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			Kentucky = KenSucky.
	{{Otheruses1\|the U.S. state Commonwealth of Kentucky}}
	{{Long}}
	{{US state
	\| Name = Kentucky
	\| Fullname = Commonwealth of Kentucky
	\| Flag = Flag of Kentucky.svg
	\| Flaglink = ]
	\| Seal = Kentucky State Seal.svg
	\| Map = Map of USA KY.svg
	\| Nickname = Bluegrass State \|
	Demonym = Kentuckian
	\| Motto = ]
	\| Brand = Unbridled Spirit
	\| Capital = ]
	\| OfficialLang = English<ref name="kysym">{{cite web \| title=Kentucky State Symbols \| publisher=Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives \| url=http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYSymbols.htm \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>
	\| LargestCity = ]
	\| LargestMetro = ]
	\| Governor = ] (D)
	\| Lieutenant Governor = ] (D) \|
	Senators = ] (R)<br/>] (R)
	\| PostalAbbreviation = KY
	\| AreaRank = 37<sup>th</sup>
	\| TotalAreaUS =40,409
	\| TotalArea = 104,659
	\| LandAreaUS = 39,728
	\| LandArea = 102,895
	\| WaterAreaUS = 681
	\| WaterArea = 1,764
	\| PCWater = 1.7
	\| PopRank = 26<sup>th</sup>
	\| 2000Pop (old) = 4,041,769
	\| 2000Pop = 4,269,245 (2008 est.)<ref name=popest>http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html Annual Population Estimates 2000 to 2008</ref> <br> 4,041,769 (2000)
	\| DensityRank = 22<sup>nd</sup>
	\| 2000DensityUS = 101.7
	\| 2000Density = 39.28
	\| AdmittanceOrder = 15<sup>th</sup>
	\| AdmittanceDate = June 1, 1792
	\| TimeZone = ]: ]-5/]-4
	\| TZ1Where = eastern half
	\| TimeZone2 = ]: UTC-6/]-5
	\| TZ2Where = western half
	\| Latitude = 36° 30′ N to 39° 09′ N
	\| Longitude = 81° 58′ W to 89° 34′ W
	\| WidthUS = 140
	\| Width = 225
	\| LengthUS = 379
	\| Length = 610
	\| HighestPoint = ]<ref name="usgs">{{cite web \| title=Science In Your Backyard: Kentucky \| publisher=United States Geological Survey \| url=http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=KY) \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>
	\| HighestElevUS = 4,145
	\| HighestElev = 1,263
	\| MeanElevUS =755
	\| MeanElev = 230
	\| LowestPoint = ]<ref name="usgs"/>
	\| LowestElevUS = 257
	\| LowestElev = 78
	\| ISOCode = US-KY
	\| Website = Kentucky.gov
	}}

			A terriable place, avoid it at all cost. Thank you.
	The '''Commonwealth of Kentucky''' ({{Audio-IPA\|en-us-Kentucky.ogg\|/kɨnˈtʌki/}}) is a ] located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is normally included in the group of ] (in particular the ]), but it is sometimes included, geographically and culturally, in the ].<ref>{{cite book \|title=''The North American Midwest: A Regional Geography''\|publisher=Wiley Publishers \|location=] \|year=1955 \|isbn=0901411931}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal \|last=Meyer \|first=David R. \|year=1989 \|month=December \|title=Midwestern Industrialization and the American Manufacturing Belt in the Nineteenth Century \|journal=The Journal of Economic History \|volume=49 \|issue=4 \|pages=921–937 \|id= \|url= \|accessdate= }}</ref> Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a ]. Originally a part of ], in 1792 it became the 15<sup>th</sup> state to join the Union. Kentucky is the 37<sup>th</sup> largest state in terms of land area, and ranks 26<sup>th</sup> in population.

	Kentucky is known as the "Bluegrass State", a nickname based on the fact that ] is present in many of the lawns and pastures throughout the state. It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources, including the world's longest cave system, the greatest length of navigable waterways and streams in the ] states, and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River. It is also home to the highest per capita number of ] and ] in the United States, and the nation's most productive ]. Kentucky is also known for ], ], ] distilleries, ], ] manufacturing, ], and ].

	==Origin of name==
	].]]
	The origin of Kentucky's name (variously spelled ''Cane-tuck-ee'', ''Cantucky'', ''Kain-tuck-ee'', and ''Kentuckee'' before its modern spelling was accepted)<ref name="enken">{{cite book \|title=''Encyclopedia of Kentucky'' \|chapter=State Symbols \|publisher=Somerset Publishers \|location=] \|year=1987 \|isbn=0403099811 \|author=}}</ref> has never been definitively identified, though some theories have been debunked. For example, Kentucky's name is unlikely to mean "dark and bloody ground" as is commonly believed, because it does not occur with that meaning in any known ]. It also is not a combination of "cane" and "turkey".<ref name="kenten">{{cite book \|editor=John E. Kleber (ed.) \|title=The Kentucky Encyclopedia \|year=1992 \|publisher=University Press of Kentucky \|location=] \|chapter=Place Names \|isbn=0813117720 }}</ref> The most likely etymology is that it comes from an ] word for "meadow" or "prairie"<ref name="enken"/><ref>{{cite web \|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761554924/Kentucky.html \|title=Kentucky \|accessdate=2007-02-25 \|work=Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006}}</ref> (c.f. ] ''kenhtà:ke'', ] ''këhta'keh'').<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.krysstal.com/feedback/display_feedback.php?ftype=Borrow&fblock=4 \|title=Comments by Michael McCafferty on "Readers' Feedback (page 4)" \|accessdate=2007-02-23 \|publisher=The KryssTal}}</ref> Other possibilities also exist: the suggestion of early Kentucky pioneer ] that the name means "the river of blood",<ref name="enken"/> a ] name meaning "land of tomorrow", a ] term possibly referring to the head of a river,<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Kentucky \|title=Kentucky \|accessdate = 2007-03-06 \|publisher=]}}</ref> or an ] word for a river bottom.<ref name="kenten"/>

	==Geography==
	{{see also\|List of Kentucky counties}}
	]
	]

	Kentucky borders on seven states, from both the ] and the ]. ] lies to the east, ] to the southeast, ] to the south, ] to the west, ] and ] to the northwest, and ] to the north and northeast. Only ] and ], both of which border eight states, touch more states. Kentucky's northern border is formed by the ] and its western border by the ]; however, the official border is based on the courses of the rivers as they existed when Kentucky became a state in 1792. In several places, the border does not follow the current course of the appropriate river. Northbound travelers on ] from Henderson, upon crossing the Ohio River, will find themselves still in Kentucky until they travel about a half-mile (800 m) farther north. A horse racing track, ], is located in this small piece of Kentucky. Waterworks Road is part of the only land border between Indiana and Kentucky.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=%5b1494%2d1557%5d%20Waterworks%20Rd&city=Evansville&state=IN&zipcode=47713&country=US&location=sx5PfJLyNGOdfPC4XlmsmD4sYz8%2fcM%2f9UzxNAshApmBL3N63w0vZEKUJ7ZFErueQQVVT7jNm9im%2frMyLwvsq1tX3B0QnxqQNsp3LVvDC22VDK3WLmnQ83dOStm4oo36rfS7%2fgXA9L8%2b8CqYgeWZpmK5YKDtojM0V&ambiguity=1 \|title=Map of <nowiki></nowiki> Waterworks Rd Evansville, IN \|accessdate=2009-01-01}}</ref>

	Kentucky is the only U.S. state to have a non-contiguous part exist as an ] surrounded by other states. ], in the far west corner of the state, includes a small part of land, ], on the Mississippi River bordered by Missouri and accessible via Tennessee, created by the ].<ref>{{cite web \| title=Life on the Mississippi \| publisher=]\| date=2002-01-28 \| url=http://www.ket.org/kentuckylife/800s/kylife804.html \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>

	Kentucky can be divided into five primary regions: the ] in the east, the north-central ], the south-central and western ], the ] and the far-west ]. The Bluegrass region is commonly divided into two regions, the Inner Bluegrass — the encircling 90 miles (145 km) around ] — and the Outer Bluegrass, the region that contains most of the Northern portion of the state, above the ]. Much of the outer Bluegrass is in the ] area, made up of short, steep, and very narrow hills.

