There’s no denying that Kentucky is the greatest state ever, but now all we have to do is keep it that way. So why is this beautiful state so great?
Kentucky is great for numerous reasons. Bluegrass, bourbon, horses, dope ass farms, coal, fried chicken, basketball… should we keep going? … Well, actually we’re going to in this very article! We’ve been making Kentucky great for years, so now we’re going to keep the bluegrass state great forever! All parties aside, we all should be able to agree on one thing – and that’s to Keep Kentucky Great.
1. Bluegrass/ “Blue-grass”
We want to keep Kentucky’s finest bluegrass great. Wait, bluegrass or “blue-grass”? Well, we’re referring to both! YES, the great Kentucky music originating from the deep hollers and Appalachian mountains. How could you not love Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, and Homer Ledford? And YES, the “blue-grass” in which we refer to Kentucky’s great grasslands – the grass that is so green (it almost reflects blue in the sun.) The blue grass where the greatest Derby horses have roamed, and the grassy landscape you can see as soon as you fly over Lexington straight into the (you guessed it) Bluegrass Airport! Okay, so you get the point. Bluegrass keeps Kentucky great!
2. Bourbon
Along with the bluegrass comes the beautiful climate mix and the second most important reason Kentucky is great – BOURBON! Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon, and 95% of the world’s bourbon supply is produced in this great state! Now that’s a lot of great bourbon. Kentucky’s amazing limestone water and perfect weather conditions produce premium bourbon. Let’s keep Kentucky great by continuing to support our Kentucky Bourbon Trail and our 73 state distilleries. The history alone, along with unique distilling processes are bound to get you in the spirit, no pun intended!
3. Horses
Horses keep Kentucky great, and we’re not horsin’ around! The bluegrass, perfect weather, mineral limestone water, and talented trainers lend themselves to the perfect habitat horses need to excel. Kentucky is known to some of the greatest horse farms, breeders, and winning race legends. Furthermore, we can’t forget about some of Kentucky’s greatest race tracks such as Churchill Downs and Keeneland, known to the world greatest horse racing sporting events. The KY Derby alone brings in close to 170,000 visitors a year!
4. Coal
Although a dying resource, coal has made Kentucky great for Centuries and has played a major role in its economic success. It was founded in 1750, and in 1820, the first commercial coal mine opened in Muhlenberg County. By 1879, the state produced one million tons of coal. Coal was, and continues to be a main source of income to families across the state. Coal provided 90% of the states electricity, and helped keep electric rates the lowest in the nation. The low electric rates have given our state the competitive advantage of attracting large industries such as automotive plants. When the “Friends of Coal” license plate was released in 2009, more than 50,000 plates were sold in the Commonwealth State! The plate provided a positive impact to Kentucky’s coal mining communities and laid the foundation for Keeping Kentucky great!
5. Fried Chicken
Who doesn’t love Fried Chicken? Colonel Harland David Sanders definitely did, and for that Kentucky, along with the rest of the world is thankful. Fried chicken is not only Kentucky’s greatest, but it comes along with some great history. Colonel Sanders began selling his famous “secret recipe” fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Corbin, KY during the Great Depression. He then patented his famous pressure fryer cooking method and started franchising his restaurants. Later on, Lee Cummings and Harold Omer would open their own Fried Chicken restaurant, after Lee spent numerous years working with his uncle, Colonel Sanders at KFC. Kentucky Fried Chicken continues to keep Kentucky great with their recent innovative campaigns and menu releases.
6. Basketball
Kentucky is great because it has the greatest basketball teams. Whether you’re a Wildcat or a Cardinal, you have to admit that the sport runs deep in the veins of every Kentuckian. When it’s basketball season, nothing else matters (unless it’s a glass of bourbon to accompany it.) Having two of the nation’s top college teams gives us all a whole lotta great things to talk about… Wildcat fans can Scream “U Mad Bro” and Cardinal fans can throw up the “L”. Either way all the fans united are essential in keeping Kentucky great. Additionally, we can’t forget to mention teams such as a Georgetown, as they rank #1 in the NAIA division, Kentucky counties such as Pikeville (#5), Cumberlands (#16), and Campbellsville (#21). Kentucky Wesleyan is NCAA division ll, holding 8 championships – that’s more than any other school in that division. Want to represent your hometown? Check out our where you from collection!
7. National Parks
Lastly, we can’t forget about all of the great nature Kentucky has to offer. From Mammoth Cave – the longest cave system known in the world to the 708,000 acre Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky has the greatest adventures that nature has to offer. Enjoy numerous park hikes, a moon bow viewing at Cumberland Falls, or go on an underground cave adventure at Red River Gorge – we guarantee any of these will be great exploration activities.
We just named 7 reasons why Kentucky has always been great, and why we should continue to keep it great. All of these 7 reasons are tied together with great history and are blended together like a smooth Kentucky bourbon. Whether you’re a mountain “tawker” or a city chicken, Kentucky will always make you feel at home – so let’s Keep Kentucky Great forever!
