brought in second vocalist Chester Bennington, replacing Mark Wakefield. From the onset, Shinoda was closely involved in the technical aspects of the band's recordings, and over the subsequent releases that role continued to expand. Shinoda, with guitarist Brad Delson, engineered and produced the band's Hybrid Theory EP, and performed similar roles in the recording of the Hybrid Theory album. Mike executively organized and oversaw the band's remix album Reanimation (2002), contributing his own production remixes that he made in his home studio for "Crawling" and "Pushing Me Away." In his spare time, he produced and performed on a song by The X-Ecutioners entitled "It's Goin' Down."

On the second Linkin Park Warner Bros. studio release ''Meteora'' (2003) Shinoda continued to expand upon his duties as a musician and studio technician/engineer. Additionally, for the backbone of the album artwork, Shinoda collaborated with graffiti artist DELTA, graphic designer Frank Maddocks, and band-mate Joe Hahn.

By the release of the Linkin Park and Jay-Z 'mash-up' album ''Collision Course'' in 2004, Shinoda's involvement in the creation of the albums continued to grow. He produced and mixed the album, which won a Grammy Award for "best rap / song collaboration" in 2006.

The band released their next album, ''Minutes to Midnight'', on May 14, 2007. On this album, Shinoda shared a production credit with producer Rick Rubin, overseeing the musical evolution of the band's sound. This album was also the first time that Shinoda, best known for his rapping, sang a featured vocal. Mike sang in the songs "In Between" and the b-side song, "No Roads Left," as well as rapping and singing in the songs "Bleed It Out" and "Hands Held High." Despite the rarity of Shinoda-fronted singing tracks, music magazine Hit Parader ranked Mike at number 72 of the Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time. Mike and Rick Rubin again shared a production credit for Linkin Park's latest album, ''A Thousand Suns'', released on September 14, 2010.

Fort Minor

Shinoda formed a side project named "Fort Minor" between 2003 and 2004 because he could not demonstrate as much of his hip-hop background in Linkin Park. He explained the name of his project in an interview:

The debut album from Fort Minor, titled ''The Rising Tied'', was released on November 13, 2005, and includes guest appearances from Styles of Beyond, Lupe Fiasco, Common, Black Thought of The Roots, John Legend, Holly Brook, Jonah Matranga, Celph Titled, and features Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) as an executive producer.

For the NBA 2006–2007 season, "Remember the Name", the second single from ''The Rising Tied'', became the soundtrack for NBA Overtime on TNT. It was an NBA remix version, and remains the staple song for NBA on TNT to this day. Furthermore the Big East used "Remember the Name" as its theme song for the Big East Basketball Tournament in 2006.

He also scored a Top 10 smash with the surprise hit single "Where'd You Go", which peaked at #4 on Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Shinoda provided several original score selections to the 2005 MTV VMAs. Lil Jon also provided original music, but not on any of the same tracks

Fort Minor won an MTV VMA for "Best Ringtone" in 2006, and was featured in the following films and TV programs (2005–2006 and 2010): Entourage, Boston Legal, Gridiron Gang, Freedom Writers, Friday Night Lights (TV), The Karate Kid, and Numbers.

Shinoda has also continued his Fort Minor musical style in an executive producer role on the upcoming Styles Of Beyond album, "''Reseda Beach''" He is contributing music and vocals to the album, which was slated for release sometime in 2009. However, the album has not been released till date and Styles of Beyond is under hiatus.

Art and painting

Mike was the youngest of his graduating class from Art Center College of Design of Pasadena in 1998, with a Bachelor of Arts in Illustration. He has had a hand in most artistic facets of Linkin Park's imagery, including album artwork, band merchandise, web design, and on-stage production art.

During time off in 2003, he did a collaborative "remix" shoe for DC Shoes, remixing the "Clientele." He reworked the colors and materials for the shoe, and additionally designed all the packaging and print advertisements. The following year, he also designed a customizable Kid Robot "Munny" doll for a charity auction.

In 2004, Shinoda created a series of ten paintings which became the basis of the Fort Minor album ''The Rising Tied.'' That series became the backbone for the packaging of the album, and was featured in Shinoda's first public art show "Diamonds Spades Hearts & Clubs." In addition to the ten Fort Minor pieces, the show also featured thirteen more original works and five collaborative pieces. “Diamonds Spades Hearts & Clubs” opened at Gallery 1988 on Sunday, November 19, 2006.

