Frankfort, Kentucky
—  City  —
State Capitol
Location of Frankfort, Kentucky
Coordinates: 38°11′50″N 84°51′47″W / 38.19722°N 84.86306°W / 38.19722; -84.86306
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Franklin
Established	1786
Incorporated	February 28, 1835
Government
• Type	Council/Manager
• Mayor	Gippy Graham
Area
• Total	15.0 sq mi (39 km2)
• Land	14.7 sq mi (38 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (1 km2)
Elevation	509 ft (155 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	25,527
• Density	1,883.2/sq mi (727.1/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP Code	40601-40604, 40618-40622
Area code(s)	502
FIPS code	21-28900
GNIS feature ID	0517517
Website	City website

Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County.^[1] The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States. Located on the Kentucky River, Frankfort is the principal city of the Frankfort, Kentucky Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Franklin and Anderson counties.

History[link]

The town of Frankfort likely received its name from an event that took place in 1780s. Native Americans attacked a group of early British-American pioneers from Bryan’s Station, who were making salt at a ford in the Kentucky River. After the pioneer Stephen Frank was killed, the settlers called the crossing "Frank’s Ford." This name was later shortened to Frankfort.

In 1786 James Wilkinson purchased the 260-acre (1.1 km²) tract of land on the north side of the Kentucky River, which developed as downtown Frankfort. He was an early promoter of Frankfort as the state capital.

Bird's eye view of the city of Frankfort in 1871. Downtown Frankfort is seen in the foreground, while South Frankfort lies across the river in the background. Fort Hill is in the lower left hand corner.

After Kentucky became a state, five commissioners were appointed on June 20, 1792, to choose a location for the capital. They were John Allen and John Edwards (both from Bourbon County), Henry Lee (Mason County), Thomas Kennedy (Madison County), and Robert Todd (Fayette County). A number of communities competed for this honor, but Frankfort won. According to early histories, the offer of Andrew Holmes' log house as capitol for seven years, a number of town lots, £50 worth of locks and hinges, 10 boxes of glass, 1,500 pounds of nails, and $3,000 in gold helped the decision go to Frankfort.^[2]

Frankfort had a post office by 1794, with Daniel Weisiger as postmaster.^[3]

John Brown, a Virginia lawyer and statesman, built a home, now called Liberty Hall, in Frankfort in 1796. Before statehood he represented Virginia in the Continental Congress (1777–78) and the U.S. Congress (1789–91). While in Congress he introduced the bill granting statehood to Kentucky. Once that was accomplished, he was elected a U.S. Senator for Kentucky.

The Kentucky General Assembly appropriated funds to provide a house to accommodate the governor in 1796. Construction was completed in 1798. The Old Governor's Mansion is reputed to be the oldest official executive residence still in use in the United States. In 1829 the Old Capitol, the third Capitol of Kentucky, was built in the Greek Revival style, designed by Gideon Shryock. The building served Kentucky as its Capitol from 1830 until 1910.

Downtown Frankfort, with the Capital Plaza Office Tower at center.

During the American Civil War, Union forces built fortifications overlooking downtown Frankfort on what is now called Fort Hill. The Confederate Army occupied Frankfort for a short time.

On February 3, 1900 Governor-elect William Goebel was assassinated in Frankfort while walking to the capitol to be inaugurated. Former Secretary of State Caleb Powers was later found guilty in a conspiracy to kill Goebel.

The city has grown considerably since the 1960s. A modern addition to the State Office Building was completed in 1967. The original building was completed in the 1930s on the location of the former Kentucky State Penitentiary. Some of the stone from the old prison was used for the walls surrounding the office building.

Capitol Plaza was established in the 1960s. It comprises the Capitol Plaza Office Tower, the tallest building in the city, the Capitol Plaza Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn, Frankfort), and the Fountain Place Shoppes. The Capital Plaza Office Tower opened in 1968 and has become a visual landmark for the center of the city. In August 2008, capital officials announced a plan to demolish the Tower and redevelop the area over a period of years. They intended to replace the outdated Tower with a smaller, four- or five-story building for a more pedestrian-oriented scale at the complex.^[4]

Frankfort is home to several major distilleries of Kentucky Bourbon whiskey, including Buffalo Trace Distillery (formerly Ancient Age).

