Post something you like about Kentucky.

[Sequoia]

(Keep warm and safe everyone !!)

Lexington is not only for horses. It was the hometown of Mary Todd Lincoln. (I went to that city as a kid and thought it was very beautiful. There's a bridge we were walking on above a river and a skier going underneath waved at me. Nice people in that state.) The Cherokee thought it was a spiritual place because the ancients lived there. I've always wondered who they meant by that.

[motely36]

1. my mom lives right across the river from Louisville

She's in Indiana. Louisville has a nice gay bar that my partner and I visit everytime we see my mom. Can't remember the name.

:hi:

[Aristus]

36. Is it "The Connection"? I agree. Actually, the best bar/club in town. Period.

I'm straight, but I always had a terrific time at The Connection. Saw the Weather Girls in concert there once. Le Boy La Femme in the cabaret put on a great show. I used to hang out there with a lesbian friend of mine. When we sat together, the straight guys left her alone, and the gay guys left me alone. It was cool. B-)

[motely36]

38. It might be

I just remember it was huge

[Aristus]

42. Yeah. It's big. Two dance floors, a piano bar, a cabaret, a stand-alone bar,

a sort of fenced-in arbor or something with tables and trellises. It had everything...

[motely36]

43. If it has a bar with a shower

then that is the place ;)

[Arugula Latte]

2. I like to say the name: "Kentucky." That's a musical name.

It sounds like old timey slang for something peachy keen. "Why, that new dress you have on is real Kentucky, Sallie Mae!"

[old mark]

3. It's not New Jersey.....nt

[Swede]

4. It has the Derby,and of course mint juleps.

Muhammad Ali came from Kentucky.

[Bake]

12. No real Kentuckian would waste good bourbon on a mint julep ...

One of the nastier concoctions to come down the pike. :-)

:hi:

Bake

[petronius]

5. It's very very very far away from me

(What's that? We're not playing my-state-rules-your-state-sucks anymore? My bad - sorry... :) )

I don't think I've ever been to Kentucky, but the state has given us many fine gifts in the bourbon-genre... :toast:

[DeepBlueC]

6. bluegrass

[Tommy_Carcetti]

7. Its fried chicken?

Actually, my only time I was ever in Kentucky was for business. I had to go to Lexington on an overnight trip, and I flew in and out of Louisville. This was in early spring, and I remember underestimating the weather and not bringing a heavy jacket. So all I had to keep me warm was my suit jacket.

I remember making a point to drive through Shelbyville out of respect to The Simpsons. And I also remember violating my religious principles as a Roman Catholic by eating meat on a Friday during Lent. I'm sorry, but if I'm in Kentucky, I just have to eat at a KFC while I'm there, church teachings or not.

Actually from what I saw, Kentucky seemed like a nice enough place. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a huge culture shock for me. I was half thinking I'd see people strumming banjos on porches, but all in all, it reminded me a lot of where I grew up in Maryland.

[spinbaby]

52. Mmmm...Kentucky Fried Chicken

Used to be fabulous stuff about 40 years ago.

[SacredCow]

8. Derby Pie and Mint Juleps....

and there really is some pretty landscape to be seen....

[Shell Beau]

9. I don't know much about Kentucky.

How about KFC? :P

I am sure it is a lovely state!

[BurtWorm]

10. They fought for the Union.

Even though I think there may have been slave-holders and a lot of confederate sympathy in the state.

[Taverner]

40. You know a lot of Southerners went North to fight for the union too

Really strange stories on who came from where...

[PVnRT]

53. At first, it leaned Union

After some draconian measures taken by a Union general in the western part of the state, that changed. And, yes, there were slaves in the state; the battleground memorial in Richmond still has some quarters up at the farmhouse on the site.

[yellowdogintexas]

103. part of the state seceded and went to the South. The capital was Bowling Green nt

[geardaddy]

11. Bourbon...

That is all...

