Kentucky Map courtesy of
Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer
"Commonwealth of Kentucky" Kentucky is one of four states to call itself a commonwealth. In
1792 when Kentucky became the 15th state, the first on the western frontier, both commonwealth
and state were used. Commonwealth meaning government based on the common consent of the
people, dates to the time of Oliver Cromwell's England in the mid-1600s. The other US
commonwealths, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, were originally British colonies.
Kentucky, once part of Virginia, chose to remain a commonwealth when it separated from
Virginia.
"Bluegrass State" Bluegrass is not really blue, it's green, but in the spring, bluegrass
produces bluish-purple buds that, when seen in large fields, give a rich blue cast to the
grass. Early pioneers found bluegrass growing on Kentucky's rich limestone soil and traders
began asking for the seed of the "blue grass from Kentucky." The name stuck and today
Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State.
Located in the south central United States along the west side of the Appalachian Mountains,
Kentucky ranks 37th in land size, with 39,732 square miles. The Commonwealth is bordered by
seven states: Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois. The
Ohio River flows 664 miles along the northern and western borders of the state. Kentucky's
highest point is Black Mountain in Harlan County, 4,145 feet above sea level; its lowest
point, the Mississippi River in Fulton County , 257 feet above sea level. Kentucky's population is over 4 million people. The largest cities are
Louisville (693,604),
Lexington (260,512), Owensboro (54,067), Bowling Green (49,296),
Covington (43,370),
Hopkinsville (30,089), Frankfort (27,741), Henderson (27,373),
Richmond (27,152),
Jeffersontown (26,633), and Paducah (26,307).
See Kentucky Online recommends Rafferty's as you
travel and eat out in our beautiful state!
Ashland
Bowling Green
Covington
Frankfort
Lexington
Louisville
Owensboro
Paducah
Cumberland Gap
Mammoth Cave
Barren River Lake
Columbus Belmont
Cumberland Falls
Dale Hollow Lake
Green River Lake
Kenlake
Kingdom Come
Ky Dam Village
Lake Barkley
Lake Cumberland
Lake Malone
My Old Ky Home
Nolin River Lake
Pine Mountain
University Of Kentucky
University Of Louisville
Western Kentucky University
Abraham Lincoln
Big South Fork
Churchill Downs
Covered Bridges
Daniel Boone National Forest
East Ky Mountains
Jefferson Davis Monument
Ky Down Under
Kentucky Kingdom
Ky Lock & Dam
Land Between The Lakes
Louisville Zoo
Maker's Mark Distillery
Old Mulkey Meeting House
Red River Gorge







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