	Kentucky has 120 counties, third in the U.S. behind ]' 254 and ]'s 159.<ref>{{cite web \| title=How Many Counties are in Your State? \| publisher=Click and Learn \| url=http://www.clickandlearn.com/documents2/Counties.htm \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }} ] also has more county-level subdivisions than Kentucky; it has only 95 counties, but also has 39 ], for a total of 134 county-level subdivisions.</ref> The original motivation for having so many counties was to ensure that residents in the days of poor roads and horseback travel could make a round trip from their home to the county seat and back in a single day.<ref name="kye-counties">{{cite book \|editor=Kleber, John E. \|others=Associate editors: ], Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter \|title=''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'' \|year=1992 \|publisher=The University Press of Kentucky \|location=Lexington, Kentucky \|isbn=0813117720 \|chapter=Counties}}</ref> Later, however, politics began to play a part, with citizens who disagreed with the present county government simply petitioning the state to create a new county. The 1891 ] placed stricter limits on county creation, stipulating that a new county:

	*must have a land area of at least {{convert\|400\|sqmi\|km2\|-2}};
	*must have a population of at least 12,000 people;
	*must not by its creation reduce the land area of an existing county to less than {{convert\|400\|sqmi\|km2\|-2}};
	*must not by its creation reduce the population of an existing county to fewer than 12,000 people;
	*must not create a county boundary line that passes within {{convert\|10\|mi\|km\|-1}} of an existing county seat.

	These regulations have reined in the proliferation of counties in Kentucky. Since the 1891 Constitution, only ] has been created.<ref name="countgov">{{cite book \|title=''County Government in Kentucky: Informational Bulletin No. 115'' \|publisher=Kentucky Legislative Research Commission \|location=] \|year=1996 \|chapter=Fiscal Court}}</ref> Because today's largest county by area, ], is {{convert\|788\|sqmi\|km2\|0}}, it is now impossible to create a new county from a single existing county under the current constitution. Any county created in this manner will by necessity either be smaller than {{convert\|400\|sqmi\|km2\|-2}} or reduce the land area of the old county to less than {{convert\|400\|sqmi\|km2\|-2}}. It is still theoretically possible to form a new county from portions of more than one existing county (McCreary County was created from portions of three counties), but the area and boundary restrictions would make this extremely difficult.

	===Climate===
	]

	Located within the southeastern interior portion of North America, Kentucky has a climate that can best be described as a ] (Koppen ''Cfa''), or that all monthly average high temperatures are above freezing. Monthly average temperatures in Kentucky range from a summer daytime high of 87 °F (30.9 °C) to a winter low of 23 °F (-4.9 °C). The average precipitation is 46 inches (116.84 cm) a year.<ref>{{cite web \| title=The Geography of Kentucky - Climate \|date=2006-06-15 \|publisher=NetState.com \| url=http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ky_geography.htm \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref> Kentucky experiences all four seasons, usually with striking variations in the severity of summer and winter from year to year.<ref>{{cite book \|title=''Encyclopedia of Kentucky'' \|chapter=Geographical Configuration \|publisher=Somerset Publishers \|location=] \|year=1987 \|isbn=0403099811 \|author=}}</ref>

	{\| class="wikitable"
	! Event
	! Death Toll
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| est. 76–120+
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 72
	\|-
	\| April 7, 1977 Flooding (Cumberland River toppled Pineville floodwall) \|\| ?
	\|-
	\| March 1, 1997 Flooding \|\| 18
	\|-
	\|] \|\| 7
	\|}

	Major weather events that have affected Kentucky include:
	*The ]
	*The ]
	*The ] of ]es in 1974
	*
	*The ] (mostly ice in Kentucky)

	{\| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"\|
	\| colspan = "13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"\|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Kentucky Cities
	\|-
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" \| City
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Jan
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Feb
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Mar
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Apr
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| May
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Jun
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Jul
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Aug
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Sep
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Oct
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Nov
	! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" \| Dec
	\|-
	! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" \| Lexington
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 40/24
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 45/28
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 55/36
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 65/44
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 74/54
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 82/62
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 86/66
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 85/65
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 78/58
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 67/46
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 54/37
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 44/28
	\|-
	! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" \| Louisville
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 41/25
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 47/28
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 57/37
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 67/46
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 75/56
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 83/65
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 87/70
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 86/68
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 79/61
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 68/48
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 56/39
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 45/30
	\|-
	! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" \| Paducah
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 42/24
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 48/28
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 58/37
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 68/46
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 77/55
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 85/64
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 89/68
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 87/65
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 81/57
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 71/45
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 57/36
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 46/28
	\|-
	! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" \| Pikeville
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 46/23
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 50/25
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 60/32
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 69/39
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 77/49
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 84/58
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 87/63
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 86/62
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 80/56
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 71/42
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 60/33
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" \| 49/26
	\|-
	! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" \| Ashland
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 42/19
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 47/21
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 57/29
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 68/37
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 77/47
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 84/56
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 88/61
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 87/59
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 80/52
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 69/40
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 57/31
	\| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" \| 46/23
	\|}

	===Lakes and rivers===
	] is the largest artificial lake, in terms of volume, east of the ].]]
	Kentucky's {{convert\|90000\|mi\|km\|-4}} 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 (]) and surface area (]). It is the only ] to be bordered on three sides by rivers — the ] to the west, the ] to the north, and the ] and ] to the east.<ref name="kye-rivers">{{cite book \|editor=Kleber, John E. \|others=Associate editors: ], Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter \|title=''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'' \|year=1992 \|publisher=The University Press of Kentucky \|location=] \|isbn=0813117720 \|chapter=Rivers}}</ref> Its major internal rivers include the ], ], ], ] and ].

	Though it has only three major natural lakes,<ref name="kye">{{cite book \|editor=Kleber, John E. \|others=Associate editors: ], Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter \|title=''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'' \|year=1992 \|publisher=The University Press of Kentucky \|location=] \|isbn=0813117720 \|chapter=Lakes}}</ref> the state is home to many ]s. Kentucky also has more navigable miles of water than any other state in the union, other than Alaska.<ref>{{cite web \| title=Corbin, Kentucky: A Fisherman's Paradise \| publisher=Corbin, Kentucky Economic Development \| url=http://www.corbinkentucky.us/fishing.htm \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>

	===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, 45 state parks, {{convert\|37696\|acre\|km2\|0}} 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 state's eastern counties began to re-stock ], which had been extinct from the area for over 150 years. As of 2006, the state's herd was estimated at 5,700 animals, the largest herd east of the ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://fw.ky.gov/elkinfo.asp?lid=1653&NavPath=C117C147C301C547 \|title=Elk Restoration Update and Hunting Information \|publisher=Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources \|accessdate=2006-12-09}}</ref>

	The state also stocked ]s in the 1950s. Once extinct in the state, today Kentucky has more turkeys per capita than any other eastern state.{{Fact\|date=May 2008}}

	===Top tourist attractions in Kentucky===
	{\| class="wikitable"
	! Place
	! Visitors per year
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 5 million<ref>
	{{cite web \|url=http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/WolfCreek/pdf/WOL_Public_Meetings_Jan_07.pdf
	\|format=PDF\| title = Wolf Creek Dam: Major Rehabilitation \|accessdate=2007-04-30 \|work= }}
	</ref>
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 4 million<ref>
	</ref>
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 2 million<ref>
	{{cite web
	\| url = http://usparks.about.com/cs/natlparkbasics/a/plannermammoth.htm
	\| title = Mammoth Cave National Park
	\| accessdate =
	\| accessdaymonth = 4-30
	\| accessmonthday =
	\| accessyear = 2007
	\| author = Darren Smith
	\| last = Smith
	\| first = Darren
	\| authorlink =
	\| coauthors =
	\| date =
	\| year =
	\| month =
	\| format =
	\| work =
	\| publisher = about. com
	\| pages =
	\| language =
	\| archiveurl =
	\| archivedate =
	\| quote =
	}}
	</ref>
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 2 million
	\|-
	\|]/ ] \|\| 1.8 million
	\|-
	\| ] / ] \|\| 1.5 million
	\|-
	\|] \|\| 800,000<ref></ref>
	\|-
	\|] \|\| 750,000<ref></ref>
	\|-
	\|] \|\| 550,000<ref></ref>
	\|}