[NuttyFluffers]

25. love the Bourbon. and great tobacco. i like Kentucky overall.

not too big on the horses, though. edit: the horse farms and horse research at UK are bar none, exquisite. but i'm not a horse fan. there's a reason why most of the world's royalty have at least some horses around there.

excellent fried chicken and biscuits and gravy. fantastic string beans, too. Cumberland Gap and Mammoth Caves are pretty. kinda surreal trip when you head into Appalachia, but overall not as hostile as popularly imagined, rather congenial.

nice state, even if some of the people have been misguided lately. even though they had Jim Crow laws (big minus) when Brown v. Board of Education said stop, Kentucky started bussing in the whole state ASAP and without nary a struggle. not as replete historically with Sundown Towns as other states, which is surprising considering region and history. also when Lincoln said, "you're mine, otherwise i can't fight the Civil War" Kentucky didn't split up or say no. brother v. brother did fight against each other, but they didn't break up the commonwealth or overtly break from the union. kinda weird in its go-along-get-along attitude, like "bad choices were made, now they are being corrected, go with the flow..." mind set.

surprisingly pragmatic state most of the time, and quite reserved and quiet about goings on.

[geardaddy]

31. Ahh yes, and tobacco.

n/t

[Sequoia]

48. Cumberland Gap and Mammoth Caves

I went there. Nearby we saw two plays; One about Daniel Boone and the other about Stephen Foster. One of the better summers of my childhood.

[SallyMander]

13. My grandma, mom, aunts, uncles, and cousins!

:D

[Gidney N Cloyd]

14. Spalding's Bakery in Lexington.

Best donuts in the world.

[Bake]

15. Where to begin? Cherokee Park in Louisville.

The Highlands in L'ville - a great urban artsy neighborhood.

The campus of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - "The Beeches" are magnificent in the fall.

U OF L BASKETBALL!!! Rick Pitino RULES!!

Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The rolling pastures bounded by the Ky. board fence. Everything related to horses. Churchill Downs!!

Cumberland Falls!

The Galt House hotel - with its "early bordello" decor (hehe!). The Belvedere Plaza on the riverfront.

Mammoth Cave and the whole cave area.

All of my friends back in Kentucky.

Sigh.

Bake

[jobycom]

16. It is the only state that can claim to have been the birthplace of two simultaneous Presidents.

Lincoln and Jefferson Davis were both born there.

Hey, it's at least half good, no matter which side you supported!

[DevonRex]

17. Johnny Depp was born there. The damned yellow jackets didn't follow us

home from our campground near the caves. Neither did the bright red stinging flying tank thing.

[Zomby Woof]

32. George Clooney was born there too

As long as we are naming liberal acting icons. :D

[DevonRex]

60. And what FINE specimens of acting manhood they are, too.

Yummy. :)

[jus_the_facts]

94. Hunter S. Thompson...liberal icon....

....also from Louisville! :loveya:

[ismnotwasm]

18. It's a mnemonic

To remember a certain heart sound. When you have an S3 beat, we use Ken-tu-cky Ken-tu-cky Ken-tu-cky to help new nurses identify it.

Other than that, all I know it that it's a state that seems very beautiful and I adore bluegrass music.

[HERVEPA]

19. "Dance Trance". Contra Dance weekend in Lexington.

[B3Nut]

20. Bourbon.

Got some Knob Creek on the shelf as we speak. :)

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. Bourbon and bluegrass music

[Are_grits_groceries]

22. Ashley Judd nt

[no name no slogan]

23. You can get lucky in Kentucky

at least, if you believe the saying on the popular t-shirt.

[Richardo]

24. They still make baseball bats in Louisville

+ bluegrass music.

[qb]

26. 'Stripes' starring Bill Murray (filmed at Ft. Knox)

[Sequoia]

49. That movie came on Sunday.

I wanted to watch it but my SO said, "Why, we have the tape?" I didn't know it was filmed there.

