Historically interesting places
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park is located in the small town of Hodgenville in central Kentucky. The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park covers an area of approximately 1.4 km², the birthplace of US President Abraham Lincoln, a small wooden hut, and the farm on which he grew up. The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park was established in 1916. The wooden hut, a replica, is located within a memorial building in the style of the Beaux-Arts architecture, which was built from 1909 to 1911. The memorial attracts over 100,000 visitors annually.
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Find common acronyms associated with Kentucky. Also see top 10 cities by population in Kentucky.
- Allcitycodes: Lists of all area codes of Kentucky. Also includes state overview and counties by area code in Kentucky.
| Contact | 2995 Lincoln Farm Road Hodgenville, Kentucky 42748 www.nps.gov/abli/index.htm |
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located on the border of the states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia and was established in 1940. The Cumberland Gap is a mountain pass at an altitude of 488 m and was an important gateway to the development of the American West. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Cumberland Gap was the main route for white settlers to the west. The pass was part of Wilderness Road, a former Indian trail that Daniel Boone extended with 35 men. Today the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park covers an area of approximately 83 km² and attracts over 800,000 visitors annually. In addition to the scenic beauty, the preserved historical buildings are also of interest. There are also caves that can be visited as part of a guided tour.
| Contact | www.nps.gov/cuga/index.htm |
Mary Todd Lincoln House in Lexington
The Mary Todd Lincoln House was the family home of Mary Todd, the future wife of Abraham Lincoln. The three-story house was built from 1803 to 1806 and Mary Todd lived here from 1832 to 1839. The building is in the style of Georgian architecture and has been a museum since 1996. The Mary Todd Lincoln House was added to the list of Historic Places in 1971.
| Contact | 578 West Main Street Lexington, Kentucky 40507 www.mtlhouse.org |
Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont
Few names are so closely linked to Kentucky as Jim Beam. The boubon whiskey manufacturer has been doing business in Clermont since 1795. The distillery was founded in 1760 by Johannes Jakob Böhm of German descent, who later changed his name to Jacob Beam. Nowadays there is not much to be felt from the early days, because the whiskey has found its place in a globalized “world culture”. Nevertheless, if you want to learn something about the old days or simply want to find out more about whiskey, you should take part in one of the tours.
| Contact | 526 Happy Hollow Road Clermont, Kentucky 40110 www.americanstillhouse.com/tour-info-and-reservations |
Gravesite Daniel Boones (1734-1820) in Frankfort
The pioneer Daniel Boones, who developed the Wilderness Trail and founded the city of Boonesborough in Kentucky, is buried here in Frankfort. Daniel Boone became a role model for James Fenimore Cooper’s leather stocking.
Special buildings and structures
Old State Capitol in Frankfort
The Old State Capitol in the city of Frankfort is the former, more precisely third state capitol of the state. The construction of the Greek Revival-style building lasted from 1828 to 1937. It was used before it was finally completed and was in service from 1830 to 1910. The front of the building is a replica of the Temple of Minerva in Priene (today’s Turkey). In 1899, after an extremely controversial election of a governor, William Goebel was shot dead on the way to his inauguration. The Old State Capitol has served as a museum since 1920 and is also the seat of the Kentucky Historical Society. The Old State Capitol has been a National Historic Landmark since 1971.
| Contact | 300 West Broadway Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 |
Kentucky State Capitol
The Kentucky State Capitol in the city of Frankfort is the current seat of the legislature, executive and judiciary of the state of Kentucky. The Kentucky State Capitol was built from 1905 to 1909 and inaugurated in 1910. The building is attributed to the Beaux-Arts architecture and impresses with its classic and French-style interior. For example, the marble staircase is modeled on that of the Opéra Garnier in Paris. The Kentucky State Capitol has been on the list of Historic Places since 1973.
| Contact | 700 Capitol Avenue Frankfort, Kentucky 40504 |
Fort Knox
The famous Fort Knox is a historic army fort in northern Kentucky, which is particularly well known today because of the United States’ gold reserves. Fort Knox was built in 1862, at that time under the name Fort Duffield. The Bullion Depository was established in 1936, which is still the location of the gold reserves to this day. The building has two floors and is heavily secured. Today, around 4,500 tons of gold are stored here. The George S. Patton Museum is also on the grounds of Fort Knox. The Bullion Depository has been on the list of Historic Places since 1988.