	===Significant natural attractions===
	*], chief passageway through the ] in early American history.
	*] State Park, one of the few places in the Western Hemisphere where a "]" may be regularly seen.<ref>{{cite web \| title=Cumberland Falls State Resort Park \| date=2005-10-19 \| publisher=Kentucky Department of Parks \| url=http://parks.ky.gov/resortparks/cf/ \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>
	*], featuring the world's longest known cave system.<ref>{{cite web \| title=Mammoth Cave National Park \| date=2006-10-12 \| publisher=National Park Service \| url=http://www.nps.gov/maca/ \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>
	*] Geological Area, part of the ].
	*], a National Recreation Area managed by the ].
	*] a 14,000 acre (57 km<sup>2</sup>) arboretum, forest and nature preserve located in ].<ref>
	{{cite web
	\| url = http://athena.louisville.edu/a-s/biology/bernheim.html
	\| title = Bernheim Research Forest
	\| accessdate = 4-30
	\| accessdaymonth =
	\| accessmonthday =
	\| accessyear = 2007
	\| author =
	\| last =
	\| first =
	\| authorlink =
	\| coauthors =
	\| date =
	\| year =
	\| month =
	\| format =
	\| work =
	\| publisher = University of Louisville
	\| pages = 1
	\| language =
	\| archiveurl =
	\| archivedate =
	\| quote =
	}}
	</ref>
	*] in ].
	*] near ].
	*] also passes through Kentucky.
	*], state's highest point.<ref name="usgs"/> Runs along the border of ] and ] counties.
	*], {{convert\|2639\|acre\|km2\|0\|sing=on}} state nature preserve on southern slope of Pine Mountain in ]. Includes one of the largest concentrations of rare and endangered species in the state,<ref>{{cite web \| title=Bad Branch State Nature Preserve \| publisher=Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission \| url=http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/stewardship/badbranch.htm \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref> as well as a {{convert\|60\|ft\|m\|0\|sing=on}} waterfall and a Kentucky Wild River.
	*], located south of ] in the ], the largest municipally run forest in the United States.<ref>{{cite web \| title=Jefferson Memorial Forest \| url=http://www.memorialforest.com/ \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>
	*], located in ].
	*], {{convert\|1255\|mi\|km\|0}} of shoreline located in ].
	*], located in ] ]

	==History==
	] Escorting Settlers through the ]'' (], oil on canvas, 1851–52).]]
	] were born in Kentucky.]]
	{{expand\|date=April 2008}}
	{{mainarticle\|History of Kentucky}}
	{{see also\|Kentucky in the American Civil War\|Kentucky Historical Society\|Hatfield-McCoy feud}}

	Although inhabited by ] in prehistoric times, when explorers and settlers began entering Kentucky in the mid-1700s, there were no major Native American settlements in the region.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.merceronline.com/Native/native01.htm \|title=The Presence \|publisher=Mercer County Online \|accessdate=2006-11-29 \|work=History of Native Americans in Central Kentucky }}</ref> Instead, the country was used as hunting grounds by ]s from the north and ]s from the south. Much of what is now Kentucky was purchased from Native Americans in the treaties of ] (1768) and ] (1775).<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://web-books.com/Classics/Nonfiction/History/Southwest2/Southwest2C7P1.htm \|title=The Dark and Bloody Hunting Ground \|accessdate=2006-11-29 \|last=Skinner \|first=Constance \|work=Pioneers of the Old Southwest \|publisher=WebBooks.com}}</ref> Thereafter, Kentucky grew rapidly as the first settlements west of the ] were founded, with settlers (primarily from ], ], ], ], and ]) entering the region either over land via ] and the ], or by water down the ] from points upstream, or up the Ohio River from the Mississippi. The first part to be settled was the northern part, along the Ohio River, with ] and ] being the first major settlements. A detailed account of this can be read in the memoirs of ]. Next, the southern part of the state was settled, via the ], which went along the ] and across the ], blazed by ], traditionally considered one of the founders of the state.<ref>>{{cite web \| title=Book Description for ''The Life of Daniel Boone: The Founder of the State of Kentucky and Colonel's Boone Autobiography''\| publisher=Amazon.com \| url=http://www.amazon.com/Life-Daniel-Boone-Kentucky-Autobiography/dp/1589639901 \| accessdate=2006-11-29}}</ref> ]s north of the Ohio River, however, were unhappy about the settlement of Kentucky, and allied themselves with the British in the ] (1775–1783).<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/wv/Monongalia/monhistory.html \|title=Monongalia County History \|accessdate=2006-11-29 \|last=Dilger \|first=Dr. Robert Jay \|publisher=West Virginia University }}</ref> Kentucky was a battleground during the war; the ], one of the last major battles of the Revolution, was fought in Kentucky.<ref>{{cite web \| title=The Battle of Blue Licks \| publisher=EarlyAmerica.com\| url=http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/winter2000/bluelick.html \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>

	After the American Revolution, the counties of ] beyond the ] became known as ].<ref>{{cite web \| title=About Kentucky\| publisher=Ezilon Search\| url=http://search.ezilon.com/about-kentucky.html \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref> Eventually, the residents of Kentucky County petitioned for a separation from Virginia. Ten constitutional conventions were held in the Constitution Square Courthouse in ] 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 and ], a military veteran from Virginia, was elected the first Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.<ref>{{cite web \| title=Constitution Square State Historic Site \| publisher=Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau \| url=http://www.danville-ky.com/attractions2.php?category=History%20and%20Museums \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>

	Kentucky was a ] during the ].<ref>{{cite web \| title=Border States in the Civil War \| date=2002-02-15 \| publisher=CivilWarHome.com \| url=http://www.civilwarhome.com/borderstates.htm \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref> Although frequently described as never having seceded, a group of Kentucky soldiers stationed at ] did pass an ] under the moniker "Convention of the People of Kentucky" on November 20, 1861,<ref>{{cite web \| title=Ordinances of Secession \| publisher=Historical Text Archive \| url=http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=170 \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref> establishing a ] with its capital in ].<ref>{{cite web \| title=Civil War Sites - Bowling Green, KY \| publisher=WMTH Corporation \| url=http://www.trailsrus.com/monuments/reg3/bowling_green.html \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref> Though Kentucky was represented by the central star on the ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://ngeorgia.com/history/flagsofga.html \|title=A Concise History of the Flags of the Confederate States of America and the Sovereign State of Georgia \|accessdate=2006-11-29 \|last=Irby, Jr. \|first=Richard E. \|work=About North Georgia \|publisher=Golden Ink}}</ref> the legitimacy of the ] may well be questioned. Only a year earlier, philosopher ] wrote in a letter to ] that the result of a vote deciding how Kentucky would be represented at a convention of the ] was "100,000 for the Union ticket, only a few thousand for secession."<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1861/letters/61_07_05.htm \|title=Marx To Engels In Manchester \|accessdate=2006-11-29 \|last=Marx \|first=Karl \|authorlink=Karl Marx \|date=1861-07-05 \|publisher= Marxists Internet Archive}}</ref> Kentucky officially remained "neutral" throughout the war due to Union sympathies of many of the Commonwealth's citizens. Even today, however, ] is observed by some in Kentucky on ] President Jefferson Davis' birthday, June 3.<ref>{{cite web \| title=KRS 2.110 Public Holidays \| publisher=] \| url=http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/002-00/110.PDF \|format=PDF \| accessdate=2006-11-29 }}</ref>

	Kentucky provided the second largest number of African-American soldiers to the Union during the Civil War. Many enlisted at ] in the inner ]. Union army refused to enlist black soldiers in state regiments, ten percent of black Kentuckians still enlisted, either directly with the Union army or in regiments from other states. This percentage is greater than the seven percent of white Kentuckians who served in the Civil War. Camp Nelson provided the Union Army with over 10,000 African-American soldiers, making it the third largest recruiting and training depot for African Americans in the nation. The state of Kentucky refused to pass laws to abolish slavery and would not ratify the ]. This refusal was directly linked to the slave owners in Kentucky, who equaled only 20% of the state’s population. Slavery officially ended in Kentucky after 13th Amendment was ratified by enough state to become national law.

	The ], a vigilante action, occurred in the area in the early 1900s. As result of the monopolization of the tobacco industry, tobacco farmers in the area were forced to sell their tobacco at greatly reduced prices. In response, many local farmers and activists united to refuse to sell tobacco to the tobacco industry. A vigilante wing, the "Night Riders" were a group of people who terrorized farmers who sold their tobacco at the low prices demanded by the tobacco corporations. They participated in the firing of several tobacco warehouses, notably in ] and ]. In the later period of their operation, they also were known to physically assault farmers in the middle of the night who broke the boycott.

