Kentucky – The Bluegrass State

When you hear the word Kentucky there are some images that are just naturally called to mind: beautiful, sprawling fields and serene hills and mountains, horses, Bluegrass music, and some of the warmest, friendliest people you will ever meet anywhere. Kentucky is the number one spot for horse racing in the country. It is home to the Kentucky Derby (and the official Kentucky Derby Museum), Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, the Kentucky Horse Park, and a number of other horse racing-related sites and attractions.  You can watch the Derby with Dish Network so have a Dish installation scheduled today!

The Bluegrass State is also famous for Bourbon Country, a unique place filled with the pride and rich history of generation after generation of skilled Bourbon makers. Kentucky is home to The Storytellers, tour guides born and raised there who have lived and shared in the state’s history and who can recount the tales like no one else can.

Whether you just pop across the state line for a quick visit or venture into the heart of the hills for a spell, every part of Kentucky has an interesting facet to offer. Everywhere you look, there is history waiting to be shared and memories waiting to be made.

Louisville, KY

Louisville is home to the world-renown Kentucky Derby. This annual horse race takes place on the first Saturday in the month of May following a two-week long celebration known as the Kentucky Derby Festival. The race, also known as The Run For The Roses, is referred to in the world of sports as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports”. The reference to roses comes from the tradition of draping a blanket of red roses across the back of the winning horse. People travel from all over the world to attend the festival and race. Attendance at this event consistently surpasses any other horse racing event in the United States.

Along with being the home of the spirited Kentucky Derby, Louisville is also home to another “spirited” destination: Bourbon City. Located in the heart of Louisville is a collection of distilleries, bars, speakeasies, and museums that all pay tribute to the grand tradition of Bourbon-making that Kentucky is famous for. Here you will find the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. This is a group that includes 13 destination micro-distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. Visit each distillery with an experienced tour guide and hear the rich history of Bourbon-making that only Kentucky can boast. While there, you will find many unique keepsakes and souvenirs and many more treasured experiences to share with the folks back home.

Honorable Mentions and their attractions near Louisville:

Fort Knox, KY – Fort Knox, Kentucky is a well-known United States army post. Home of the United States Bullion Depository where a large portion of the official gold reserves of the United States is secured.

Cincinnati, OH – Kings Island; Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens; Great American Ballpark.

Shelbyville, KY – Jeptha Creed Artisan Distillery; Wakefield-Scearce Galleries antiques and shopping.

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Lexington, Kentucky is officially listed as The Horse Capital Of The World. Here you will find the Kentucky Horse Park, a 1,200-acre haven for horse lovers of all ages. The Kentucky Horse Park includes nearly 50 different breeds of horses, art galleries, museums, demonstrations, and shows, all dedicated to this noble animal. Take advantage of the tour and see the actual personal “homes” of some of the most famous equine residents there!

Lexington is rich in history. Mary Todd Lincoln lived in Lexington before she met and married Abraham Lincoln in 1842. Her husband would become the President of the United States from 1861-1865. She and President Lincoln spent a good deal of time at this house since they visited her family there often. It contains 14 rooms and the style, charm, and historical ambiance have been perfectly preserved within its walls. Tours are conducted by knowledgeable tour guides who provide a glimpse into the past and the life of a local girl who became the 16th First Lady of the United States of America.

Honorable Mentions and their attractions near Lexington:

Covington – Mainstrasse Village 19th century German village;
Garden of Hope spiritual and meditation site.

Cynthiana – Maiden City Brewing Company (diverse brews made on-site); HarriCyn Athletics (outdoor fun/sports clinics and camps).

Florence – World of Golf (golf courses/outdoor activities); Ollie’s Skatepark (sports complex).

Bowling Green, KY

Bowling Green, Kentucky has something for everyone. From fast cars to a great local music scene and everything in between, Bowling Green is the third largest city in Kentucky and it offers many enjoyable attractions and activities.

Bowling Green is Corvette country! Here you will find the GM Corvette Plat, the National Corvette Museum, and annual events such as the National Corvette Caravan, the Nostalgia Fall Classic, and the Holley EFI Outlaw Street Car Reunion. This explains the nickname of Hot Rod City, USA that has been bestowed the city. From classic car restoration to motorsports to drag racing, you’ll find your passion here.

If you think cars take the cake in Bowling Green, think again! The King of Cake Mixes was a real person and was actually born in Bowling Green in 1880. His name was Duncan Hines. A health condition forced him to move west for several years. He then returned to Bowling Green after traveling all over the country as a salesman for a printing business. This experience had allowed him to do business with a large number of sleeping establishments and restaurants. He became quite popular among his friends for his reviews and recommendations of these places. In 1935 he created a list of 167 of his favorite eateries in America. He included copies of this listing his Christmas cards that year. The following year he published an expanded list titled, “Adventures in Good Eating”, followed by a second, even further expanded edition in 1937. IN 1949 he joined forces with Roy Park, a fellow businessman, and together they formed Hines-Park Foods, Inc. Their goal was to provide high quality canned, boxed, and bottled foods to housewives in America. In 1956 the company merged with Proctor and Gamble. Soon Duncan Hines himself produced dry cake mixes. They immediately became a huge hit in American households. He passed away in 1959 at the age of 78. He was laid to rest in Lexington, Kentucky’s Fairview Cemetery.

Honorable Mentions and their attractions near Bowling Green:

Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry; The Parthenon at Centennial Park (replica/mini-museum); Natchez Trace Parkway (outdoor nature walk scenic trails).

