Kentucky

» Adair County 10 » Allen County 12 » Anderson County 12 » Ballard County 6 » Barren County 38 » Bath County 10 » Bell County 10 » Boone County 109 » Bourbon County 60 » Boyd County 26 » Boyle County 99 » Bracken County 24 » Breathitt County 7 » Breckinridge County 11 » Bullitt County 10 » Butler County 17 » Caldwell County 10 » Calloway County 18 » Campbell County 66 » Carlisle County 5 » Carroll County 11 » Carter County 4 » Casey County 2 » Christian County 50 » Clark County 66 » Clay County 4 » Clinton County 2 » Crittenden County 3 » Cumberland County 3 » Daviess County 38 » Edmonson County 23 » Elliott County 1 » Estill County 8 » Fayette County 175 » Fleming County 10 » Floyd County 15 » Franklin County 58 » Fulton County 17 » Gallatin County 4 » Garrard County 66 » Grant County 2 » Graves County 12 » Grayson County 11 » Green County 47 » Greenup County 20 » Hancock County 12 » Hardin County 90 » Harlan County 5 » Harrison County 25 » Hart County 18 » Henderson County 27 » Henry County 12 » Hickman County 5 » Hopkins County 33 » Jackson County 5 » Jefferson County 505 » Jessamine County 74 » Johnson County 39 » Kenton County 73 » Knott County 5 » Knox County 8 » Larue County 32 » Laurel County 10 » Lawrence County 10 » Lee County 9 » Leslie County 5 » Letcher County 4 » Lewis County 5 » Lincoln County 22 » Livingston County 8 » Logan County 22 » Lyon County 4 » Madison County 82 » Magoffin County 3 » Marion County 13 » Marshall County 5 » Martin County 2 » Mason County 43 » McCracken County 35 » McCreary County 3 » McLean County 9 » Meade County 13 » Menifee County 6 » Mercer County 71 » Metcalfe County 5 » Monroe County 6 » Montgomery County 18 » Morgan County 9 » Muhlenberg County 12 » Nelson County 43 » Nicholas County 12 » Ohio County 19 » Oldham County 48 » Owen County 17 » Owsley County 1 » Pendleton County 20 » Perry County 1 » Pike County 16 » Powell County 16 » Pulaski County 40 » Robertson County 3 » Rockcastle County 4 » Rowan County 13 » Russell County 1 » Scott County 85 » Shelby County 141 » Simpson County 15 » Spencer County 14 » Taylor County 15 » Todd County 15 » Trigg County 8 » Trimble County 28 » Union County 7 » Warren County 105 » Washington County 69 » Wayne County 7 » Webster County 3 » Whitley County 12 » Wolfe County 4 » Woodford County 82

» Adair County 10 » Allen County 7 » Anderson County 11 » Ballard County 7 » Barren County 21 » Bath County 12 » Bell County 17 » Boone County 27 » Bourbon County 27 » Boyd County 19 » Boyle County 43 » Bracken County 13 » Breathitt County 6 » Breckinridge County 12 » Bullitt County 13 » Butler County 14 » Caldwell County 19 » Calloway County 12 » Campbell County 24 » Carlisle County 2 » Carroll County 11 » Carter County 17 » Casey County 9 » Christian County 21 » Clark County 31 » Clay County 11 » Clinton County 9 » Crittenden County 16 » Cumberland County 8 » Daviess County 30 » Edmonson County 10 » Elliott County 3 » Estill County 10 » Fayette County 135 » Fleming County 15 » Floyd County 11 » Franklin County 72 » Fulton County 12 » Gallatin County 3 » Garrard County 21 » Grant County 5 » Graves County 15 » Grayson County 11 » Green County 12 » Greenup County 33 » Hancock County 13 » Hardin County 31 » Harlan County 10 » Harrison County 15 » Hart County 23 » Henderson County 19 » Henry County 7 » Hickman County 11 » Hopkins County 20 » Jackson County 2 » Jefferson County 228 » Jessamine County 19 » Johnson County 11 » Knott County 9 » Knox County 8 » Larue County 11 » Laurel County 16 » Lawrence County 9 » Lee County 3 » Leslie County 4 » Letcher County 12 » Lewis County 8 » Lincoln County 26 » Livingston County 9 » Logan County 36 » Lyon County 18 » Madison County 34 » Magoffin County 6 » Marion County 19 » Marshall County 12 » Martin County 5 » Mason County 33 » McCracken County 85 » McCreary County 9 » McLean County 10 » Meade County 9 » Menifee County 3 » Mercer County 32 » Metcalfe County 10 » Monroe County 10 » Montgomery County 12 » Morgan County 4 » Muhlenberg County 14 » Nelson County 38 » Nicholas County 13 » Ohio County 22 » Oldham County 13 » Owen County 15 » Owsley County 4 » Pendleton County 5 » Perry County 6 » Pike County 27 » Powell County 4 » Pulaski County 12 » Robertson County 3 » Rockcastle County 8 » Rowan County 7 » Russell County 9 » Scott County 36 » Shelby County 21 » Simpson County 16 » Spencer County 8 » Taylor County 11 » Todd County 11 » Trigg County 21 » Trimble County 4 » Union County 18 » Warren County 35 » Washington County 19 » Wayne County 10 » Webster County 8 » Whitley County 17 » Wolfe County 7 » Woodford County 38