	]'s architect ] in 1845, the ] in Louisville is considered the best remaining ] hospital in the United States]]
	On January 30, 1900, Governor ], flanked by two bodyguards, was mortally wounded by an assailant while walking to the State Capitol in downtown Frankfort. Goebel was in the process of contesting the election of 1899, initially assumed to be won by ]. For several months, ], Goebel's running mate, and Taylor fought over who was the real governor until the ] decided in May that Beckham was the rightful governor. Taylor fled to ] and was later indicted as a co-conspirator in Goebel's ]. Goebel remains the only governor of a U.S. state to have been assassinated while in office.<ref>{{cite web \| title=The Old State Capitol \| publisher=] \| url=http://history.ky.gov/sub.php?pageid=23&sectionid=8 \|date= \| accessdate=2007-11-09 }}</ref>

	==Law and government==
	===Government===
	]]]
	Kentucky is a ], meaning its government is run according to the common consent of its people. It is one out of only four states that call themselves commonwealths. Kentucky is also one of only five states that elects its state officials in odd numbered years (The others are ], ], ], and ]). 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.

	====State government====
	] building in ]]]
	{{see also\|List of Governors of Kentucky}}
	Kentucky's legislative branch consists of a ] body known as the ]. The ] is considered the ]. It has 38 members, and is led by the ], currently ] ]. The ] has 100 members, and is led by the Speaker of the House, currently ] ].

	The executive branch is headed by the ] and ]. Under the current ], 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 ] and ].

	The judicial branch of Kentucky is made up of courts of limited jurisdiction called District Courts; courts of general jurisdiction called Circuit Courts; an intermediate appellate court, the ]; and a court of last resort, the ]. Unlike federal judges, who are usually appointed, justices serving on Kentucky state courts are chosen by the state's populace in non-partisan elections.

	The state's chief prosecutor, law enforcement officer, and law officer is the attorney general. The ] is elected to a four-year term and may serve two consecutive terms under the current Kentucky Constitution. The current Kentucky attorney general is Democrat ].

	====Federal representation====
	]]]
	Kentucky's two ] are ] ] and ], both ]. The state is divided into six ], represented by ] ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), and ] (]), and ] ] (]) and ] (]).

	Judicially, Kentucky is split into two Federal court districts: the ] and the ]. Appeals are heard in the ] based in ].

	====Political leanings====
	]]]
	Where politics are concerned, Kentucky historically has been very hard fought and leaned slightly toward the ], although it was never included among the "]." In 2006, 57.05% of the state's voters were officially registered as Democrats, 36.55% registered ], and 6.39% registered with some other ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://kentucky.gov/Newsroom/sos/article61.htm \|title=2006 General Election Registration Figures Set \|accessdate=2006-11-30 \|date=2006-10-19 \|publisher=Kentucky Secretary of State}}</ref>

	From 1964 through 2004, Kentucky voted with the winner of the election for President of the United States. In the ], however, the state lost its ] status when ], who won Kentucky, lost the national popular and electoral vote to ]. Kentucky has voted Republican in six of the last eight presidential elections, including ] in 2000 and 2004. Bush won the state's eight electoral votes overwhelmingly in 2004 by a margin of 20 percentage points and 59.6% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/KY/P/00/ \|title=Election Results for Kentucky \|publisher=] \|accessdate=2007-04-28}}</ref> However the Commonwealth has also supported the previous three Democratic candidates elected to the White House: ] in 1964, ] in 1976, and ] in 1992 and 1996.

	{{Further\|]}}

	===Law===
	Kentucky's body of laws, known as the ] (KRS), were enacted in 1942 to better organize and clarify the whole of Kentucky law.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.lrc.ky.gov/statrev/revoff.htm \|title=Reviser of Statutes Office - History and Functions \|publisher=Kentucky Legislative Research Commission \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref> The statutes are enforced by local ], ]s, ], deputy sheriffs and deputy constables. Unless they have completed a ] elsewhere, these officers are required to complete training at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training Center on the campus of ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://docjt.jus.state.ky.us/history.html \|title=History of the DOCJT \|publisher=Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref> Additionally, in 1948, the ] established the ], making it the 38<sup>th</sup> state to create a force whose jurisdiction extends throughout the given state.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/history.htm \|title=History of the Kentucky State Police \|publisher=Kentucky State Police \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref>

	Kentucky is one of 36 states in the United States that sanctions the ] for certain crimes. Those convicted of capital crimes after March 31, 1998 are always executed by ]; those convicted before this date may opt for the ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=8&did=245#state \|title=Authorized Methods of Execution by State \|publisher=Death Penalty Information Center \|accessdate=2006-12-28}}</ref> Only ] have been executed in Kentucky since the ] reinstituted the practice in 1976. The most notable execution in Kentucky, however, was that of ] on August 14, 1936. Bethea was publicly hanged in ] for the ] and ] of Lischia Edwards.<ref>{{cite news \|url=http://www.kypost.com/2001/jun/11/bethea061101.html \|title='The Last Public Execution in America' \|work=] \|publisher=] \|author=Paul A. Long \|last=Long \|first=Paul A \|date=2001-06-11 \|accessdate=2006-12-27 \|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060117233210/http://www.kypost.com/2001/jun/11/bethea061101.html \|archivedate=2006-01-17}}</ref> Irregularities with the execution led to this becoming the last public execution in the United States.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2001/apr/010430.execution.html \|title=The Last Public Execution in America \|publisher=] \|last=Montagne \|first=Renee \|date=2001-05-01 \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref>

	Kentucky has been on the front lines of the debate over displaying the ] on public property. In the 2005 case of '']'', the ] upheld the decision of the ] that a display of the ] in the ] courthouse of ] was unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://straylight.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/03-1693.ZS.html \|title=''McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky'' \|publisher=] Law School \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref> Later that year, Judge ], writing for the ] in the case of ''] of Kentucky v. ]'', wrote that a display including the ], the ], the ], the ], '']'', and the ] could be erected in the ] courthouse.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/05a0477p-06.pdf \|format=PDF \|title=Text of decision in ''ACLU of Kentucky v. Mercer County'' \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref>

	==Demographics==
	]
	{{USCensusPop
	\| 1790 = 73677
	\| 1800 = 220955
	\| 1810 = 406511
	\| 1820 = 564317
	\| 1830 = 687917
	\| 1840 = 779828
	\| 1850 = 982405
	\| 1860 = 1155684
	\| 1870 = 1321011
	\| 1880 = 1648690
	\| 1890 = 1858635
	\| 1900 = 2147174
	\| 1910 = 2289905
	\| 1920 = 2416630
	\| 1930 = 2614589
	\| 1940 = 2845627
	\| 1950 = 2944806
	\| 1960 = 3038156
	\| 1970 = 3218706
	\| 1980 = 3660777
	\| 1990 = 3685296
	\| 2000 = 4041769
	\| estyear = 2008
	\| estimate = 4269245
	\| estref = <ref name=popest/>
	\| footnote = http://ukcc.uky.edu/census/21.txt
	}}
	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. ] 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 (2.3%). The population density of the state is 101.7 people per square mile.<ref>{{cite book \|title=The New York Times 2008 Almanac \|editor=John W. Wright \|year=2007 \|pages=178}}</ref>

	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.<ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://www.kltprc.net/books/exploring/Chpt_3.htm
	\| title = Migration in Kentucky: Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
	\| accessdate = 4-30
	\| accessdaymonth =
	\| accessmonthday =
	\| accessyear = 2007
	\| author = Michael Price
	\| last = Price
	\| first = Michael
	\| authorlink =
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	\| date =
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	\| work = Exploring the Frontier of the Future: How Kentucky Will Live, Learn and Work
	\| publisher = University of Louisville
	\| pages = pp. 5–10
	\| language =
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	\| quote =
	}}
	</ref>

	The ] of Kentucky is located in ], in the city of ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt \|format=TXT \|title=Population and Population Centers by State: 2000 \|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref>

	===Race and ancestry===
	The five largest ancestries in the commonwealth are: ] (20.9%), ] (12.7%), ] (10.5%), ] (9.7%), ] (7.8%).<ref name="census-ancestries"></ref> Only eight Kentucky counties list an ancestry other than "American" as the county's largest, those being ] and ], where African American is the largest reported ancestry, and the state's most urban counties of ], ], ], ], ], and ], where German is the largest reported ancestry.<ref name="census-ancestries"/> Southeastern Kentucky was populated by a large group of Native Americans of mixed heritage, also known as ], in the early 19th century. Groups like the ] are organizing the descendants of those early Native American settlers.