Historic churches[link]

• Church of the Ascension Episcopal Church was organized in 1835. It is located at 311 Washington Street in what is now Frankfort’s historic district.
• Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church was built in 1850, following the immigration in the 1840s of many Irish and German Catholics to the city. Serving Catholics of all ancestries, it is located at 310 Wapping Street in Frankfort’s historic district.
• First Baptist Church also known as "First Baptist Church, Clinton Street" was organized in 1833 and is the largest African-American congregation in the city. FBC has hosted religious, civil and political leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. The Church is located at 100 Clinton Street in Frankfort's historic district.
• First Baptist Church (http://www.fbcfrankfort.org) First Baptist Church was originally congregated in 1816, Henry Clay's Brother was an early Baptized member. The Current Location was built in 1865 and is located 201 St.Clair street.

Geography[link]

Hilltop view of modern day Frankfort. The Kentucky River is visible on the left.

Frankfort is located at 38°11′50″N 84°51′47″W / 38.19722°N 84.86306°W / 38.19722; -84.86306 (38.197274, -84.863110)^[5]. It is in the (inner) Bluegrass region of Central Kentucky.

The city is bisected by the Kentucky River, which makes an s-turn as it passes through the center of town. The river valley widens at this point, which creates four distinct parts of town. The valley within the city limits contains Downtown and South Frankfort districts, which lie opposite one another on the river. A small neighborhood with its own distinct identity, Bellepoint, is located on the west bank of the river to the north of Benson Creek, opposite the river from the "downtown" district. The suburban areas on either side of the valley are referred to as West Frankfort and East Frankfort, respectively.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.0 square miles (39 km²), of which 14.7 square miles (38 km²) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²) is water.

Frankfort does not have a commercial airport and travelers fly into Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport near Covington or Louisville International Airport in Louisville.

Climate[link]

Frankfort is located at the northern extreme limit of the humid subtropical climate of the Southeastern United States. It is proximal to the climatic transition zone where the subtropical Southeast blends with and then eventually changes to a humid continental climate further north (roughly just beyond Cincinnati, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana).

Demographics[link]

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there were 27,741 people, 12,314 households, and 6,945 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,883.2 per square mile (727.1 /km²). There were 13,422 housing units at an average density of 911.2 per square mile (351.8 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.84% White or European American, 14.70% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.48% of the population.

There were 12,314 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 37.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.83.

The age distribution was 21.6% under 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,980, and the median income for a family was $47,855. Males had a median income of $31,339 versus $25,361 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,512. About 9.5% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.

Frankfort is the focal point of a micropolitan statistical area consisting of Frankfort and Franklin County as well as adjacent Lawrenceburg and Anderson County. The city is also classified in a combined statistical area with Lexington and Richmond to the east.

Frankfort's municipal population makes it the fourth smallest capital city in the United States.

Community[link]

Commonwealth Gardens [1] is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the formation of community gardens and school gardens in the Frankfort and Franklin County area. It advocates the consumption of locally grown food because it tastes better and takes less energy to produce, and also to support local farmers and merchants.

Walk/Bike Frankfort ^[8] is dedicated to making the capital of Kentucky the best city in the Commonwealth for pedestrians and cyclists.

Frankfort Climate Action Network [2], Working to raise awareness about the threat of climate change and solutions for it.

Josephine Sculpture Park [3], provide, community arts education and creative experiences while conserving the beauty of the native, rural landscape. It is free and open every day from dawn until dusk

The Folkbike Re-Cyclery [4] is a non-profit, volunteer organization located at 106 E.Broadway in Frankfort. We restore and repairs used bicycles, providing them to people who cannot afford new ones. Many residents donate unused bikes to the group.