» Adair County » Allen County » Anderson County » Ballard County » Barren County » Bath County » Bell County » Boone County » Bourbon County » Boyd County » Boyle County » Bracken County » Breathitt County » Breckinridge County » Bullitt County » Butler County » Caldwell County » Calloway County » Campbell County » Carlisle County » Carroll County » Carter County » Casey County » Christian County » Clark County » Clay County » Clinton County » Crittenden County » Cumberland County » Daviess County » Edmonson County » Elliott County » Estill County » Fayette County » Fleming County » Floyd County » Franklin County » Fulton County » Gallatin County » Garrard County » Grant County » Graves County » Grayson County » Green County » Greenup County » Hancock County » Hardin County » Harlan County » Harrison County » Hart County » Henderson County » Henry County » Hickman County » Hopkins County » Jackson County » Jefferson County » Jessamine County » Johnson County » Kenton County » Knott County » Knox County » Larue County » Laurel County » Lawrence County » Lee County » Leslie County » Letcher County » Lewis County » Lincoln County » Livingston County » Logan County » Lyon County » Madison County » Magoffin County » Marion County » Marshall County » Martin County » Mason County » McCracken County » McCreary County » McLean County » Meade County » Menifee County » Mercer County » Metcalfe County » Monroe County » Montgomery County » Morgan County » Muhlenberg County » Nelson County » Nicholas County » Ohio County » Oldham County » Owen County » Owsley County » Pendleton County » Perry County » Pike County » Powell County » Pulaski County » Robertson County » Rockcastle County » Rowan County » Russell County » Scott County » Shelby County » Simpson County » Spencer County » Taylor County » Todd County » Trigg County » Trimble County » Union County » Warren County » Washington County » Wayne County » Webster County » Whitley County » Wolfe County » Woodford County
Kentucky is a state of beautiful landscapes, friendly people, and a true sense of community.
Mitch McConnell in Remarks by Senator Mitch McConnell at the Kentucky Alumni Association
This timeline provides an overview of the major events in the history of Kentucky, from its early Native American inhabitants to its statehood and development as an agricultural and industrial state. The state's rich cultural heritage and natural beauty continue to shape its identity and draw visitors from around the world.
Brief timeline of the history of the state of Kentucky:

  • Pre-1774: Various Native American tribes, including the Cherokee, Shawnee, and Chickasaw, inhabit the region now known as Kentucky.

  • 1774: American frontiersman Daniel Boone blazes the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap, opening up the area for settlement.

  • 1775: The Transylvania Company, led by Richard Henderson, establishes a short-lived colony known as Transylvania in Kentucky.

  • 1792: Kentucky becomes the 15th state of the United States on June 1.

  • Early 19th century: Kentucky experiences rapid population growth, with settlers from Virginia and other eastern states moving into the region. Agriculture, particularly tobacco cultivation, becomes a major industry.

  • 1811-1812: The New Madrid earthquakes, a series of powerful earthquakes, affect Kentucky and surrounding regions.

  • Mid-19th century: Kentucky is divided in its loyalties during the American Civil War. Although it remains in the Union, it is a border state with residents on both sides of the conflict.

  • Late 19th century: Kentucky's economy diversifies with the growth of industries such as coal mining, manufacturing, and horse breeding.

  • Early 20th century: Kentucky becomes known for its horse racing industry, particularly the Kentucky Derby, held annually in Louisville since 1875.

  • Mid-20th century: Kentucky experiences social and economic changes, including the decline of coal mining and the growth of manufacturing and service industries.

  • Present: Kentucky remains known for its agricultural heritage, particularly in tobacco, corn, and bourbon whiskey production. The state is also home to cultural attractions such as the Mammoth Cave National Park and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Audiobooks about the history of Kentucky.