	African Americans, who made up one-fourth of Kentucky's population prior to the ], declined in number as many moved to the industrial North in the ]. Today 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 ], the Bluegrass, and the city of ]. Many mining communities in far Southeastern Kentucky also have populations between five and 10 percent African American.
	{{US Demographics}}

	===Religion===
	]
	In 2000, The Association of Religion Data Archives reported<ref name="ARDA">{{cite web \|url=http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/21_2000.asp \|title=State Membership Report \|publisher=The Association of Religion Data Archives \|year=2000 \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref> that of Kentucky's 4,041,769 residents:

	*33.68% were members of ] churches
	**] (979,994 members, 24.25%)
	**] (106,638 members, 2.64%)
	**] (58,602 members, 1.45%)
	*10.05% were ]
	*8.77% belonged to ] churches
	**] (208,720 members, 5.16%)
	**] (67,611 members, 1.67%)
	*0.05% were members of ]
	*0.88% were affiliated with other theologies
	*46.57% were not affiliated with any church.

	Today Kentucky is home to several seminaries. ] in ] is the principal seminary for the ]. Louisville is also the home of the ]. Lexington has two seminaries, ], and the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. ] is located in nearby ]. In addition to seminaries, there are several colleges affiliated with denominations. ] in ] is affiliated with the ]. In Louisville, ] and ] are affiliated with the ]. In ], ] is associated with the Methodist Church and ] is associated with the Roman Catholic Church. Louisville is also home to the headquarters of the ] and their printing press. Louisville is also home to a sizable ]<ref></ref> and ]ish population.

	====Religious movements====
	Religious movements were important in the early history of Kentucky. Perhaps the most famous event was the interdenominational revival in August 1801 at the ] Meeting house in ]. As part of what is now known as the "Western Revival", thousands began meeting around a ] ] service on August 6, 1801, and ended six days later on August 12, 1801 when both humans and horses ran out of food.<ref>See E. Michael Rusten, ''The One Year Book of Christian History'', Tyndale House, 2003, pp. 438–439. ISBN 0842355073.</ref> Some claim that the ] revival was propagated from an earlier ] at ] in ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.piney.com/CaneRidge1.html \|title=Kentucky Revival - Red River to Cane Ridge \|accessdate=2006-12-27}}</ref>

	==Economy==
	]
	], is manufactured in ].]]
	], is manufactured in ].]]
	The total gross state product for 2006 was US$146 billion, 27<sup>th</sup> in the nation. Its per-capita personal income was US$28,513, 43<sup>rd</sup> in the nation.<ref></ref> Kentucky's agricultural outputs are ]s, ], ], ]s, ], ]s, and ]. Its industrial outputs are transportation equipment, chemical products, electric equipment, machinery, food processing, tobacco products, ], and ]. The ] are recognized as being among the most productive in the nation.

	Kentucky ranks 4<sup>th</sup> among U.S. states in the number of automobiles and trucks assembled.<ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/issues/article.asp?ID=66
	\| title = Kentucky: In the Middle of Auto Alley
	\| accessdate =
	\| accessdaymonth = 10
	\| accessmonthday = August
	\| accessyear = 2007
	\| author = Marvin E. Strong
	\| last = Strong
	\| first = Marvin
	\| authorlink =
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	\| publisher = Trade and Industry Development
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	</ref> The ], ], ], Ford Super Duty trucks, ], ], ], and ] are assembled in Kentucky.

	Unlike many bordering states which developed a widespread industrial economy, much of rural Kentucky has maintained a farm based economy, with cattle, corn, and soybeans being the main crops. The area immediately outside Lexington is also the leading region for breeding ] racing horses, due to the high ] content in the soil (from the underlying limestone) making the pastures especially productive. Despite being the 14<sup>th</sup> smallest state in terms of land area, Kentucky still ranks 5<sup>th</sup> in the total number of farms, with more farms per square mile than any other U.S. state.<ref></ref> The average farm size in Kentucky is only {{convert\|153\|acre\|km2\|1}}.<ref>{{cite journal \|year=2003 \|month=March \|title=Kentucky Farm Numbers Increase \|journal=Kentucky Agri-News \|volume=22 \|issue=5 \|accessdate=2007-05-03 \|url=http://www.nass.usda.gov/ky/AgriNews/mar122.pdf \|format=PDF\|format={{dead link\|date=June 2008}} – <sup></sup> }}</ref>

	Kentucky ranks 5th nationally in goat farming, 8th in beef cattle production,<ref> {{cite web
	\| url = http://www.bamabeef.org/NewStateandCountyrankings05.htm
	\| title = 2007 Rankings of States and Counties
	\| accessdate =
	\| accessdaymonth = 1
	\| accessmonthday = May
	\| accessyear = 2007
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	}} </ref> and 14th in corn production.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/EM453/docs/em453_Corn_Production_Det_Answers.pdf \|title=Corn Production Detective \|publisher=National Council on Economic Education \|format=PDF \|accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref>

	===State taxes===
	There are 5 ] brackets, ranging from 2% to 6% of personal income.<ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_statetaxrate_KY.html
	\| title = Kentucky Income Tax Rates
	\| accessmonthday = May 1
	\| accessyear = 2007
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	</ref> The sales tax rate in Kentucky is 6%.<ref> {{cite web
	\| url = http://revenue.ky.gov/business/salesanduse.htm
	\| title = Sales & Use Tax
	\| accessmonthday = May 1
	\| accessyear = 2007
	\| author =
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	</ref> Kentucky has a broadly based classified ] system. All classes of property, unless exempted by the Constitution, are taxed by the state, although at widely varying rates.<ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://revenue.ky.gov/business/proptax.htm
	\| title = Property Tax
	\| accessmonthday = May 1
	\| accessyear = 2007
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	</ref> 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 ], one by the ] 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.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bankrate.com/yho/itax/edit/state/profiles/state_tax_Ky.asp \|title= State Taxes - Kentucky - Overview\|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=bankrate.com \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref>

	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.<ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/05rs/HB272.htm
	\| title = Text of the House Bill 272
	\| accessdate =
	\| accessdaymonth = 10
	\| accessmonthday = August
	\| accessyear = 2007
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	\| publisher = State of Kentucky
	\| pages =
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	}}
	</ref> 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 ]s, accounts receivable, trusts, enforceable contracts sale of real estate (land contracts), money in hand, money in ]es, 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 ] launched a comprehensive ]ing 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 most Kentuckians liked the slogan, as it embraced southern values, 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.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://kentucky.gov/unbridledspirit/info.htm \|title=Unbridled Spirit→Information \|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=State of Kentucky \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref>

	==Transportation==
	===Roads===
	] is the longest route in Kentucky, pictured here west of ].]]
	{{see also\|List of Kentucky State Highways}}
	Kentucky is served by five major ] (], ], ], ], ]), nine ], and three bypasses and spurs. The parkways were originally ]s, but on November 22, 2006, Governor ] ended the toll charges on the ] and the ], the last two parkways in Kentucky to charge tolls for access.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kctcs.net/todaysnews/index.cfm?tn_date=2006-09-28#6693 \|title=Fletcher:Tolls to end November 22 \|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last=Stinnett \|first=Chuck\|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=Henderson Gleaner \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref> The related ]s have been demolished.<ref> {{cite web
	\| url = http://www.courierpress.com/news/2006/nov/22/onlookers-cheer-booth-destruction-at-ceremony/
	\| title = Onlookers Cheer Booth Destruction at Ceremony
	\| accessdate =
	\| accessdaymonth = 10
	\| accessmonthday = August
	\| accessyear = 2007
	\| author = Chuck Stinnett
	\| last = Stinnett
	\| first = Chuck
	\| authorlink =
	\| coauthors =
	\| date = 2006-11-22
	\| month = November
	\| format =
	\| work =
	\| publisher = Courier Press
	\| pages =
	\| language =
	\| archiveurl =
	\| archivedate =
	\| quote =
	}}
	</ref>

	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 ].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706260437\|publisher=]\|title=Many new laws go on books today\|author=Steitzer, Stephanie\|date=2007-06-26}}</ref>

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

	===Rails===
	] over the ] was the tallest rail bridge in the world when it was completed in 1877.]]
	{{see also\|List of Kentucky railroads}}

	*]
	*]
	*]

	], the national passenger rail system, provides service to ], ] and ]. The ], Trains 50 and 51, is the line that offers Amtrak service to Ashland and South Portsmouth. Amtrak Trains 58 and 59, the ], serve Fulton. The ] area, is served by the Cardinal at the ]. The Museum Center is just across the ] in ].