Additionally in 2004, Shinoda started a college scholarship at Art Center College of Design to benefit future illustration and graphic design students. Named the Michael K. Shinoda Endowed Scholarship, it is awarded based on financial need and merit. The scholarship was awarded for the first time in 2006. The scholarship fund is made possible through the sale of his original artwork on his website, art shows and his DC Shoes projects.

2008 has proved to be a busy year thus far artistically for Mike. On July 11, Shinoda’s second public art show “Glorious Excess (BORN)” premiered at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The show included nine new pieces, with an exclusive signing on opening night. The show served as part one of the “Glorious Excess” two-part series, with the second installment “Glorious Excess (DIES)” due at JANM at August 22, 2009.

Concerning the inspiration behind the Glorious Excess series, Mike stated that it:

"Got to a point where the pervasiveness of “celebrity news” concerned me. It seemed like it has jumped out of its niche into places where it doesn’t belong. I would be watching the news, and thinking, “of all the things going on in the world right now, why are they covering so-and-so’s breakup?” It didn’t make sense to me. Add to that the fact that I’m supposed to somehow “belong” to that celebrity group—and I really don’t feel like I do in a lot of ways—and you can see how the topic started to become really interesting to me. The Glorious Excess (BORN) show was my way of diving into those topics, trying to find answers. It follows a central “celebrity” character, who is filthy rich, slightly violent, and famous without any particular skill or talent."

Also in 2008, Mike partnered up with DC Shoes again on a second DC Remix Series project. The project would feature a "great juxtaposition of Mike's unique influences: accomplished artist versus recording-breaking musician, American upbringing versus Japanese heritage." The MS/DC limited edition remix has two different versions – Xander and Pride. Roughly 2000 pairs of the limited edition shoes were made available for purchase when the sneaker was released on August 1, 2008.

In an interview with Sneaker Freaker Magazine, Shinoda had this to say about the latest DC Shoe project:

"This remix is a little slimmer than most of DC’s skate shoes; the Xander feels almost like the skate shoes I grew up wearing in the late 80s. But the art brings it up to date—my work is laser-etched into the panels on the side of the shoe, and the sole is a clear gum sole with a koi fish pattern, and four-color artwork beneath. That way, when you’re walking, and your foot lifts up, it’s a little surprise under there. We also took the time to add extra padding and a satin inner lining to make it as comfortable as possible. They come with three pairs of lightly waxed laces instead of two, because I like to flip up the look sometimes. Each pair also comes with a booklet of my art."

Production

Shinoda produced The Rising Tied, the debut album by his side-project Fort Minor. He has also produced tracks for albums by Lupe Fiasco and Styles of Beyond, as well as producing or co-producing all of Linkin Park's non-studio albums, including ''Reanimation'', ''Hybrid Theory EP'', the collaborative EP with Jay-Z, ''Collision Course'', and for the first time producing a studio album in 2007, the group's third studio release ''Minutes to Midnight''. In 2004 Shinoda, with drumming assistance by his Linkin Park band mate Rob Bourdon, remixed "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode. Shinoda and Bourdon also worked together to create an instrumental piece entitled "Lockjaw" while previewing Digidesign's Pro Tools 8 software. Some other notable production credits include:

Styles of Beyond – "Marco Polo" (from the album ''2000 Fold'')

The X-Ecutioners – "It's Goin' Down" (from the album ''Built from Scratch'')

Depeche Mode – "Enjoy the Silence 04" (remixed and produced)

Lupe Fiasco – "The Instrumental" (from the album ''Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor'')

Styles of Beyond featuring Celph Titled – "You Cannot Fuck With This" (from the ''Razor Tag'' mixtape)

Styles of Beyond – "Hard [MS Remix]" (from the ''Razor Tag'' mixtape)

Styles of Beyond – "Second To None" (from the upcoming album ''Reseda Beach'')

"My December" – Linkin Park

"High Voltage" – Linkin Park

Reanimation – Linkin Park

"What I've Done (Distorted Remix)" – Linkin Park

Scored the 2005 MTV VMAs (contributed all original music)

