Kentucky

Say hello to Kentucky—a place where the land itself seems to hum with fiddle tunes, the hills whisper of past battles and bold visions, and the scent of aged oak barrels hangs in the air like heritage. From limestone caverns to columned courthouses, from horse farms to tobacco warehouses, this commonwealth has always played its part with quiet conviction and unflashy grandeur.

Here, the past isn’t just remembered—it’s lived in. It flows in the traditions of racing and rebellion, of frontier midwives and moonlit fiddles, of steamboat commerce and civil rights struggle. Whether you’re following wagon tracks through the Cumberland Gap or gazing at modern towers rising in Louisville, Kentucky holds firm to its soul: humble, rooted, and fiercely proud.

This is the birthplace of bluegrass music and bourbon whiskey, the crucible of American sports icons and culinary staples, the stronghold of pioneers and preservationists alike. Every log cabin and limestone wall seems to hold a story. And we’re here to tell a hundred of them.

Log cabins…Kentucky Cave Wars… “11 herbs and spices”… iron horses... kissing bridges... bourbon… iron smelting furnaces… fire towers... the CCC... bluegrass music… landmark bridges… black tobacco barns… the golden age of motoring... Louisville Sluggers… “the Great Compromiser”… “the Castle on the Cumberland”… basketball… Grant and Thomas, Zollicoffer and Bragg… Chautauqua… Hot browns… Rosenwald schools… soft coal… Frank Lloyd Wright... Shakers… Meskers…  land-grant schools… thoroughbreds… fishing reels… This book will have you telling stories like a native in no time.

The photos and stories collected here are a fast and fun way to learn the explanations behind the quirks, the traditions and the secrets that make Kentucky uniquely Kentucky. How did Kentucky become the home of “America’s Sport Car”? Solved. What historic government building did “Old Stone Hammer” help build and then move into three decades later? A mystery no more. What is the nation’s only interstate highway rest stop in an historic home? Identified. Where was the first victory for the Union Army in the Civil War? Revealed. Did Stephen Foster ever visit “My Old Kentucky Home? No one knows.

in print and ebook
Harrod rode west where few would dare, To carve a town from frontier air. A cabin first, then battles fought— Then vanished, chasing myths long sought. Today the fort’s a tale retold, Where parking lots now guard the bold.

Harrod rode west where few would dare, To carve a town from frontier air. A cabin first, then battles fought— Then vanished, chasing myths long sought. Today the fort’s a tale retold, Where parking lots now guard the bold.

Marble columns gleam where bold dreams grew, A capital city in doubt but true. Frank's ford it was, where rivers met, And golden bribes the dealmakers set. Though rivals lurked and fires took toll, This Greek Revival held its role.

Marble columns gleam where bold dreams grew, A capital city in doubt but true. Frank's ford it was, where rivers met, And golden bribes the dealmakers set. Though rivals lurked and fires took toll, This Greek Revival held its role.

Along Glenn’s Creek, the barrels burned, And bourbon’s deeper truth was learned. A chemist's touch and charred oak art Gave sour mash its future start. From Crow’s clear mind and Pepper’s ground, A legend in a flask was found.

Along Glenn’s Creek, the barrels burned, And bourbon’s deeper truth was learned. A chemist's touch and charred oak art Gave sour mash its future start. From Crow’s clear mind and Pepper’s ground, A legend in a flask was found.

Before the white suit and the finger-licked name, The Colonel was cooking to gain local fame. Eleven herbs, fried under pressure just right— A roadside café turned a global delight. The recipe’s secret, the man’s tale profound, In Corbin, the place w

Before the white suit and the finger-licked name, The Colonel was cooking to gain local fame. Eleven herbs, fried under pressure just right— A roadside café turned a global delight. The recipe’s secret, the man’s tale profound, In Corbin, the place where the flavor was found.

A boat that floated aid and might When rivers raged in stormy flight. The only inland rescue ship, With lifelines set for slip or flip. Steel-hulled and strong, it gently shows Where Coast Guard care still calmly flows.

A boat that floated aid and might When rivers raged in stormy flight. The only inland rescue ship, With lifelines set for slip or flip. Steel-hulled and strong, it gently shows Where Coast Guard care still calmly flows.

Where Bluegrass blades and bloodlines mix, And hooves have carved their rhythmic tricks. From Haggin’s brood to Secretariat’s stride, Great champions in green hills abide. The king lies whole beneath the sod, Still thundering with turf-tied god.

Where Bluegrass blades and bloodlines mix, And hooves have carved their rhythmic tricks. From Haggin’s brood to Secretariat’s stride, Great champions in green hills abide. The king lies whole beneath the sod, Still thundering with turf-tied god.