[Radical Activist]

27. Appalshop and Mammoth Cave

http://appalshop.org/

Beautiful music and beautiful country.

http://www.nps.gov/maca/

[PVnRT]

28. I just moved here...

Everything I've seen of the Bluegrass, as far as landscape goes, is incredibly beautiful. Hills, forests, cliffs along road cuts, everything is gorgeous.

Mild winters that still feature snow - this winter being a notable exception, obviously.

History - back in Indiana, preserving history of a community was an afterthought. Here it seems to be a priority, and I like that.

The hot brown - not my cup of tea, but holy shit is that a huge fucking sandwich.

[yellowdogintexas]

106. go see the caves, you will enjoy nt

[Zomby Woof]

29. Wild Turkey 101

[jus_the_facts]

56. Hell Yeah....I thought you favored Tennessee Jack though...

:P

A certain missin' *young* geetar player that used to frequent this place is still on the top o' my favorites list of things from from up around that neck o'the woods. :evilgrin:

[Zomby Woof]

72. Hell yeah, I favor Jack!

No doubt, Tennessee is a far superior state to Kentucky, but the OP asked for things we like about Kentucky. :P

So... if forced to choose a Kentucky-only whiskey (and that is a rare occurrence), I would go with the only whiskey that ever took my eyesight.












Mind you, that was back in 1987... :evilgrin:

[jus_the_facts]

87. Took mine many o'time too back in those daze.....

....but if I'm gonna drink the hard stuff WT 101 Bourbon is always my first choice...without question!! :fistbump:

[flvegan]

30. The Soggy Bottom Boys were born and raised there.

[Heidi]

33. Kentucky has a very special place in my heart. I was seven years old and newly adopted

when my new dad was transferred to Ft. Knox to train troops for Vietnam. There was no base housing available, so Mom, Dad, my little sister and I lived in a run-down trailer in a nearby small town. It was the summer that my sister and I rescued our first kittens, and it was the summer that our little brother was conceived. Like I said: a very special time.

[HopeHoops]

34. Owensboro

[Bake]

45. That's the one thing NOT to love about KY ...

I lived there for a year. Ahh, the smell of the Scott Paper Mill ... the way they pronounce "Frederica St." as "Fredica" ... the fast food mecca of the universe ... the fact that there is no interstate highway within 100 miles ... the locals hate you if you're from The Big City (aka, Louisville).

:hi:

Bake

[HopeHoops]

51. Don't forget the all-you-can-eat BBQ joints and the Cadillac Motel - sidewalks rolled up by 10pm

[PVnRT]

55. Well, if Gov. Mitch in Indiana gets his way, I-69 should be nearby

Owensboro is the city across from Evansville, correct? Or nearby? There's a Hendersonville around there too, I know...

[Bake]

62. Across from Evansville, correct.

And Hendersonville is somewhere near there too. Another thriving metropolis.

Bake

[yellowdogintexas]

108. Henderson, KY is directly across from Evansville IN. O'boro is 40 miles to the East

of Evansville, roughly. Henderson is connected to Owensboro by the Audobon Parkway, a former tollroad that might as well be an interstate.

Owensboro is connected to Bowling Green by the Nasher Parkway fka the Green River Parkway, also a former toll road. There is no parkway connecting Owensboro and Louisville, but I 64 parallels the river all the way to Louisville and it isn't very far to the north of O'boro.

[yellowdogintexas]

110. maybe no interstate in town, but I-64 is maybe 25 miles to the north, and

there are two of the former toll roads now parkways that might as well be interstates and are very well maintained and fun to drive on (not much traffic)

I never understood why there was no 4 lane from Owensboro to Louisville though, there are parkways everywhere else.