	As of 2004, there were approximately 2,640 miles (4,250.4 km) of railways in Kentucky, with about 65% of those being operated by ]. ] was by far the most common cargo, accounting for 76% of cargo loaded and 61% of cargo delivered.<ref>{{cite web \|url= http://www.aar.org/PubCommon/Documents/AboutTheIndustry/RRState_KY.pdf \|format=PDF\|title= Railroad Service in Kentucky\|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|work= \|publisher= Association of American Railroads\|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }} Also, Norfolk Southern's main north-south line runs through central and southern Kentucky, starting in Cincinnati. Formerly the CNO&TP subsidiary of Southern Railway, it is NS's most profitable line.
	</ref>

	] features a tourist attraction known as ''My Old Kentucky Dinner Train''. Run along a {{convert\|20\|mi\|km\|-1\|sing=on}} stretch of rail purchased from ] in 1987, guests are served a four-course meal as they make a two-and-a-half hour round-trip between ] and Limestone Springs.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.cincinnati.com/visitorsguide/stories/071100_dinnertrain.html \|title= On the Right Track - Kentucky Dinner Train serves up railroad nostalgia\|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last=Knight\|first=Andy \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=Cincinnati.com\|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref> The ] is located in nearby ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kyrail.org/ \|title= Kentucky Railway Museum\|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher= \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref>

	Other areas in Kentucky are reclaiming old railways in ] projects. One such project is Louisville's ]. If completed, the ] ] will contain the second longest pedestrian-only bridge in the world.<ref>{{cite news\|publisher=Courier-Journal\|title=Bridges money may be shifted\|last=Shafer\|first=Sheldon\|date=2007-03-05}}</ref> The longest pedestrian-only bridge is also found in Kentucky — the ], popularly known as the "Purple People Bridge", connecting ] to ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/04/20/loc_purplebridge20.html \|title= Meet the Purple People Bridge\|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= Crowley\|first= Patrick\|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date=April 23, 2003 \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher= Cincinnati Enquirer\|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref>

	===Air===
	{{see also\|List of airports in Kentucky}}
	Kentucky's primary airports include ] (Standiford Field), ], and ] in Lexington. Louisville International Airport is home to ]'s ], its international air-sorting hub.<ref>{{cite web \|url= http://www.flylouisville.com/about/fastfacts.asp \|title= Fast Facts\|accessdate=2007-09-11 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=Louisville International Airport \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref> There are also a number of regional airports scattered across the state.

	On August 27, 2006, Kentucky's ] in ] was the site of a crash that killed 47 passengers and 2 crew members aboard a ] designated ], or Delta Air Lines Flight 5191, sometimes mistakenly identified by the press as Comair Flight 5191.<ref></ref> The lone survivor was the flight's ], James Polehinke, who doctors determined to be brain damaged and unable to recall the crash at all.<ref>{{cite web \|url= http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/03/national/main2059120.shtml \|title=Comair Crash Survivor Leaves Hospital \|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=CBS \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}</ref>

	===Water===
	], the only man made section of the ]]]
	Being bounded by the two 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 ], 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.<ref></ref><ref></ref>

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

	==Subdivisions and settlements==
	===Counties===
	{{see also\|List of counties in Kentucky\|Fiscal Court}}

	Kentucky is subdivided into 120 ], the largest being ] at 787.6 square miles, and the most populous being ] (the county containing ]) with 693,604 residents as of 2000.<ref>, University of Kentucky</ref>

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

	===Consolidated city-county governments===
	Kentucky's two most populous counties, Jefferson and Fayette, have their ]. ''Louisville-Jefferson County Government'' (]) and ''Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government'' (]) are unique in that their city councils and county Fiscal Court structures have been merged into a single entity with a single ], the ] 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 reads "Fayette County" while most signs leading into Louisville-Jefferson simply read "Welcome to Louisville Metro."

	===Cities and towns===
	<div style="float:right; padding-left:12px;">
	{\| class="wikitable"
	! 15 Largest Cities<ref name="census1">{{cite web \|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2006-01.csv \|title=Census Population Estimates for 2006 - Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places Over 100,000 \|accessdate=2007-07-01 \|publisher=US Census}}</ref><ref name="census2">{{cite web \|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2006-04-21.csv \|title=Census Population Estimates for 2006 - Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky \|accessdate=2007-07-01 \|publisher=US Census}}</ref>!! 2006 Population
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 557,789
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 279,044
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 55,398
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 54,244
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 43,062
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 32,333
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 31,638
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 27,768
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 27,281
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 27,098
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 26,152
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 25,845
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 25,539
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 23,777
	\|-
	\| ] \|\| 21,933
	\|}
	</div>
	{{see also\|List of cities in Kentucky}}

	The Greater ] has a 2006 estimated population of 554,496, while the ] (CSA) has a population of 1,356,798; including 1,003,025 in Kentucky, which is nearly 1/4 of the state's population. Since 2000 over 1/3 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.<ref></ref>

	The second largest city is Lexington with a 2006 census estimated population of 270,789 and its ], which includes the ] and ] statistical areas, having a population of 645,006. The ] area (the seven Kentucky counties in the ] CSA) had an estimated population of 408,783 in 2006. The metropolitan areas of Louisville, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky have a combined population of 2,169,394 as of 2006, which is 51.5% of the state's total population.

	The two other fast growing urban areas in Kentucky are the ] area and the "Tri Cities Region" of southeastern Kentucky, comprising ], ], and ].

	The largest county in Kentucky, is Pike, which contains Pikeville, home of Hillbilly Days. It also contains the small towns of Elkhorn City, South Williamson, and Coal Run.

	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 is currently on pace to double its population in the 2000s from 5,692 in 2000 to 10,879 in 2010. London also landed a ] distribution center in 1997, bringing thousands of jobs to the community.

	In northeast Kentucky, the greater ] area is an important transportation, manufacturing, and medical center. ] and ] production, as well as the transport of coal by rail and ], 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 ] and ], are part of the ] (MSA). As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649. About 20,000 of those people reside within the city limits of Ashland.

	Only three US states have capitals with smaller populations than Kentucky's ] (pop. 27,408), those being ] (pop. 18,560), ] (pop. 13,876), and ] (pop. 8,035).
	<center><gallery>
	Image:N38316642 31380476 4196.jpg\|Population is centered along and between interstates ] and ].
	Image:LouisvilleNightSkyline2-small.jpg\|] is the state's largest city with a metro population of 1.2 million.
	Image:PhotodowntownLexKY.JPG\|] is the state's second largest city with a metro population of around 500,000.
	Image:Picture 127CovSky08.jpg\|Although ] only has a population of 42,000, the Kentucky side of the ] has a population of over 450,000.
	Image:Picture 124NewportKYwaterfrnt.jpg\|Newport's Aquarium and waterfront
	</gallery></center>

	==Education==
	] is Kentucky's flagship university]]
	] is Kentucky's urban research university]]
	{{main\| Education in Kentucky}}
	{{see also\|List of colleges and universities in Kentucky\|List of high schools in Kentucky\|List of school districts in Kentucky}}

	Kentucky maintains eight public four-year colleges and universities. The two major research institutions are the ], which is part of the land grant system, and the ]. Both combine for over 99% of ] in the system and rank first or second in academic rankings and average ACT scores in the state system.{{Fact\|date=May 2008}} The other six colleges in the state system are regional universities.

	The state's sixteen public two-year colleges have been governed by the ] since the passage of the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997, commonly referred to as House Bill 1.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.lrc.ky.gov/recarch/97ss/HB1/bill.doc \|title=Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997 \|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=State of Kentucky \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref> Prior to the passage of House Bill 1, most of these colleges were under the control of the ].