"''Fort Minor: We Major''" Mixtape – including S.C.O.M., Bloc Party, Dolla, 100 Degrees, Spraypaint & Inkpens (feat. Lupe Fiasco and Ghostface Killah)

Busta Rhymes feat. Linkin Park – "We Made It" (co-produced with Cool & Dre)

"L.O.A.T.R." (M. Shinoda Remix) – Linkin Park

"Lockjaw" – Linkin Park

"Death to Analog" (Mike Shinoda Remix) – Julien-K (from the album ''Death To Digital'')

"New Divide" – Linkin Park

"Gold Guns Girls" (Mike Shinoda remix) – Metric

"Shoot First" – Apathy

"Resurrection" – Lupe Fiasco & Kenna

"Never Let Me Down" – Kenna

"Not Alone" – Linkin Park (From Download to Donate for Haiti, an initiative by Music For Relief)

Cypress Hill – "Carry Me Away" (from the album ''Rise Up'')

"Linkin Park: 8-Bit Rebellion!" – composed 8-bit soundtrack

"Issho Ni" for Download To Donate for Japan, a charity contribution for the 2011 Japan earthquake

Other musical activities

In 2005, Mike hosted the ''Rock Phenomenon'' Mixtape CD with DJ Vlad and Roc Raida. The CD is the first (and to date, only) in DJ Vlad's ''Rock Phenomenon'' series (which itself is a spin-off of Vlad's ''Rap Phenomenon'' Mixtape series), and features a Mash-Up of Linkin Park's ''Papercut'', and David Banner's ''Like a Pimp (Remix)''. The Mixtape was re-released on July 10, 2007, with new artwork.

In October 2008 Mike and Mark Wakefield, former vocalist of Linkin Park back when they were named Xero, recorded and released the song "Barack Your World" under the name White Pegacorn.

For the 2006 Grammy awards, Mike and Brad Delson assembled the mashup track of Numb/Encore and "Yesterday" by The Beatles to be performed live by Jay-Z, Linkin Park and Paul McCartney.

Mike scored the MTV VMAs in 2005. Lil’ Jon also contributed, but they did not collaborate; The tracks were separate. Mike was an honorary parade marshall in Los Angeles Nisei Week, 2005. Mike was awarded the Japanese American National Museum’s Award of Excellence in 2006.

Influences

Shinoda's musical influences and favorites include U2, The Police, Boogie Down Productions, Led Zeppelin, Nine Inch Nails, and Dr. Dre. As a visual artist his influences include Mark Ryden, Corey Sandelius, and Banksy.

Personal life

Mike Shinoda has been married to children's author Anna Hillinger since May 10, 2003. The couple have one child, a son named Otis Akio Shinoda. According to Shinoda, the Fort Minor song "Where'd You Go" was written for Anna.

In 2004 he was featured on an episode of ''Punk'd'' in which a fire hydrant was placed next to his Acura SUV during a pretend fire.

In an interview talking about his song "Kenji" from the ''Rising Tied'' album, he revealed that his father was born during the Second World War. Shinoda is a third generation Japanese American. His father was born in the United States and was interned during World War II. Regarding the “Glue” nickname: someone in the band called Mike “The Glue” saying he was the one that “held everything together.” The other nicknames (Spike Minoda, Cobra Holda) are just funny, nonsensical." In 2009, Mike received an Honorary Doctorate Of Humane Letters (H.D.L) from Art Center College Of Design. "I suppose this could also mean that my name at the top of the page should officially read: Michael Kenji “Mike” Shinoda, H.D.L." EWP honored Mike with a Visionary Award and dinner in 2010.

References

External links

Mike Shinoda's official website

Shinoda's official LPN page from LinkinPark.com

Mike Shinoda is interviewed by SUBvert magazine about his successful career

Category:1977 births Category:American heavy metal guitarists Category:American heavy metal singers Category:American rock guitarists Category:American keyboardists Category:American male singers Category:American rappers Category:American record producers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American rappers of Asian descent Category:American musicians of European descent Category:American musicians of Japanese descent Category:American people of Japanese descent Category:Linkin Park members Category:Living people Category:Musicians from California Category:Nu metal singers Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area

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