100 Dumb US Laws (With Proof They Exist)
Kentucky (KY) is located in the southern United States, the state is known for its bourbon and horse racing, led by the famous Kentucky Derby. The key drivers of the local economy are agriculture and manufacturing. The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort, though the largest city is Louisville. Top tourist attractions include the longest cave system in the world in Mammoth Cave National Park.
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Table of Contents
Quick Facts
Name Kentucky Abbreviation KY Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville (Population: 622 981) Current time 14:11 Time zone The eastern half of the state follows EST (UTC-5), while the western half follows CST (UTC-6). The state follows EDT (UTC-4) and CDT (UTC-5) Daylight Saving Time Population 4,506,297 (#26 most populous US state) Area 104,656 km² (#37 largest US state) Admitted to the Union June 1, 1792 (#15 state to join) ⭐ Capital of Kentucky
The capital of the state of Kentucky is Frankfort, a settlement at this site formed back in 1786. The name Frankfort is a corruption of the words “Frank’s Ford”. Frank refers to pioneer Stephen Frank, who died in the area. A “ford” is a shallow part of a river suitable for crossing. Frankfort has been the capital of Kentucky since 1792.
🏙️ Largest City in Kentucky
The largest city in Kentucky is Louisville, which had 622,981 residents in 2023. The second largest city is Lexington with 320,154 residents, and the third largest is Bowling Green with a population of 76,212.
🕒 Time in Kentucky
The current time in Louisville is 14:11, and Kentucky is almost evenly split between two time zones. The western half of the state uses Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6), and the eastern half follows Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5). The entire state switches to daylight saving time from March to November.
🧑🤝🧑 Population of Kentucky
In 2023 Kentucky reported 4,506,297 residents, which ranked it 26th among the most populous U.S. states.
📍 Area of Kentucky
Kentucky’s area is 104,656 km², of which 102,269 km² is land and 2,387 km² is water. Kentucky is the 37th largest state in the USA.
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Fun Facts About Kentucky
🧩 Which States Border Kentucky
Kentucky borders seven U.S. states. To the northwest is Illinois, to the north Indiana and Ohio, to the northeast West Virginia, to the east Virginia, to the south Tennessee, and to the west it shares a short border with Missouri.
📅 Date of Kentucky Statehood
Kentucky was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792 as the 15th state, after separating largely from Virginia.
📛 Kentucky State Nickname
Kentucky is nicknamed “The Bluegrass State”, which, perhaps a bit surprisingly, is not a reference to a music style. Bluegrass in the Kentucky context refers to Kentucky bluegrass (Latin name Poa pratensis), a grass common in the state.
⛰️ Highest Mountain in Kentucky
The highest mountain in Kentucky is Black Mountain at 1,263.40 m in the Cumberland Mountains.
🏞️ Rivers in Kentucky
The longest river running along Kentucky is the Mississippi River with a total length of 3,730 km, which forms the border with Missouri. It is followed by the Ohio River (1,579 km), the Cumberland River (1,107 km), the Tennessee River (1,049 km), and the Green River (618 km).
🎓 Universities in Kentucky
The largest university in the state is the University of Kentucky, founded in 1865 in Lexington and attended by about 34,000 students. The second largest institution is the University of Louisville with approximately 23,000 students, and in third place is Western Kentucky University, with around 17,000 students.
✉️ ZIP Codes in Kentucky
The state of Kentucky is assigned ZIP code ranges 400xx to 427xx, and you can look them up by address on the USPS website. Learn more in the article ZIP Codes in the USA.
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Weather in Kentucky
The best time to visit Kentucky is usually late spring or early fall, when temperatures sit lower than in summer.
Spring in Kentucky brings pleasant temperatures that gradually rise from March’s 3 °C to 14 °C to May’s 14 °C to 25 °C. Spring rains are very common, with May traditionally the wettest month. Western Kentucky often faces the risk of destructive tornadoes.
Summer in Kentucky is hot and humid, with average temperatures in July and August reaching 25 °C to 32 °C. Humidity often runs high, which can make days feel tropical. Short yet intense thunderstorms accompanied by rain also pop up in summer.
Fall in Kentucky means a gradual cool down. While Louisville typically sees 16 °C to 28 °C in September, by November it cools to around 4 °C. There are fewer rainy days in fall than in summer.
Winter in Kentucky is chilly, with December and January most days ranging between -2 °C and 8 °C. Snowfall is modest, with snowstorms more common in northern and eastern Kentucky.
🌡️ Average Temperatures and Precipitation in Kentucky
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What to See in Kentucky
1️⃣ Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park hides the longest cave network on the planet, with a total surveyed length of over 685.58 km. The Mammoth Cave system is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to several endangered bat species.
Visitors can choose from a range of ranger-led cave tours. Above ground, the park offers hiking, fishing, and birdwatching.
2️⃣ Lexington’s Distillery District
At the historic James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington, bourbon production began in 1879. The producer vacated the distillery buildings in 1958, and for the next 50 years no one touched them. In 2008 the site was transformed into a modern hub with bars, restaurants, breweries, cafés, and venues for cultural events. It is a great stop for fans of offbeat attractions who are 21 and over.