Education[link]

Frankfort is the home of the Kentucky State University, a historically black university situated near the downtown area. Two school districts serve the city, with three public high schools within the city limits:

• Frankfort Independent Schools, whose boundaries roughly coincide with downtown, South Frankfort, and the Bellepoint and Tanglewood neighborhoods:
  • Frankfort High School

• Franklin County Public Schools, covering the rest of the county:
  • Franklin County High School, primarily serving the eastern half of Franklin County
  • Western Hills High School, serving west Frankfort and western Franklin County

Private high school:

• Frankfort Christian Academy

Frankfort, Franklin County and the surrounding area also have a considerable homeschooling population.

Sister cities[link]

Frankfort has one sister city:

• San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic.

Notable residents[link]

• William Wirt Adams (1819–88), born in Frankfort, brigadier general in the Confederate Army^[9]
• Elijah Craig, Baptist preacher and early bourbon distiller, settled here from Virginia in the 1780s.
• Elizabeth Ann Hulette (November 19, 1960 – May 1, 2003) professional wrestling manager. Attended Franklin County High School
• John Marshall Harlan, former Franklin County judge. Later served on the U.S. Supreme Court and is notable for being the lone dissenter in the Plessy v. Ferguson and the Civil Rights Cases, which upheld the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities under the doctrine of "separate but equal" and held that the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was unconstitutional, respectively.
• Paul Sawyier (1865–1917) was a Kentucky artist and an American Impressionist
• Hal Sparks, actor and comedian, attended Franklin County High School
• George Graham Vest (1830–1904) U.S. Senator from Missouri
• George C. Wolfe (September 23, 1954 - ), Broadway producer/playwright and film director.
• Will Chase is an actor and singer, best known for his work in Broadway musicals.
• Johnny Depp, film actor

Gallery[link]

Image:desac.jpg

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Frankfort, Kentucky

• Official site
• Kentucky Coffeetree Cafe
• Links2Frankfort Local Business Directory
• Frankfort Information page from Kentucky Secretary of State

Coordinates: 38°11′50″N 84°51′47″W / 38.197274°N 84.86311°W / 38.197274; -84.86311

v t e Frankfort, Kentucky Subject areas Climate • Demographics • Education • Geography • History • People • Sister cities Top subjects Buffalo Trace Distillery • Floral clock • Frankfort Cemetery • Frankfort Convention Center • Kentucky Governor's Mansion • Kentucky State Capitol • Kentucky State University • Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial • Liberty Hall Prominent suburbs Georgetown • Lawrenceburg • Midway • Shelbyville • Versailles

v t e Municipalities and communities of Franklin County, Kentucky, United States County seat: Frankfort City Frankfort Unincorporated community Bridgeport

v t e  Commonwealth of Kentucky Frankfort (capital) Topics Index Cuisine Culture Demographics Economy Education Flag Geography History Music People Religion Seal Sports Symbols Theater Tourism Transportation Category Index Portal Regions Allegheny Plateau The Bluegrass Central Kentucky Cumberland Mountains Cumberland Plateau Eastern Kentucky Coal Field region Highland Rim The Knobs Mississippi Plain Northern Kentucky Pennyroyal Plateau The Purchase Ridge-and-Valley South Central Kentucky Tennessee Valley Western Coal Fields 25 Largest cities Louisville Lexington Bowling Green Owensboro Covington Hopkinsville Richmond Florence Georgetown Henderson Elizabethtown Nicholasville Jeffersontown Frankfort Paducah Independence Radcliff Ashland Madisonville Winchester Erlanger Murray St. Matthews Fort Thomas Danville Metropolitan areas Ashland Bowling Green Clarksville, TN Elizabethtown Evansville Lexington–Fayette Louisville – Jefferson County Northern Kentucky Owensboro Counties Adair Allen Anderson Ballard Barren Bath Bell Boone Bourbon Boyd Boyle Bracken Breathitt Breckinridge Bullitt Butler Caldwell Calloway Campbell Carlisle Carroll Carter Casey Christian Clark Clay Clinton Crittenden Cumberland Daviess Edmonson Elliott Estill Fayette Fleming Floyd Franklin Fulton Gallatin Garrard Grant Graves Grayson Green Greenup Hancock Hardin Harlan Harrison Hart Henderson Henry Hickman Hopkins Jackson Jefferson Jessamine Johnson Kenton Knott Knox LaRue Laurel Lawrence Lee Leslie Letcher Lewis Lincoln Livingston Logan Lyon Madison Magoffin Marion Marshall Martin Mason McCracken McCreary McLean Meade Menifee Mercer Metcalfe Monroe Montgomery Morgan Muhlenberg Nelson Nicholas Ohio Oldham Owen Owsley Pendleton Perry Pike Powell Pulaski Robertson Rockcastle Rowan Russell Scott Shelby Simpson Spencer Taylor Todd Trigg Trimble Union Warren Washington Wayne Webster Whitley Wolfe Woodford

