What is Kentucky Known For? (24 Famous Things, People & Places)

What is Kentucky known for?

Kentucky is known for bluegrass music, the Appalachian Mountains, and American historical figures. Kentucky is famous also for the Kentucky Derby, Colonel Sanders, distilled beverages, and delicious food.

America has many different “flavors.” There’s the glamorous vibe of California, the pristine Pacific Northwest, the rugged West, and more. If you’re in search of old-time American charm, few states can match Kentucky. It’s the home of such American icons as Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali, and the Corvette sports car. This is just the tip of the iceberg, though. Read on to learn more about what makes the Bluegrass State famous.

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24 Things Kentucky is Known For

1. Kentucky Fried Chicken

Kentucky is famous for KFC, the second largest fast food chain (sales-wise) after McDonald’s. From a humble roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky, Colonel Harland Sanders perfected his recipes and used a keen business sense to bring down-home Kentucky cooking to the world. 

Despite being designated “Colonel,” Colonel Sanders never served as a military officer. In Kentucky, the title of colonel can be bestowed as an honorary title, similar to knighthood in modern England. 

2. Horses and Horse Racing

Horse racing may not be the most well-known of sports in America, but for those that do follow it, no state can rival Kentucky. The most famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby, is held every year on the first Saturday in May at the Churchill Downs racetrack.

3. Bourbon Whiskey

Kentucky is famous for its bourbon production. Kentucky bourbon name brands such as Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, and Jim Beam all originated in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky, it turns out, has the perfect combination of natural conditions for several components of the bourbon-making process. In short, Kentucky’s climate, water purity, and soil are perfect for growing corn, all combined to make it ideal for creating bourbon whiskey.

In fact, whiskey is so famous in Kentucky that Louisville’s Whiskey Row was once known as the “Wall Street of Whiskey.”

4. The Hot Brown Sandwich

Don’t let the rather plain-sounding name of “hot brown sandwich” fool you, it’s quite tasty. This open-faced sandwich features turkey and bacon covered in a creamy Mornay sauce, topped with tomato slices and parmesan cheese. It gets its name from Louisville’s Brown Hotel, where it was first made for guests of the hotel’s nightly dances.

5. Beer-Cheese Sauce

Kentucky also boasts a distinctive beer-cheese sauce made with sharp cheddar and a variety of savory spices. The town of Winchester in central Kentucky celebrates this aspect of Kentucky’s culinary heritage with a yearly world championship for beer-cheese.  

6. Derby Pie

The Kentucky Derby lent its name to the derby pie. The Derby pie may be sweet, but the guarding of the official recipe, and especially the name of this Kentucky confection has been rather the contrary at times.

7. College Basketball

While Kentucky may not have much in terms of major league sports, like other states in the South, it makes up for that lack by devotion to college sports. In Kentucky’s case, the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball and football teams are the state’s favorites.

❗ Trivia Time: Kentucky played a unique role in the Civil War. Although nowadays considered part of the South, it initially sought neutrality in the war. Kentuckians wound up on both sides of the conflict, but the majority sided with the Union.

8. The Cumberland Falls

One of Kentucky’s most beautiful natural wonders is easily the Cumberland Falls. Dubbed the “Niagara of the South” for their size and the volume of water flowing over them, these majestic falls were designated as a state park. Other attractions to the park include the Dupont Lodge and a whitewater course downstream from the falls.

9. Mammoth Cave National Park

Kentucky is known for its rolling hills and low-lying mountains, but it also has a wealth of underground wonders waiting to be discovered. Although Tennessee is the state with the most caves in the US, Kentucky is known for having some of the largest and most famous caves.

The most notable of these is the Mammoth Cave National Park. These caves form the longest cave system in the world, spanning 420 miles of (explored) passages. 

10. The Mississippi River

The Mississippi River flows along the far southwestern edge of Kentucky. In its course, it forms a unique region known as the Kentucky Bend. Here, the river surrounds Kentucky soil to the north, west, and east. This piece of Kentucky borders Tennessee to the south, so it is, effectively, a kind of “island” of Kentucky.

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11. The Ohio River

While the Mississippi may only form the state border in the southwest, the Ohio River forms the entire northern border of the state.

For the most part, the river flows calmly southwestward, but near Louisville, the “Falls of the Ohio” rapids make ship traffic difficult. These rapids may interfere with potential shipping routes, but they do provide a thrilling whitewater rafting experience.

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12. Abraham Lincoln

America’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, was born on a small farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. A memorial building preserves the memory of the birth and first two years of President Lincoln’s life before the family moved to another site near Knob Creek, Kentucky.