3️⃣ Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay Amusement Parks
Kentucky Kingdom is a popular amusement park with dozens of attractions, including roller coasters, giant centrifuges, and plenty of gentler rides for younger kids. The complex includes the Hurricane Bay water park, which offers welcome relief on hot summer days. Visitors can look forward to pools and water slides of all lengths. Both parks deliver a full day of fun for families and groups of friends.
4️⃣ Lost River Cave
Lost River Cave is a unique cave system in the city of Bowling Green that you can explore on foot or by boat. The boat option is much more intriguing, since the underground river takes visitors into the cave’s darkest corners.
The cave’s interesting history began during the Civil War, when Confederate troops first used it, after which Union soldiers took control. At the time, as many as 40,000 soldiers camped in the area.
5️⃣ Kentucky Derby Museum
Churchill Downs is a horse racing track in Louisville that hosts the famous Kentucky Derby every year. The first race ran in 1875, and the on-site museum tells the event’s rich story. Tours also offer a behind-the-scenes look at the racetrack and the preparations that horses and jockeys undergo before race day.
6️⃣ Kentucky Bourbon Trail
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a tourism route supported by a distillers’ association that links dozens of the state’s best known bourbon producers. Along the trail, you can visit historic distilleries and taste some of the world’s finest bourbons. Tours often let you see the full whiskey-making process, from aging in oak barrels to the finished product.
7️⃣ Natural Bridge State Park
Natural Bridge State Park blends natural beauty with a resort setting. The main draw is a rock bridge 23.8 m long and 19.8 m high that formed through natural erosion over millions of years. The bridge is a favorite subject for photographers and a popular hiking goal. Several trails run through the park, most leading to viewpoints over the surrounding landscape.
8️⃣ The Kentucky Horse Park
The state is famous for horse racing, and The Kentucky Horse Park ranks among the sport’s most important places for fans. Visitors can see different horse breeds and watch equestrian demonstrations. The Kentucky Horse Park also includes a museum devoted to horses and their significance in human history. Those interested can even try horseback riding themselves.
9️⃣ Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
Baseball is part of America, and one of the most famous bat brands is Louisville Slugger. In Kentucky’s largest city you can tour the factory where these bats are made.
You will recognize the building from afar, since its exterior features the longest baseball bat in the world. It measures 36.6 m in length and weighs a total of 30,844.26 kg. The building also houses a museum where visitors can try the same types of bats used by professional players.
🔟 Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center museum in Louisville is dedicated to the life of the legendary boxer, who was born in the city in 1942. Exhibits cover not only his career and personal life, but also his fight for human rights.
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Largest Cities in Kentucky
The table lists the ten largest cities in the state of Kentucky in 2023. The data source is the federal agency United States Census Bureau, whose primary task is conducting the census.
City County Population 1 Louisville Jefferson 622,981 Map of Louisville 2 Lexington Fayette 320,154 Map of Lexington 3 Bowling Green Warren 76,212 Map of Bowling Green 4 Owensboro Daviess 60,140 Map of Owensboro 5 Covington Kenton 40,972 Map of Covington 6 Georgetown Scott 39,462 Map of Georgetown 7 Richmond Madison 37,206 Map of Richmond 8 Elizabethtown Hardin 32,978 Map of Elizabethtown 9 Florence Boone 32,917 Map of Florence 10 Nicholasville Jessamine 32,425 Map of Nicholasville -
Sports Teams in Kentucky
🏒 Hockey (NHL)
Kentucky has no team in the NHL.
🏈 American Football (NFL)
There is no NFL team from Kentucky.
🏀 Basketball (NBA)
There is no NBA team from Kentucky.
⚾ Baseball (MLB)
No team from Kentucky plays in MLB.
⚽ Soccer (MLS)
Kentucky has no team that plays in MLS.
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Kentucky State Symbols
Kentucky has around thirty officially recognized state symbols, and this article lists only some of them.
Flag of Kentucky
The current flag of Kentucky was adopted on March 26, 1918. It consists of a dark blue field with the Great Seal at the center, accompanied by the official name “Commonwealth of Kentucky”. The flag underwent a slight modification in 1962.
Seal of Kentucky
The design of the Great Seal dates to December 1792, when Kentucky entered the Union, although it did not become an official symbol until 1962. The central motif shows two men, one in traditional buckskin and the other in a more formal black coat. They face each other and clasp hands, accompanied by the state motto “United we stand, divided we fall”.
State Bird
The official bird since 1926 is the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), which typically reaches a length of 22 cm. Male cardinals are crimson red, while females are yellowish brown to olive.
State Fish
In 2005 the spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) was added to the list of state symbols. The fish commonly grows up to 64 cm in length.
State Flower
Kentucky’s state flower since 1926 is the giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea), which in the wild can grow up to 200 cm tall. The plant is common in Kentucky and prefers soil that is moist at least part of the year.
State Soft Drink
In 2013 a law designated Ale-8-One lemon soda as the official soft drink of Kentucky. The soda, produced since 1926, comes in two flavors and is bottled in the city of Winchester.
State Tree
Kentucky’s official state tree since 1994 is the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), which in the wild can reach heights of up to 58 m.
State Wild Animal
In 1968 the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) became an official symbol. It is the most common of the three squirrel species that can be seen in Kentucky.
State Fruit
In 2004 blackberries were added to the list of state symbols. They are traditionally sold at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and pick-your-own farms.
State Rock
Kentucky is one of the most important coal producers in the United States, which is why in 1998 coal was included among the state symbols.
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