Kentucky Historical Society

06/02/2026

Celebrate Kentucky History Day!
https://ow.ly/8hVP50Z2OYj

06/02/2026

As Kentucky prepares to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, historians from across the Commonwealth are helping shape the conversation.

Last night, Stuart Sanders, KHS Director of Research and Publications, joined fellow historians on Kentucky Tonight with guest host Chip Polston on KET - Kentucky Educational Television to discuss America 250KY

Watch here:

Chip Polston leads a conversation as Kentucky celebrates America250 with John Kleber, Ph.D., history professor emeritus at Morehead State University; Simon Meiners, public relations writer at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum; Stuart Sanders, director of research and publications at the Kentucky H...

06/01/2026

Tune in tonight!

Join KET in celebrating 250 years of American history! Here you'll find educational resources, documentaries and KET programs about America.

06/01/2026

This year, America celebrates its 250th anniversary. Today, Kentucky celebrates 234 years of statehood.

On June 1, 1792, Kentucky was admitted to the union as the 15th state and the first state west of the Appalachian Mountains. Drafted and signed in Danville, the 1792 Constitution followed the example of the US Constitution, established a tripartite government with a bicameral legislature and a bill of rights.

06/01/2026

244 years ago, a rifle from the KHS collections was likely used in the defense of Bryan’s Station in 1782. The long rifle was the weapon of choice for Kentucky hunters, settlers, and militias in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

Kentucky soldiers made good use of the long rifle during the War of 1812. According to one British officer, a Kentucky soldier at the Battle of New Orleans took aim at British troops, “but the distance was so great that we looked at each other and smiled.”

The British officer said, “We lost the battle, and to my mind that Kentucky rifleman contributed more to our defeat than anything else.”

America 250KY America250

05/31/2026

What does it mean to be an informed citizen in America today?

Join Ky Secretary of State Michael Adams and the Kentucky Historical Society for a five-part Made By Us Civic Season series exploring Kentucky's history through the America250KY themes of We the People, Crossroads in History, Revolutionary Experiment, Doing History, and Power of Place. Using stories, artifacts, and insights from Kentucky's Civic Health Assessment, these videos examine how the past can help us better understand our role in our communities, our Commonwealth, and our democracy.

Learn more about Civic Season:
https://thecivicseason.com

Learn more about the America250KY themes:
https://history.ky.gov/participate/america250ky/america250ky-objectives-focus-areas-themes

Learn more about Kentucky History Day:
https://history.ky.gov/events/kentucky-history-day-2

05/28/2026

A day in Frankfort taken on May 28, 1922.

A photograph of the Old Capitol from Bridge Street and St. Clair Street in Frankfort, KY. The second image of houseboats docked on the river, with a background shot of what may have been Second Street School. The third is a view from the road leading to Wapping Street with the Good Shepherd Church on the left and the steeple of the courthouse in the background.

Kentucky Historical Society, J. J. King Photographs, Graphic 12

05/27/2026

This quilt, known as the "Coming Home: Kentucky Women Quilt", contains the names of 220 Kentucky women, including five Native American cultures, and three women's religious congregations. This quilt was commissioned by Kentucky Women Advocates and was completed in 1994 by Jane Burch Cochran. Victorian crazy quilts inspired the design.

This quilt known as the "Coming Home: Kentucky Women Quilt" contains the names of 220 Kentucky women, including five Native American cultures, and three wome...

05/26/2026

Kentucky History Day, June 6, 9am-5pm

See the full schedule of programming here:
https://history.ky.gov/events/kentucky-history-day-2

05/25/2026

104 years ago, David Carroll, or D.C., Churchill and Eleanor Franzen Churchill established Churchill Weavers in Madison County, Kentucky, and became the first handwoven textile company to mass-produce fabrics and distribute them to national consumers.

The couple met in India, where D.C. worked as a research engineer and Eleanor was teaching. Handweaving was a massive industry in India, and D.C. was inspired to create a new type of fly-shuttle loom that doubled the output of their old looms. This allowed hand-weavers to make a more substantial profit from their work.

The Churchills moved to Berea in 1920 and began the company by 1922. Churchill Weavers became known as the premier producer of handwoven goods in America until their closure in 2007.

America 250KY America250