Kentucky: More Than You Think

Kentucky is known worldwide for its thoroughbred horses, rolling blue hills and superb bourbon. While all of these are trademarks of Kentucky, it is only a fraction of what makes the state spectacular.

 Kentucky has a population of 4,269,245 within 40,411 square miles and boasts more shoreline and navigable water than any other state, excluding Alaska. Cumberland Falls, in the southeastern part of the state, is the only place you can view a moon-bow aside from Victoria Falls, in Africa. Reelfoot Lake is an odd lake in the western area of the state that was formed when the Mississippi River flowed backwards for hundreds of miles after the famous 1812 earthquake.

 The Commonwealth of Kentucky is one of four Commonwealths in the United States, the others being Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. It was admitted to the Union in 1792 as the 15th state, and was originally Kentucky County, Virginia. The state bird is the Cardinal, the flower is the goldenrod and the state animal is the Grey Squirrel. Naturally, Kentucky's state song is "My Old Kentucky Home" and the state motto is "United we stand, divided we fall."

 Industrially, Kentucky is a widely diverse state. Georgetown is home to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, which up until 2008 was the sole producer of the Toyota Camry in North America. Coal and tobacco are leading exports of the state, but Kentucky is famous for its high class bourbon and is the only manufacturer of the soft drink, Ale-8 1. Kentucky also has a thriving horse industry and is home to the adequately named Kentucky Derby.

The University of Kentucky and University of Louisville both have acclaimed academic programs and sports teams. Kentucky's main sports attractions are the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals basketball teams and the Kentucky Wildcat football team. Kentucky has no national sports teams, but the training camp for the Cincinnati Bengals is in Georgetown.

Many famous people throughout history have hailed from Kentucky, including actors George Clooney, Johnny Depp, and Matt Long, as well as sports heroes such as the great boxer Muhammad Ali and Tim Couch, NFL quarterback. Kentucky has been home to politicians such as famed congressman Henry Clay, as well as the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and the only president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis.