Kentucky
The Bluegrass State
Climate
Warm and humid, with hot summers and mild winters. Summer highs reach about 87F (31C) and winters are cool with some snow. Spring and fall are pleasant and green.
Main industries
Famous for raising horses and making bourbon whiskey. It also mines coal, grows tobacco, and builds cars and trucks.
Top places for tourists
Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system in the world; the famous horse farms of the Bluegrass region; and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail with its distilleries.
Places of interest
Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the Kentucky Derby horse race is run each year, and the many green horse farms with white fences around Lexington.
A little history
Kentucky became the 15th state in 1792. Pioneers like Daniel Boone opened trails west, and horses and farming shaped its history.
Fun fact
The Kentucky Derby is called the most exciting two minutes in sports, and most of the world's bourbon is made in this state.