Kentucky Facts

 

Submitted by Jerry Moore

 

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 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 & Patricia Hill.
 
 Late 19th cent - 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. Procter & Gamble sold Jif in 2002.
 
Kentucky has more resort parks than any other state in the nation.
 
Middlesboro is the only US 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 USA
 
Barren County has the most fertile land in the state.
 
One part of Kentucky is completely separated from the rest of the state by
the Mississippi River.

 

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