Commonwealth of Kentucky
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Bluegrass State
Motto(s): United we stand, divided we fall and Deo gratiam habeamus (Let us be grateful to God)
Official language(s)	English[1]
Demonym	Kentuckian
Capital	Frankfort
Largest city	Louisville
Largest metro area	Louisville metropolitan area
Area	Ranked 37th in the U.S.
- Total	40,409 sq mi (104,659 km2)
- Width	140 miles (225 km)
- Length	379 miles (610 km)
- % water	1.7
- Latitude	36° 30′ N to 39° 09′ N
- Longitude	81° 58′ W to 89° 34′ W
Population	Ranked 26th in the U.S.
- Total	4,369,356 (2011 est)[2]
- Density	110/sq mi  (42.5/km2) Ranked 22nd in the U.S.
Elevation
- Highest point	Black Mountain[3][4] 4,145 ft (1263 m)
- Mean	750 ft  (230 m)
- Lowest point	Mississippi River at Kentucky Bend[3][4] 257 ft (78 m)
Before statehood	Kentucky County, Virginia
Admission to Union	June 1, 1792 (15th)
Governor	Steve Beshear (D)
Lieutenant Governor	Jerry Abramson (D)
Legislature	General Assembly
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Mitch McConnell (R) Rand Paul (R)
U.S. House delegation	4 Republicans, 2 Democrats (list)
Time zones
- eastern half	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
- western half	Central: UTC-6/-5
Abbreviations	KY US-KY
Website	kentucky.gov

Kentucky (ⁱ/kɨnˈtʌki/), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state located in the Upper South of the United States. 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 Kentucky became the 15th state to join the Union. Kentucky is the 37th most extensive and the 26th most populous of the 50 United States.

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, because of 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[link]

Narrow country roads bounded by stone and wood plank fences are a fixture in the Kentucky Bluegrass region.

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. Some have said that the land was described in this way to Daniel Boone by a native Chief. According to The Kentucky Blue Book,^{[citation needed]} Dragging Canoe, a young Cherokee chief opposed to selling ancestral hunting grounds, warned the whites that they were purchasing a "dark and bloody ground." The origin of Kentucky's modern name (variously spelled Cane-tuck-ee, Cantucky, Kain-tuck-ee, and Kentuckee before its modern spelling was accepted)^[5] 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.^[6]

Geography[link]

Kentucky is considered to be situated in the Upland South. It is infrequently included in the Midwest.^[7][8] 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.^[9]

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 1812 New Madrid Earthquake changing the course of the river.^[10]

Regions[link]

Kentucky's regions (click on image for color coding information.)

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.

• 

  Kentucky's Inner Bluegrass region features hundreds of horse farms

• 

  The Jackson Purchase and western Pennyrile are home to several bald cypress/tupelo swamps

• 

  The East Kentucky Coal Field is known for its rugged terrain

Climate[link]

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 87 °F (31 °C) to a winter low of 23 °F (−5 °C). The average precipitation is 46 inches (1,200 mm) a year.^[11] Kentucky experiences all four seasons, usually with striking variations in the severity of summer and winter from year to year.^[12] Kentucky's highest recorded temperature was 114 °F (46 °C) at Greensburg on July 28, 1930 while the lowest recorded temperature was −34 °F (−37 °C) at Cynthiana on January 28, 1963.

