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the handle on kentucky

  • KY produces about 95% of the world’s bourbon, The limestone-filtered water in the state is perfect for making bourbon.

  • The KY Derby, held at Churchill Downs, is the longest-running horse race in the U.S., since 1875. aka "Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports."

  • Happy Birthday to You: The famous “Happy Birthday to You” song was written in Louisville in 1893 by Patty and Mildred Hill.

  • The Louisville Slugger Museum has a giant 120' tall replica of the bat used by Babe Ruth and is one of the city’s best-known landmarks.

  • Both U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis were born in Kentucky, less than a year and 100 miles apart.

  • The Hot Brown, an open-faced sandwich with turkey, bacon, and Mornay sauce, was invented at the Brown Hotel in Louisville in the 1920s.

  • The small town of Beaver holds an annual “Beaver Outhouse Race,” where teams race customized outhouses on wheels. 

  • Bowling Green is home to the Chevrolet Corvette Assembly Plant. It’s the only place in the world where Corvettes are made.

  • The Land of Caves: In addition to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky has thousands of other caves, earning it the nickname “The Cave State.” 

  • The original KFC restaurant where Colonel Harland Sanders developed his famous fried chicken recipe with 11 herbs and spices.

  • One of the toughest ultramarathons in the world, the Barkley Marathons is so difficult, only a handful have finished it since its inception in 1986.

  • Lake Cumberland has more shoreline than Florida’s entire coastline, making it a popular spot for house boating, fishing, and water sports.

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