Ky History Lesson (Lexington, Louisville, Bowling Green: home, rent, hotel)

[InLondon]

For those of you who live in Kentucky you might find this interesting. And for those of you who don't, YOU might also find this interesting.

Today's history lesson!

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

1816 - (first promoted) Mammoth Cave ,
with 336+ miles of mapped passages, is the world's longest cave. It is 379 feet deep and contains at least 5 levels of passages. It's second only to Niagara Falls as the most popular tourist attraction in the US . 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 Alva Edison introduced his invention to crowds at the Southern Exposition.

1887 - Mother's Day was first observed in Henderson 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

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 .

1937 - The first Wigwam Village Motel, with units in the shape of a "teepee", was built by Frank A. Redford in Cave City .

The world's largest baseball bat, a full one hundred twenty (120) feet tall and weighing 68,000 pounds, can be seen at the Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville (Jefferson Co.).

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 at sixty (60) feet tall, is in Bardstown (Nelson Co.).

Fort Knox holds more than $6 billion worth of gold - the largest amount stored anywhere in the world.

The JIF plant in Lexington is the world's largest peanut butter producing facility.

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.

Pikeville annually leads the nation (per capita) in consumption of Pepsi-Cola.

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

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

[tomocox]

Kentucky has more documented history than any other state.

Kentucky has more navagable water than any state but Alaska.

The Green River is legendary for not having a bottom.

[Davart]

The town of Murray is home to the Boy Scouts of America Scouting Museum located on the campus of Murray State University.

The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously held horse race in the country. It is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.

The old official state tree was the Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus.) The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is the current official state tree. The change was made in 1976.

Begun in 1819 the first commercial oil well was on the Cumberland River in McCreary County.

The first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant owned and operated by Colonel Sanders is located in Corbin.

Kentucky is the state where both Abraham Lincoln, President of the Union, and Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, were born. They were born less than one hundred miles and one year apart.

Cumberland is the only waterfall in the world to regularly display a Moonbow. It is located just southwest of Corbin.

Fleming County is recognized as the Covered Bridge Capital of Kentucky.

Shelby County is recognized as the Saddlebred Capital of Kentucky.

The radio was invented by a Kentuckian named Nathan B. Stubblefield of Murray in 1892. It was three years before Marconi made his claim to the invention.

High Bridge located near Nicholasville is the highest railroad bridge over navigable water in the United States.

The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington has 82 stained-glass windows including the world's largest hand-blown one. The window measures 24 feet wide by 67 feet high and depicts the Council of Ephesus with 134 life-sized figures.

The Lost River Cave and Valley Bowling Green includes a cave with the shortest and deepest underground river in the world. It contains the largest cave opening east of the Mississippi.

Frederick Vinson who was born in Louisa is the only Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court known to be born in jail.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by Davart

The old official state tree was the Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus.) The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is the current official state tree. The change was made in 1976.

I think you sawed that tree the wrong way.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by Davart

The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington has 82 stained-glass windows including the world's largest hand-blown one. The window measures 24 feet wide by 67 feet high and depicts the Council of Ephesus with 134 life-sized figures.

134 or 117 figures? What I posted a few days ago lists 117. Oh well

[kygman]

Davart, the National Scouting Museum moved out several years ago. Low attendance. It's now in Irving, Texas.

[kygman]

Mayfield, back in the 20's and 30's, was considered the tobacco capital of the world.

My parents talked about growing up in the 30s and 40s. For musicians and bands like Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, etc., Mayfield was a stopping off point between St. Louis and Nashville. They would comwe to town, put on a show, stay the night at the Hall Hotel, and head out in the morning