[yellowdogintexas]

107. I like Owensboro, lived there while in college. Weird it is the 3rd largest town

in the state though, and it isn't that big. LOL

[5thGenDemocrat]

35. My grandfather was born there

In Mexico, a tiny village south of Marion. Annie and I passed through there last October and I don't imagine more than 60 people live there.
John
And I survived/graduated basic training at Fort Knox -- whether that's a good thing or not is debatable, but it still ranks -- 35 years later -- as one of the things I'm proudest of for having accomplished.

[JitterbugPerfume]

37. my favorite aunt and cousins live there

and it is a beautiful state.

both of my parents were born there

[Strong Atheist]

39. My ancestors came from there. There are a lot of

(my last name) in Kentucky, probably more than anywhere else in the country...

[struggle4progress]

41. It's gonna stay over there, way over on the other side of Tennessee from me

It was hard enough to learn where it was the first time

I don't need it confusing me by moving around and such

[Bake]

44. Bill Monroe was from Rosine, KY

Picky - oops - Ricky Skaggs is from KY (can't remember where). (Of course, so was Billy Ray Cyrus, but don't hold that against us.)

Bake

[Bake]

46. I met my wife there!!

I can't believe I didn't list this first ...

Bake

[schmuls]

47. I actually saw blue grass!

[harmonicon]

50. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

one of the best beers I've ever had.

[Initech]

84. Heh, I've been working on trying to get a case of that out to California.

Definitely one of the best beers I've ever had. :toast:

[harmonicon]

85. good luck, man

It only comes in 4-packs of bottles as far as I've seen. Last time I was visiting my sister in Lexington, I bought all the store had - 8 bottles. It didn't last all of the way to California.

[PVnRT]

86. Damn fine beer - I've toured the brewery, too

The Kentucky Light is actually pretty good, too.

[KamaAina]

54. Paducah has reinvented its downtown area as an art district

http://www.paducaharts.com/about_paducah.php

Lowertown, home of the Artist Relocation Program, is the oldest neighborhood in the Paducah and is the catalyst for a great deal of excitement, economic growth, and community pride. Lowertown, located just four blocks from the Ohio River and Downtown, is home to the Artist-Relocation-Program. This internationally known program has attracted artists from as far west as Hawaii and east as Germany. The impressively built homes influenced by Italianate, Gothic Revival, Romanesque, Queen Anne and Classical Revival architectural styles now house galleries and artists from across the country....

Like many small towns around the country, when the big shopping malls opened up on the outskirts of town, their Downtowns were devastated and many have never recovered. The difference between Paducah and many of these other towns is their vision and love of the arts. Paducah is now fast becoming the newest cultural destination in the country. Click on the Area Attractions links to learn more..

I was actually interested in this back when some of the houses were selling for fire-sale prices. Alas, these have been bought up, and it'll run you at least 70 grand to get in...

[ScreamingMeemie]

57. MrG's family is from Fulton...

[MrScorpio]

58. I met some friendly folks there when my car broke down in 1985

I was pleasantly surprised

[dropkickpa]

59. I was conceived there

Ewwwww, my parents did it in Louisville.

[Bake]

92. Well, they had to do it SOMEWHERE!

Louisville's as good a place as any!

:hi:

Bake

[PVnRT]

61. I forgot Berea

If you've never heard of it, it's about 45 minutes or so south of Lexington, and is basically a giant hippie/artist town (except for the fast food restaurants and Wal-Mart near the interstate). Berea College is tuition free and was integrated in the 1830's (before the state forced them to stop teaching black students in 1855). Lots of arts & craft stores, and a great little fudge shop. Papaleno's downtown has great Italian food and fresh baked bread.

I would live there if I could, but once I start working on the base, that would mean a ridiculously long commute.

[Skittles]

63. birthplace of Ruffian, greatest filly of all time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffian_(horse)

[littlebit]

64. I love the people of southeastern Kentucky.

I delivered a load of used clothes and furniture to an outreach center in the hills of KY a few years ago. That load was the biggest pain in the ass to deliver but it was also the most fun I have ever had as a trucker. I spend twelve hours watching practically the entire little town unload my truck. It felt like a big party. Everyone was great. By the time we finished unloading the trailer I felt like I had made about 100 new friends.

