Louisville History

Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky, is the seat of Jefferson County. Situated on the Kentucky-Indiana border at the falls of the Ohio River, Louisville shares a culture with both the midwestern and the southern U.S. In fact, Louisville has often been referred to as "the northernmost Southern city and the southernmost Northern city in the United States."

The area was first settled in 1778 by Colonel George Rogers Clark, who was conducting a campaign against the British in the areas north of the Ohio River. As the community grew, the settlers began calling it "Louisville," in honor of King Louis XVI of France (whose soldiers were currently aiding the Americans in the Revolutionary War). Due to the threat of Native American attacks, as well as the current war against the British, the earliest inhabitants of Louisville lived in forts.

Louisville is perhaps most famous for the Kentucky Derby, the first race of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing that has come to be known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports." Held at the Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, this iconic "run for the roses" is the oldest race in continuous existence in the U.S. The Derby is preceded by a two-week Kentucky Derby Festival, featuring the Great Steamboat Race, the Pegasus Parade, and Thunder over Louisville, the largest fireworks display in the U.S.