The Filson Historical Society

06/01/2026

On June 1, 1792, Kentucky officially joined the Union as the 15th state.

The path to statehood was the culmination of a years-long process, including ten constitutional conventions and the Virginia Compact of 1789. Official approval was ultimately granted by Congress on February 4, 1791.

Featured here is a reproduction of that historic congressional approval, bearing the signature of President George Washington.

05/31/2026

Don't worry, I-65 may be closed, but the Filson's amazing summer programming isn't going anywhere! Plan to leave a little earlier on your next visit to the Filson. For more detailed directions click here: https://filsonhistorical.org/visit/

05/29/2026

Join us TODAY at 4pm for the opening of our new exhibit: From the Same Cloth: Textiles of the Ohio Valley. Sign up here for FREE: https://ow.ly/jzQE50Z5kkU

05/28/2026

From the Same Cloth: Textiles of the Ohio Valley opens tomorrow at 4pm. See you there! Register for FREE here: https://ow.ly/jzQE50Z5kkU

05/27/2026

The Filson is excited to continue its partnership with the JCCO as we continue to uncover documents that tell stories of individuals and communities.

05/25/2026

This , we honor Sgt. Robert M. Robb (1842–1862) of the 15th Kentucky Infantry.

Born in Shelbyville, Robb enlisted at Camp Pope in December 1861. Just one year later, on December 31, 1862, he was killed in action at the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee, one of nearly 3,000 lives lost in the conflict.

05/20/2026

Standing at the corner of 1st and Breckenridge streets, 1950 and today.

05/18/2026

05/18/2026

Think you know the whole story of Lewis and Clark?

Author Craig Fehrman joined us to discuss his groundbreaking new book, This Vast Enterprise, that examines the famous Lewis and Clark expedition using new documents and Native perspectives. We are thrilled that part of this important history was researched right here at the Filson.

Watch the lecture in full here: https://youtu.be/fJnAmsASgLI

05/15/2026

Register Here: https://ow.ly/kjFx50YXMXt

In 1936, the "brutal carnival" of Rainey Bethea’s hanging marked the last documented public ex*****on in the U.S. In American Bloodlines, author Sonya Lea interrogates this dark legacy and her own family’s complicity in lynch culture. Through memoir and reportage, Lea challenges us to confront ancestral crimes and break the silence of the past.

Join The Filson for a profound conversation between Sonya Lea and Nikki Lanier, JD. Sign up now to secure your seat for this vital event.