[sakabatou]

65. Snake River

The one that makes the border with Ohio.

[azmouse]

66. Here's another vote for bourbon.

:9

[Sheltiemama]

67. My mother was born there!

Even though she moved to Tennessee when she was just 3 months old, she went back frequently as a child to visit her family there and has such fond memories.

[crimsonblue]

68. I like the fact that I don't live in Kentucky.

:D

[leftofthedial]

69. I'm not there right now.

[Critters2]

70. My mom was born there. nt

[Bucky]

71. Louisville sluggers (the bat, not the team)

[blockhead]

73. 4.3 million people....

....thirteen last names.

[yellowdogintexas]

113. LOL. This damn Metroplex of FW/Dallas has more people that the whole damn

state of Kentucky!

Of the 4.3 million, about 1.5 million are in Louisville metro area or Lexington metro area.

One of the reasons it is so neat, not so many big cities.

I don't think I could live in the country again but I sure do love to visit it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

74. Kentucky turns out some of the best cheerleaders. :^)

[JitterbugPerfume]

75. My dad used to say

Kentucky is the land of beautiful horses and fast women

yeah--daddy was a real cut-up

[JTG of the PRB]

76. Mammoth Cave. That place is beyond cool.

That's the only place I've ever really been in Kentucky. My family drove through there on our way to Washington, D.C. when I was in middle school and we spent a while in Mammoth Cave. So very, very awesome.

[reflection]

89. I second Mammoth Cave.

I have very fond memories as a child of that place.

[yellowdogintexas]

111. I love Mammoth Cave, I met my husband there and we were married near

there.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

77. Jean Ritchie

http://www.jeanritchie.com/
Very cool lady...

[sohndrsmith]

78. Even easier. Two words (or rather, names)

Abraham.

Lincoln.

I believe he was born in Kentucky, though most people associate him almost entirely with Illinois. But being the place where Lincoln entered this world is one I am deeply grateful for.

[Sequoia]

90. You're right.

I went to a museum that had a little cabin which claimed was his. Of course it couldn't be after all those years but it sure was small.

[CatholicEdHead]

79. Fark.com

It is based there but they moved the servers out of the state.

[City of Mills]

80. Mentos - The FreshMaker!

Manufactured in Erlanger, KY. Stopped by while in the Cincinnati OH area.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

81. Has anyone mentioned the Castle outside of Lexington going towards Versailles?

[Jmac2]

124. The....

Castle pictured above was burned down by arsonist. The owner vowed to rebuild it. Sadly here is the remains midway down the page:


http://www.dupontcastle.com/castles/martin.htm

Also, no one has mentioned the Mary Jane grown here in KY.

[InvisibleTouch]

82. At least 3 things:

Two of my best friends live there. And horses. :)

[Broken_Hero]

83. Lynaghs(sp) in Lexington

best pub/grill I've ever been to...damn, and the prices were good too...

I was there fall of 2000...There Red Hot and Blue was good.

[mikeytherat]

88. Breathtaking natural scenery.

Same reason I love West Virginia and my own state of Virginia.

mikey_the_rat

[raccoon]

91. Don Everly was born there. nt

[Bake]

93. Paradise!

When I was a child my family would travel
Down to Western Kentucky where my parents were born
And there's a backwards old town that's often remembered
So many times that my memories are worn.

And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

Well, sometimes we'd travel right down the Green River
To the abandoned old prison down by Adrie Hill
Where the air smelled like snakes
we'd shoot with our pistols
But empty pop bottles was all we would kill.

Then the coal company came with the world's largest shovel
And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land
Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken
Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man.