They stayed there briefly before continuing to Indiana. Indiana saw the young Lincoln grow up, but Illinois is known for being the place where he began the political career that would take him to the White House. 

13. Jefferson Davis

Interestingly enough, Kentucky is also the birthplace of the man who would go on to become Lincoln’s “rival,” Jefferson Davis, the first and only president of the Confederate States of America. Davis. Born in Fairview, Kentucky, Davis, like Lincoln, would move to other states in his early life, in this case, Mississippi and Louisiana.  

14. Daniel Boone

Long before either Lincoln or Davis were born, another famous American set out to explore the land which would give rise to the two rival presidents. That man was Daniel Boone. 

Boone was one of the first and most famous of America’s pioneers and his explorations paved the way for America’s westward expansion. Several memorials to Daniel Boone, ranging from a national forest named in his honor, and his gravesite in Frankfort, Kentucky enshrine the memory of this legendary explorer.

15. Fort Knox

Another part of Kentucky’s rich history is Fort Knox. Although it never saw a major conflict, guerilla raids by both sides in the Civil War sought to maintain control of this important fortification. During World War II, Fort Knox safeguarded the original copies of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Gettysburg Address. Nowadays it is associated with America’s gold bullion reserves, kept at a vault building next to the army installation.

16. Louisville

Louisville has made Kentucky famous for many reasons. It is the home of the Kentucky Derby, KFC, the hot brown sandwich, and much more!  A variety of attractions await visitors to downtown Louisville. Here one can find premiere Louisville restaurants, museums, parks, and bourbon distilleries.

17. The Louisville Slugger

One of the most auspicious museums in Louisville is the Louisville Slugger Museum. Even though Louisville no longer has a Major League Baseball team, the city does have a history with America’s favorite pastime. In the earliest days of the MLB, Louisville hosted the Kentucky Colonels (1882-1891).  

❗ Fun Fact: The world’s largest baseball bat leans along the side of the Louisville Slugger Museum, although, technically, it’s not an actual bat. It also serves as a plumbing vent, thus skirting around local signage regulations.

18. Muhammad Ali

Kentucky is known for another sort of Louisville “Slugger.” Muhammad Ali, known by the epithet “The Greatest” may well be the greatest boxer the sport has seen. Born Cassius Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, he spent his early years in Louisville before rising to fame as a boxer. 

He changed his name upon conversion to Islam, viewing his former name as being associated with slavery. A museum in Louisville preserves the memory of his legacy.

19. Bowling Green, Kentucky

Every American automotive enthusiast will recognize this town in western Kentucky as the hometown of Corvette. This classic American sports car is manufactured only in Bowling Green. It is also a great jumping-off point for an expedition into the Mammoth Cave complex. For those wanting a truly unique experience, the Lost River Cave offers subterranean boat tours.

20. My Old Kentucky Home State Park

For a taste of good old-fashioned Kentucky charm, few places can rival this state park. The historic Rowan family mansion now serves as a museum where visitors can get a taste of how previous generations lived before widespread industrialization and digitalization. Visitors can also get a taste of local bourbons or the perennial Southern classic drink, the mint julep.

21. The Appalachian Mountains

One of the most prominent features of Kentucky is the Appalachians. The low-lying mountains hold more than just beautiful views. They were also the home of Appalachian culture, which produced such distinctly American music genres as bluegrass.

22. Bluegrass Music

Everyone knows the twangy sound of bluegrass, but many people may not know how it got that name. The name comes from folk singer Bill Monroe and his band, the Blue Grass Boys. Their band name derived from Kentucky’s status as the Bluegrass State. 

So, how did it get that name? The name comes from species of grass that, to early settlers, had a bluish hue. Ever since those times, the name Bluegrass stuck, going on to describe much more than just a common plant.

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23. Coal Industry

Although Kentucky prides itself on its laid-back, agrarian culture, it does have an industrial side. Kentucky has a long history of coal mining. Despite the controversial nature of coal use, it remains a major part of the state’s economy and energy production.

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24. Commonwealth

Kentucky is one of only 4 states that are commonwealths. When Kentucky separated from Virginia in the 1790s, it decided to retain its commonwealth status.

The term “commonwealth” dates to 14th-century England and, in practical terms, it doesn’t have much impact these days.

FAQs About Famous Kentucky Things

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That’s just a few of the things Kentucky is known for. If your travels ever take you there, you’re sure to find out even more fascinating things about the Bluegrass State!