Major weather events that have affected Kentucky include:

Lakes and rivers[link]

Lake Cumberland is the largest artificial American lake east of the Mississippi River by volume.

Kentucky's 90,000 miles (140,000 km) 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.^[13] 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,^[14] 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.^[15]

Natural environment and conservation[link]

Once an industrial wasteland, Louisville's reclaimed waterfront now features thousands of trees and miles of walking trails

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, 37,696 acres (153 km²) 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.^[16]

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.^[17]

Significant natural attractions[link]

• Cumberland Gap, chief passageway through the Appalachian Mountains in early American history.
• Cumberland Falls, the only place in the Western Hemisphere where a "moon-bow" may be regularly seen, due to the spray of the falls.^[18]
• Mammoth Cave National Park, featuring the world's longest known cave system.^[19]
• 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.^[20] Runs along the border of Harlan and Letcher counties.
• Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve, 2,639-acre (11 km²) 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,^[21] as well as a 60-foot (18 m) 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.^[22]
• Lake Cumberland, 1,255 miles (2,020 km) 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[link]

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace near Hodgenville

What is now the state was inhabited by varying cultures of Native Americans from at least 1000 BC to about 1650 AD, particularly along the waterways and in areas of game. Bison roamed in the region. By the time that 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 Iroquois had controlled much of the Ohio River valley for hunting from their bases in what is now New York. The Shawnee from the northwest and Cherokee from the south also sent parties into the area regularly for hunting. As more settlers entered the area, warfare broke out because the American Indians considered the settlers to be encroaching on their traditional hunting grounds.^[23] Today the Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky is 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.^[24] In an attempt to end such raids into the state, 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.^[25]

After the American Revolution, the counties of Virginia beyond the Appalachian Mountains became known as Kentucky County.^[26] 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.^[27]

Central Kentucky, the Bluegrass region, was the center of the greatest slaveholding, as planters cultivated tobacco and hemp, and also were noted for their quality livestock. During the nineteenth century, Kentucky slaveholders began to sell surplus slaves to the Deep South, with Louisville becoming a major slave market and departure port for slaves being transported downriver.

It was one of the border states during the American Civil War.^[28] 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.^[29] They established a Confederate government of Kentucky with its capital in Bowling Green.^[30] Though Kentucky was represented by the central star on the Confederate battle flag,^[31] the Russellville Convention did not represent the majority of residents. Kentucky officially remained "neutral" throughout the war due to Union sympathies of many of the Commonwealth's citizens.

In a revival of the "Lost Cause" that has exceeded the support it gained during the war, some contemporary people observe Confederate Memorial Day on Confederate President Jefferson Davis' birthday, June 3 and participate in Confederate re-enactments.^[32][33]

Designed by the Washington Monument's architect Robert Mills in 1845, the U.S. Marine Hospital in Louisville is considered the best remaining antebellum hospital in the United States

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 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.^[34]

Law and government[link]

Kentucky is one of four U.S. states to officially use the term commonwealth. The the term was used for Kentucky as it had also been used by Virginia, from which Kentucky was created. The term has no particular significance in its meaning and was chosen to emphasize the distinction from the status of royal colonies as a place governed for the general welfare of the populace.^[35] The commonwealth term was used in citizen petitions submitted between 1786 and 1792 for the creation of the state,^{[citation needed]} and in the Kentucky Constitution adopted in 1850. It was also used the title of a history of the state that was published in 1834 and was used in various places within that book in references to Virginia and Kentucky.^[36]

Kentucky is one of only five states that elects its state officials in odd-numbered years (the others being Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia). Kentucky holds elections for these offices every 4 years in the years preceding Presidential election years. Thus, Kentucky held gubernatorial elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011.

Executive branch[link]

The governor's mansion in Frankfort, Kentucky

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 Jerry Abramson.

Other elected constitutional offices include: the Secretary of State, Attorney General, Auditor of Public Accounts, State Treasurer and Commissioner of Agriculture. Currently, Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes 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. Republican James Comer is the current Commissioner of Agriculture.

