Interesting Facts About Kentucky

A friend e-mailed me these facts about my favorite state. I found them very interesting, and thought you might as well:

The bloodiest Civil War battle was fought in Perryville, Kentucky.

1792 – Kentucky was the first state on the western frontier to join the Union.

1816 – Mammoth Cave, with 336+ miles of mapped passages, is the world’s longest cave. It is 379 feet deep and contains at least five levels of passages. It is second only to Niagara Falls as the most popular tourist attraction in the United States. It became a national park on July 1, 1941.

1856 – The first enamel bathtub was made in Louisville.

1883 – The first electric light bulb was shown in Louisville. Thomas Edison introduced his invention at the Southern Exposition.

1887 – Mother’s Day was first observed in Henderson, Kentucky by teacher Mary S. Wilson. It became a national holiday in 1916.

1893 – “Happy Birthday to You,” probably the most sung song in the world, was written by two Louisville sisters, Mildred and Patricia Hill.

In the late 19th century, Bibb lettuce was first cultivated by Jack Bibb in Frankfort, Kentucky.

1896 – The first known set of all-male quintuplets was born in Paducah.

1934 – Cheeseburgers were first tasted at Kaelin’s Restaurant in Louisville.

The world’s largest baseball bat, a full 120 feet tall and weighing 68,000 pounds, can be seen at the Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville.

Chevrolet Corvettes are manufactured only in Bowling Green.

Covington (St. Mary’s Cathedral-Basilica of the Assumption) is home to the world’s largest hand-blown stained glass window in existence. It measures an astounding 24 feet by 67 feet, and contains 117 different figures.

The world’s largest crucifix, standing nearly 60 feet tall, is in Bardstown (Nelson County).

Ft. Knox holds more than six billion dollars worth of gold, the largest amount stored anywhere in the world.

The Jif plant in Lexington is the largest peanut butter production facility in the world.

Kentucky has more resort parks than any other state in the nation.

Middlesboro is the only United States city built inside a meteor crater.

Newport is home to the World Peace Bell, the world’s largest free-swinging bell.

Pike County is the world’s largest producer of coal.

Post-It Notes are made exclusively in Cynthiana, Kentucky.

Shaker Village (Pleasant Hill) is the largest historic community of its kind in the United States.

Christian County is “wet,” while Bourbon County is “dry.” (“Wet” sells liquor; “dry” does not.)

Barren County has the most fertile land in the state.

Lake Cumberland has more miles of shoreline than the state of Florida.

Kentucky is best known for its beautiful blue grass.

And let us not forget about the basketball and race horses!