| Contact | www.knox.army.mil |
Old Governor’s Mansion in Frankfort
The Old Governor’s Mansion in the city of Frankfort is the official seat of the state governor. The Old Governor’s Mansion was built in 1798 in the Georgian style and is considered the oldest continuously used governor house in the USA. Of the workers involved in the construction, a bricklayer and a stonemason later became governor of Kentucky. Old Governor’s Mansion has been on the list of Historic Places since 1971.
| Contact | 420 High Street Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 |
John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Covington
The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge is located between the cities of Cincinnati (Ohio) and Covington (Kentucky) and spans the Ohio River. The suspension bridge was built from 1856 to 1866. When the bridge was opened to pedestrians in 1866, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at 322 m. She lost this title in 1883 to the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge has been on the list of Historic Places since 1975.
Switzer Covered Bridge near Frankfort
The Switzer Covered Bridge is one of the few covered bridges in Kentucky and is located near the capital Frankfort. The bridge was built in 1855. Floods in 1906 and 1990 damaged the bridge and in 1997 it was washed away, but it was completely rebuilt a year later. Brück has been on the list of historic places since 1974.
Jesse R. Zeigler House in Frankford
The Jesse R. Zeigler House, in the town of Farnkfort, was built in 1910 according to the design of the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is the only building by the famous architect in Kentucky. Originally it was the private home of Reverend Jesse R. Zeigler. The building was built in the so-called prairie style. It has been on the Historic Places list since 1976.
| Contact | 509 Shelby Street Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 |
Cardome Center in Lexington
The Cardome Center in the city of Lexington, more precisely in Georgetown (this is often considered a district of Lexington), is a historic building from 1821. In the past, several famous people such as the former governor of Kentucky lived here James F. Robinson. From 1898 the Cardome Center was used as a mixture of the monastery and the girls’ school of the Visitation Sisters. Nowadays the Cardome Center acts as a kind of “village community center”. In 1975 the Cardome Center was added to the list of Historic Places.
| Contact | 800 Cincinnati Road Georgetown, Kentucky 40324 |
Rupp Arena in Lexington
The Rupp Arena, which is part of the Lexington Center, a convention and shopping center, was opened in 1976. Back then, it was still intended as a multifunctional arena, and today the Rupp Arena is the largest basketball hall in the USA with a capacity of 23,500 seats. But other events such as ice hockey matches also take place here.
| Contact | 430 W Vine St Lexington, KY 40507 www.rupparena.com |
Jefferson Davis State Historic Site
The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site in the town of Fairview in southwestern Kentucky commemorates Jefferson Davis, the first and only President of the Confederate States (1861-1865). The highlight of the memorial is a 107 m high obelisk, which was built in 1907. This is the largest unreinforced concrete structure in the world. Around the obelisk is approximately 80,000 m² of parking space, a state park.
Old Kentucky Chocolates in Lexington
Old Kentucky Chocolates is a confectionery factory in the city of Lexington. The n confectionery factory can be visited as part of two daily tours. A generous tasting takes place after the guided tours. The specialties Bourbon Cherries and Bourbon Whiskey are particularly popular.
| Contact | 450 Southland Drive Lexington, Kentucky 40503 |
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Kentucky
Browse a collection of state, city, national park, historic site, and historical maps of this US state.
Website: http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/kentucky.html
Kentucky – Kentucky Atlas and Gazetteer
Provides county-outline, relief and physiographic maps. Click on a county to get facts or do a search.
Website: http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyAtlas/
Kentucky – National Geographic Map Machine
Derby Day in this state has been drawing the crowds since 1875. Provides a shaded-relief map and an explanation of the economy.
Website: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/atlas/usstates/skentu
Kentucky – University of Texas Library
Find a state outline and city maps. Includes a walking-tour map of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park.
Website: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/kentucky.h
Kentucky – US Census Bureau Map
Click on this map, which is separated into counties and offers information such as county profiles and population estimates.
Website: http://www.census.gov/datamap/www/21.html