	], located at the extreme southern edge of the Bluegrass below the Cumberland Plateau, was the first coeducational college in the ] to admit both black and white students, doing so from its very establishment in 1855.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.diversityweb.org/digest/vol10no1/mendel.cfm \|title=Berea College:Learning, Labor, and Service \|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=Diversity Web \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}
	</ref> This policy was successfully challenged in the ] in the case of '']'' in 1908.<ref></ref> This decision effectively segregated Berea until the landmark '']'' in 1954.

	Kentucky has been the site of much educational reform over the past two decades. In 1989, the ] ruled that the state's education system was unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED327352&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&objectId=0900000b8004b71c \|title=A Guide to the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 \|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last= \|first= \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher=Education Resources Information Center \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}</ref> The response of the ] 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.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kltprc.net/foresight/Chpt_37.htm \|title=Education Reform and Equitable Excellence: The Kentucky Experiment \|accessdate=2007-05-01 \|last=Roeder \|first=Phillip \|authorlink= \|coauthors= \|date= \|year= \|month= \|format= \|work= \|publisher= \|pages= \|language= \|archiveurl= \|archivedate= \|quote= }}</ref>

	==Culture==
	] is the largest Victorian Historic neighborhood in the United States.]]
	{{see also\|Theater in Kentucky}}
	Although Kentucky's culture is generally considered to be ], it is unique and also influenced by the ] and ]. The state is known for ] and ] distiling, ], ], and ]. Kentucky is more similar to the ] in terms of ancestry which is predominantly American.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-35.pdf \|title=Ancestry 2000: Census 2000 Brief \|author=Brittingham, Angela & de la Cruz, G. Patricia \|publisher=United States Census Bureau \|format=PDF \|accessdaymonth=28 June \| accessyear=2007\|month=June \| year=2004}}</ref> Neveretheless, during the 19th century, the state Kentucky did receive a substantial number of German and Irish immigrants, who settled primarily in the Midwest. Only Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia, all also border states, have higher German ancestry percentages than Kentucky among Census-defined Southern states.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/maps/map.asp?state=101&variable=494 \|title=2000 Census: Percent Reporting Any German Ancestry \|accessdate=2007-07-20}}</ref> Kentucky was a ], and blacks once comprised over one-quarter of its population. However, it lacked the ] 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 ], despite a relatively significant rural African American population in the Central and Western areas of the state.<ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://srdc.msstate.edu/poverty/ppts/cromartie.ppt
	\| title = High Poverty in the Rural U.S. and South: Progress and Persistence in the 1990s
	\| accessdaymonth = 28 June \| accessyear=2007
	\| author = Beale, Calvin
	\| date = 21 July 2004
	\| format = PowerPoint
	}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://srdc.msstate.edu/poverty/ppts/womack.ppt
	\| title = The American Black Belt Region: A Forgotten Place
	\| accessdaymonth = 28 June \| accessyear=2007
	\| author = Womack, Veronica L.
	\| date = 23 July 2004
	\| format = PowerPoint
	}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
	\| url = http://www.bowdoin.edu/~prael/branch/ex1/m4-black-belt.jpg
	\| title = Identifying the "Black Belt" of Cash-Crop Production
	\| accessdaymonth = 28 June \| accessyear=2007
	\| author = Unknown
	\| date =
	\| format = JPEG Image
	\| publisher = Bowdoin College
	}}</ref>
	Kentucky adopted the ] 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 ] 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.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761554924_12/Kentucky.html \|title=Civil Rights and Women's Rights \|accessdate=2007-07-20}}</ref>

	The biggest day in horse racing, the ], is preceded by the two-week ]<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kdf.org/ \|title=Kentucky Derby Festival Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> in Louisville. Louisville also plays host to the ],<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kystatefair.org/ \|title=Kentucky State Fair \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> the ],<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kyshakes.org/ \|title=Kentucky Shakespeare Festival Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> and ]'s annual highlight, the ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.natqc.com/ \|title=National Quartet Convention Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> ], Kentucky's third largest city, gives credence to its nickname of "Barbecue Capital of the World" by hosting the annual ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bbqfest.com/ \|title=Home Page of the International Barbecue Festival \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> ], Kentucky's fifth largest city and home to the ] that manufactures the ],<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://bg.ky.net/Corvette/newera.htm \|title=National Corvette Museum press release \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> opened the ] in 1994.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.corvettemuseum.com/ \|title=National Corvette Museum Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref>

	], the largest ] district in the United States featuring ] and the third largest overall,<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.ajc.com/travel/content/travel/southeast/ky_stories/0305/09lvgetaway.html \|title=Stately Mansions Grace Old Louisville \|publisher='']'' \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> hosts the ], the largest outdoor art show in the United States.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.stjamescourtartshow.com/ \|title=St. James Court Art Show Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> The neighborhood was also home to the ] (1883–1887), which featured the first public display of ]'s ],<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://chfs.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/6AD56B4B-7551-4E34-AE5B-E067472C503E/0/October_2004.pdf \|title=The Heart Line \|publisher=Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism and Service \|accessdate=2006-12-25\|format=PDF}}</ref> and was the setting of ]'s novel, '']'' and ]'s comic strip, the "].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.oldlouisville.com/literature/ \|title=Old Louisville and Literature \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref>

	The more rural communities are not without traditions of their own, however. ], the birthplace of ], hosts the annual Lincoln Days Celebration, and will also host the kick-off for the National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration in February 2008. ] celebrates its heritage as a major bourbon-producing region with the ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kybourbonfestival.com/ \|title=Kentucky Bourbon Festival Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> (Legend holds that ] minister ] invented bourbon with his black slave in ], but some dispute this claim.)<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.straightbourbon.com/articles/ccname.html \|title=How Bourbon Whiskey ''Really'' Got Its Famous Name \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> ] mimics ], Scotland by hosting the ], its own version of the ],<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.glasgowhighlandgames.com/ \|title=Glasgow, Kentucky Highland Games Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> and ] hosts "Little Sturgis", a mini version of ]'s annual ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.littlesturgisrally.net/ \|title=Little Sturgis Rally Home Page \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> The residents of tiny ] even pay tribute to their favorite tuber, the ], by hosting ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/es/ky/tater_1 \|title=Tater Day Festival A Local Legacy \|accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> Residents of ] in ] celebrate their city's ties to the honey industry by celebrating the ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.honeyfest.com/ \|title=Clarkson Honeyfest home page \|accessdate=2007-05-12}}</ref> The Clarkson Honeyfest is held the last Thursday, Friday and Saturday in September, and is the "Official State Honey Festival of Kentucky."

	===Music===
	{{main\|Music of Kentucky}}
	{{see also\|Category:Kentucky musicians}}
	The breadth of music in Kentucky is indeed wide, stretching from the Purchase to the eastern mountains.

	] 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 ], ], 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 ] is today America's second oldest continually broadcast radio program of any kind. It is broadcast on local radio station ] and a syndicated network of nearly 200 other stations across the United States and Canada every week.

	] star ] is a ] native, and ]rs ] are closely connected with ], where older brother Don was born. Kentucky was also home to ] and ], the ] sisters credited with composing the tune to the ditty ] in 1893; ] (]), and ] (]). However, its depth lies in its signature sound — ]. ], "The Father of Bluegrass", was born in the small ] town of ], while ], ], ], ], Sonny and ], and ] (who has been compared to Monroe) all hail from Kentucky. The ] is located in ],<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bluegrass-museum.org/ \|title=International Bluegrass Music Museum \|accessdate=2006-11-30}}</ref> while the annual ] is held in ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.festivalofthebluegrass.com/ \|title=Festival of the Bluegrass Home Page \|accessdate=2006-11-30}}</ref>

	Kentucky is also home to famed ] musician and pioneer, ] (although this has been disputed in recent years).<ref>{{cite web \|last = Voce \|first = Steve \|title = Obituary: Lionel Hampton \|publisher=] \|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20020902/ai_n12639955/pg_5 \|date = 2002-09-02 \|accessdate = 2007-06-03}}</ref> ] legend ] and ] singer ] also spent considerable time in Kentucky. The pop bands ] and ] were both formed in Kentucky, as were country acts ], ] and ], as well as ]-winning Christian groups ] (rock) and ] (metal).