When I die let my ashes float down the Green River
Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam
I'll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin'
Just five miles away from wherever I am.

-- John Prine (of course!)

:woohoo:

Bake

[yellowdogintexas]

112. I have seen that thing and it is frighteningly huge. I remember when Paradise

was still there, too.

[Blue_Tires]

95. Corvette Assembly Plant and the National Corvette Museum

in Bowling Green

[Bake]

96. The 'Vette Museum is way cool!

My son and I spent a great afternoon there a while back.

Bake

[Blue_Tires]

97. never been; i can only dream

been dreaming for years about finally getting a corvette with the museum delivery option

[Tuesday Afternoon]

98. The Derby, The Red Mile, Tattersolls, The Castle, Lincoln's Cabin

The stone fence work. The Blue Grass. The Bourbon. There is a lot to love about Kentucky :loveya:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

99. I enjoyed the Louisville Slugger Museum.

:shrug:
We were there the summer after my senior year back in the summer of 1997.
And I have found some really nice realtors there for work.
Duckie

[Fire1]

100. I'll be there in April and May and again in July or August.

It's where I was born and raised (for a while.) I love the people most of all. The mountains and the blue grass. The caves are interesting too. Huge! Last but not least, U of L.

[bmbmd]

101. Jelly.

Kentucky jelly. You know, for pap smears and stuff.

[Fire1]

102. Oh, btw, if you go to Louisville, go to the Muhammad Ali Museum

and Maker's Mark downtown b/c they have the best damned mint juleps in the WORLD!!!!!!

[rucky]

104. Cheap Cigarettes!

[yellowdogintexas]

105. IT'S HOME!!!! I have family there, and many old friends still live there.

so the list is long:
Mammoth Cave National Park....world's longest cave folks and my personal favorite cave...
beautiful rolling farmland
horses
bourbon
lots of lovely old homes all over the place
Derby
Basketball!!!!
barbecue (which is pork, smoked forever, and in my part of the state, mopped with a hot vinegar sauce)
Big country meals with tons of vegetables.
tobacco barns in the fall
Land Between the Lakes
Kentucky Wesleyan College...9 Division II Basketball Championships
(my alma mater, I confess)

[NMDemDist2]

109. Beautiful horses and fast women

what's not to like?? :shrug:



:hide:

[Drunken Girlfriend]

114. Fried chicken anyone?

Although I have never been to Kentucky,I really appreciate
the Cornel Sanders recipe for KFC chicken!

R.I.P Cornel Sanders.

[harmonicon]

115. I forgot!!

I was too distracted by the beer.... My sister, her husband, and my darling nephew live here, and I like to visit them there... in part because there's a great beer bar in their town, but also just to see them.

[jakefrep]

116. I'll start with the Derby...

Churchill Downs

Keeneland

The Red Mile

Ale-8-1

The Liquor Barn

Joe Bologna's pizza

The Columbia Steak House

[yellowcanine]

117. Begins with a K and ends with a Y. I think it is the only state name which does that.

Only thing I could think of at the moment.

[Jamastiene]

118. The horsies are pretty.

:)

[Bake]

119. Beautiful horses and fast women!

Wait a minute ... nope, still sounds right!

:P

Bake

[av8rdave]

120. Lexington is a great town

I used to spend a lot of time there...loved it!

[OllieLotte]

121. The greatest neighbor in the world is buried in Kentucky.

My next door neighbor passed away last year. He was buried near his family farm in Kentucky, where he grew up. Best neighbor there ever was. We sure miss you Jessie.

[mzteris]

122. UK Basketball, baaaaaaaaaaaaaby!

and the Bourbon.

And the weather and the scenery and (most of) the memories.

Went to highschool in Etown and to UK for 3 years.

[blueknight]

123. i live here!

born and raised here. so much natural beauty. mammoth caves, lake cumberland, bluegrass, whiskey, beautiful horses and horse farms. beautiful mountains is south east ky.