Legislative branch[link]

The Kentucky State Capitol building in Frankfort

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[link]

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[link]

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).

A map showing Kentucky's six congressional districts

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[link]

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.^[37] 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.^[38] 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.^[39]

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.^[40] 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.^[41] Irregularities with the execution led to this becoming the last public execution in the United States.^[42]

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.^[43] 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.^[44] Still, a 2008 study found that Kentucky's Supreme Court to be the least influential high court in the nation with its decisions rarely being followed by other states.^[45]

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[link]

This section requires expansion.

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.^[47] 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. At the state level and in most local areas, the Democratic Party is the dominant party.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics[link]

Kentucky Population Density Map.

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Kentucky was 4,369,356 on July 1, 2011, a 0.69% increase since the 2010 United States Census.^[2]

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.^[51]

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.^[52]

The center of population of Kentucky is located in Washington County, in the city of Willisburg.^[53]

Race and ancestry[link]

The largest ancestries in the commonwealth are: English (30.6%), German (12.7%), Irish (10.5%), and African American (7.8%).^[54][55] 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. Many claim Irish ancestry because of the term "Scots-Irish". Southeastern Kentucky was populated by a large group of multiracial settlers, sometimes called Melungeons, in the early 19th century. Groups such as the Ridgetop Shawnee in the early 21st century organized as a non-profit to increase awareness of Native American descent in Kentucky. In the 2000 census, there were 20,000 people in the state who identified as Native American. In June 2011, Jerry “2 Feather” Thornton, a Cherokee, led a team in the Voyage of Native American Awareness 2011 canoe journey, to begin on the Green River in Rochester, Kentucky and travel through to the Ohio River at Henderson, Kentucky.^[56]

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

Religion[link]

Lexington Theological Seminary (then College of the Bible), 1904.

In 2000, The Association of Religion Data Archives reported^[57] that of Kentucky's 4,041,769 residents:

• 47% were not affiliated with any church
• 34% were members of Evangelical Protestant churches
  • Southern Baptist Convention (979,994 members, 24%)
  • Christian churches and churches of Christ (106,638 members, 3%)
  • Churches of Christ (58,602 members, 1%)
• 10% were Roman Catholics
• 9% belonged to mainline Protestant churches
  • United Methodist Church (208,720 members, 5%)
  • Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (67,611 members, 2%)
• 0.05% were Orthodox Christians
• 1% 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^[58] and Jewish population.

Economy[link]

The best selling car in the United States, the Toyota Camry, is manufactured in Georgetown, Kentucky.

The best selling truck in the United States, the Ford F-Series, is manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky.

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,^[59] and 14th in corn production.^[60]

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).^[61] Kentucky ranks 4th among U.S. states in the number of automobiles and trucks assembled.^[62] The Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac XLR (2004–2009), Ford Escape, Ford Super Duty trucks, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Toyota Camry, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Solara, and Toyota Venza are assembled in Kentucky.

The total gross state product for 2010 was $163.3 billion, 28th in the nation.^[63] Its per-capita personal income was US$28,513, 43rd in the nation.^[64]

As of October 2010, the state's unemployment rate is 10%.^[65]

Taxation[link]

There are six income tax brackets, ranging from 2% to 6% of personal income.^[66] The sales tax rate in Kentucky is 6%.^[67] 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.^[68] 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.^[69]

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.^[70] 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"[link]

Kentucky state welcome sign

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.^[71]

Transportation[link]

Main article: Transportation in Kentucky.

Roads[link]

At 464 miles (747 km) long, Kentucky Route 80 is the longest route in Kentucky, pictured here west of Somerset.

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.^[72] The related toll booths have been demolished.^[73]

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 65 to 70 miles per hour (105 to 110 km/h).^[74]

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

Rails[link]

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 2,640 miles (4,250 km) 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.^[75]

Bardstown features a tourist attraction known as My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. Run along a 20-mile (30 km) 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.^[76] The Kentucky Railway Museum is located in nearby New Haven.^[77]

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.^[78] 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.^[79]