	===Cuisine===
	{{main\|Cuisine of Kentucky}}
	] was first served at Louisville's ]]]
	], like much of the state's culture, is unique and is considered to blend elements of both the South and Midwest, given its location between the two regions.<ref></ref><ref></ref> One original Kentucky dish is called the ], a dish normally layered in this order: toasted bread, turkey, bacon, tomatoes and topped with mornay sauce. It was developed at the ] in ].<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.brownhotel.com/dining/hot-brown.html \|title=Hot Brown Recipe \|publisher=] \|accessdate=2006-12-18}}</ref> The ] in Louisville is the birthplace of the '']'' cocktail.

	The original ] is located in Kentucky.

	==Sports==
	{{Original research\|date=May 2008}}
	] hosts the ].]]
	{{main\|Sports in Kentucky}}
	Kentucky is the home of several sports teams such as ]'s Class A ] and AAA ]. They are also home to the ]s ] and several teams in the MCFL. The ] and ] of the ] appear to be interested in making a move up to the "major league" ]. Major league teams in nearby cities, typically have strong fan support depending on the part of the state, with ] teams having strong fan support in South Central and most of Western Kentucky, Nashville and ] teams competing for loyalties in ], ], ] and ] teams predominating in the ] area, and ] teams having strong support in Central and Eastern Kentucky.{{Fact\|date=May 2008}} The ] lies across the ] from Cincinnati, which is home to a ] team, the ], and a ] team, the ]. It is not uncommon for fans to park in the city of ] and use the ], locally known as the "Purple People Bridge," to walk to these games in Cincinnati. Many restaurants and stores in Newport rely on business from these fans.{{Fact\|date=May 2008}} Also, ] in ] is the location for the Bengals' summer training camp.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bengalscamp.com \|title=About the camp \|publisher= \|accessdate=2006-12-18}}</ref>

	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 ] programs, including the ], the ] Hilltoppers, and the ]. 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. Louisville has also stepped onto the football scene in recent years, with eight straight bowl games, including the 2007 ]. Western Kentucky, the 2002 national champion in Division I-AA football (now ], is currently transitioning to Division I FBS football.

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

	==State symbols==
	{{main\|List of Kentucky state insignia}}
	{{see also\|Flag of Kentucky\|Seal of Kentucky}}
	{\| class="wikitable" width=100%
	\|-
	!width=25%\|]
	!width=25%\|Symbol
	!width=25%\|]
	!width=25%\|Year Adopted<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYSymbols.htm \|title=Kentucky's State Symbols \|publisher=Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives \|accessdate=2006-12-18}}</ref>
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Cardinalis cardinalis''
	\|1926
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Limenitis archippus''
	\|1990
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|
	\|2001
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|
	\|2005
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Micropterus punctulatus''
	\|2005
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|undetermined
	\|1986
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Soldiago gigantea''
	\|1926
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Rubus allegheniensis''
	\|2004
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|
	\|1986
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Poa pratensis''
	\|Traditional
	\|-
	\|]
	\|'' "Deo gratiam habeamus" ''
	("Let us be grateful to God")
	\|
	\|2002
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Equus caballus''
	\|1996
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|
	\|1998
	\|-
	\|Official State Outdoor Musical
	\|"The ] Story" (now called "Stephen Foster - The Musical")
	\|
	\|2002
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|
	\|2001
	\|-
	\|]
	\|"The Bluegrass State"
	\|
	\|Traditional
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|
	\|2000
	\|-
	\|]
	\|"Kentucky: Unbridled Spirit"
	\|
	\|2004<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.kentucky.gov/unbridledspirit/info.htm \|title=Unbridled Spirit Information \|publisher= \|accessdate=2006-12-18 \|date=2006-11-20}}</ref>
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|
	\|1990
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Liriodendron tulipifera''
	\|1994
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	\|''Sciurus carolinensis''
	\|1968
	\|-
	\|]
	\|]
	(revised version)
	\|
	\|1986
	\|-
	\|Official State Silverware Pattern
	\|''Old Kentucky Blue Grass:
	The Georgetown Pattern''
	\|
	\|1996
	\|-
	\|Official State Music
	\|]
	\|
	\|2007<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/07RS/HB71/bill.doc \|format=DOC \|title=HB71: An act designating bluegrass music as the official state music of Kentucky \|publisher=Legislative Research Commission \|accessdate=2007-06-26}}</ref>
	\|-
	\|}

	===Official state places and events===
	{{col-begin}}
	{{col-2}}
	*State arboretum: ]
	*State botanical garden: ]
	*State Science Center: ]
	*State center for celebration of African American heritage: Kentucky Center for African American Heritage
	*State honey festival: ] Honeyfest<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/002-00/099.PDF \|title=KRS 2.099 - State Honey Festival \|publisher=] \|format=PDF \|accessdate=2006-12-18}}</ref>
	*State ]: ] Amphitheater (])
	{{col-2}}
	*State ] championship: The ] Tug-of-War Championship
	*] Capital of Kentucky: ]
	*Official ] of Kentucky: Switzer Covered Bridge (])
	*Official ] of Kentucky: "Old 152" (located in the ] in ])
	*Official ]: Louisville Pipe Band
	*State ] festival: ], Incorporated, of ]
	{{col-end}}
	Unless otherwise specified, all state symbol information is taken from .

	==Gallery==
	{{cleanup-gallery}}
	<center><gallery>
	Image:LouisvilleSluggerMusem.jpg\|The world famous ] ] is made in Kentucky.
	Image:Kentucky quarter, reverse side, 2001.jpg\|Kentucky's ].
	Image:Thunder over louisville 2006.jpg\|] is the largest annual fireworks show in the world.
	Image:Picture 1289.jpg\|Kentucky's horse farms are world renowned.
	Image:Daniel Boone National Forest Tater Knob.jpg\|The ].
	Image:Picture 282.jpg\|The ] forms the northern border of Kentucky.
	Image:DowntownBG.JPG\|Many Kentucky cities have historic areas near downtown, such as this example in ].
	Image:US 23 KY.jpg\|US Highway 23 cuts through the rugged ] near ].
	Image:1890TornadoMemorial.jpg\|Memorial to the victims of the great ], which was the 20th deadliest in US History.
	Image:5478.jpg.jpg\|The largest river in North America, the ] converges with the Ohio River along the Kentucky border near ].
	</gallery></center>

	==See also==
	{{portal\|Kentucky\|Flag of Kentucky.svg}}
	*''']'''
	{{clear}}
	<!-- Please place links to all topics directly related to the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the ] -->

	==References==
	{{reflist\|2}}

	==Bibliography==
	===Politics===
	*
	*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).
	*], ''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).
	*, classic guide.
	*{{cite book\|title=Two Hundred Years at the Fall of the Ohio: A History of Louisville and Jefferson County\|last=Yater\|first=George H.\|year=1987\|publisher=]\|edition=2nd edition\|isbn = 0-9601072-3-1}}

	====Specialized scholarly studies====
	*
	*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)
	*
	*Ireland, Robert M. ''The County in Kentucky History'' (1976)
	*{{cite book\|title=Kentucky's Civil War 1861–1865\| last=Klotter\|first=James C.\|coauthors=Lowell Harrison, James Ramage, Charles Roland, Richard Taylor, Bryan S. Bush, Tom Fugate, Dixie Hibbs, Lisa Matthews, Robert C. Moody, Marshall Myers, Stuart Sanders and Stephen McBride\|editor=Jerlene Rose\|year=2005\|publisher=Back Home In Kentucky Inc\|isbn = 0-9769231-1-4}}
	*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).
	*
	*Tapp, Hambleton and James C Klotter. ''Kentucky Decades of Discord, 1865–1900'' (1977)
	*
	* tobacco wars

	==External links==
	{{sisterlinks\|Kentucky}}
	*
	* - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Kentucky state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
	*
	*
	*
	*
	*
	*
	*
	* U.S. Department of the Interior \| U.S. Geological Survey, July 3, 2006, retrieved November 4, 2006
	*
	*
	{{-}}
	{{Kentucky\|expanded}}
	{{United States}}
	{{US South}}
	{{succession
	\| preceded = ]
	\| office = ]
	\| years = Admitted on June 1, 1792 (15th)
	\| succeeded = ]
	}}

	{{coord\|display=title\|37.5\|N\|85\|W\|region:US-KY_type:adm1st_scale:3000000}}

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Revision as of 02:21, 23 January 2009

Kentucky = KenSucky.

A terriable place, avoid it at all cost. Thank you.