Mammoth Cave – Mammoth Cave National Park (4,000-year-old limestone cave); Crystal Onyx Cave (ancient Indian burial grounds from 680 B.C.); Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo (interactive animal park).

Leitchfield – Leitchfield Aquatic Center (water/amusement park); Jack Thomas House (historic home).

All of these locations have Dish Network available to be installed, have an installation setup today!

Owensboro, KY

Owensboro, Kentucky is one of the first places one thinks of when it comes to Bluegrass music, excellent Bourbon, coal mining…and barbeque! Bet you didn’t know that Owensboro is the self-proclaimed “Bar-B-Q Capital of the World”. The First International Bar-B-Q festival was held there in 1978 and continues to be held annually, during the second weekend in May.

Another popular yearly event in Owensboro is the “Friday After Five” outdoor concert series, held each summer. This is joined during in the month of June by the ROMP Festival, which celebrates the roots and rich Kentucky history of Bluegrass music. The event is hosted, appropriately enough, by Owensboro’s own International Bluegrass Music Museum. The setting is picturesque and perfect for such a celebration – Yellow Creek Park, which has a fishing lake, a number of nature trails, and a creek on its 150-acre spread.

The charm of Southern living is alive here. The history of coal mining represents the roots of this area. The beautiful parks, including Smothers Park, Legion Park, the Rudy Mines Trails, offer outdoor enjoyment for the entire family. The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, the Owensboro Museum of Science and History, and the Owensboro Museu of Fine Art provide education and fun. There is always something fun and exciting to do in historic Owensboro.

Honorable Mentions and their attractions near Owensboro:

Evansville, IN – Angel Mounds State Historic Site (archaeological Native American village); the Children’s Museum of Evansville; Mesker Park Zoo.

Hopkinsville – Trail of Tears Commemorative Heritage Center (Cherokee historical site), Casey Jones Distillery; Psychic Edgar Cayce’s gravesite.

Madisonville – Trover Wellness Park; Ruby Laffon Log Cabin (birthplace of Kentucky Governor Ruby Laffon), The Ledge VR virtual reality entertainment center.

Kentucky Negatives

No matter how many positives a place has to recommend it, there is always a downside. Dig just a bit below the surface and you will find that Kentucky has a very prominent black eye. Kentucky is on the list of the top ten states with the highest drug overdose deaths in the entire country. In 2017 there were 1,565 deaths from drug overdoses statewide. That is an 11.5% increase from the previous year, and a 40% increase over the last 5 years. The majority of these drug deaths were opioid-related. This is occurring even though the number of prescriptions being written by doctors is decreasing. This indicates a major rise in the use of heroin, fentanyl, and other illicit and deadly opiates. In fact, in 2018 fentanyl killed twice as many people as heroin in the state of Kentucky.

The drug epidemic is so overwhelming that Kentucky actually does not have enough corners to keep up with the number of overdose deaths across the state. There are only a total of 9 coroners throughout all of Kentucky – one in Madisonville, two in Frankfort, and six in Louisville. Only 500 forensic doctors serve the entire United States. Due to the massive increase in drug-related deaths in the top ten states, the whole country is experiencing a shortage of the services of these experts.

Further broken down, the numbers are even more staggering: In 2011, doctors and pain management clinics combined in Kentucky prescribed approximately 371 million doses of opiates. Drug enforcement agents and other officials set in place some firm rules and regulations for pain management clinics, limited the number of pills and prescriptions each physician could write, and filed lawsuits against irresponsible pharmaceutical companies. This led to approximately 100 million fewer prescriptions for opioid medications being handed out in 2017, yet there was still an 11.5% increase in overdose deaths that year.

On the upside, Kentucky is taking steps to improve the situation. Federal, state, and local government have all provided substantial resources to create a means of stalling the constantly increasing number of overdose deaths. Funding and resources have been made available to create incentives for the treatment, prevention, and enforcement of drug addiction, laws, and programming. In July 2018 a forum was held among top experts in the fields of addiction, recovery, prevention, family counseling, and a number of other areas in order to discuss and share the latest information and advances in the war on drug addiction.

Kentucky is working diligently to control the drug epidemic and prevent overdose deaths by implementing programs such as the use of Narcan for overdose prevention, needle exchange programs to prevent the spread of diseases and infection among IV drug users, and involvement by law enforcement and court officials that involves education regarding drug addiction and the various treatment options that are available within the community.

Regardless of the idyllic life and rich, diverse history of the great state of Kentucky, the heartbreaking and frightening drug epidemic most definitely gives the entire state a huge black eye. It isn’t a problem that is limited to just a few random areas scattered around the state. The problem essentially affects virtually every family across the entire state in some way.

For those who live in Kentucky, there are a number of helpful and reasonably-priced services available to make life a little bit easier and more enjoyable. Kentucky’s home, health, and automotive insurance costs come in at or slightly below the national average, and there are a number of reputable companies to choose from. Many of them offer discounts when you bundle various types of insurance policies. This can mean hundreds of dollars in savings annually. Among insurance companies in the state, the number one ranked favorite is Liberty Mutual. The company’s website is packed with helpful information, advice, recommendations, and links to discounts. There are a whopping 12 discounts available from Liberty Mutual to provide savings on policy premiums. Getting an online quote is extremely easy from this company. Each state has a specific page with information on the most common policies in the state. The online calculator helps determine the amount of coverage needed by each potential clients based on their particular needs. Liberty Mutual receives consistently positive Consumer Reports reviews and scores for experience, performance, and customer service.

Home telephone service is offered by various providers throughout the state. Whether you are looking for simple, no-frills phone service or something that offers options such as call forwarding, 3-way calling, etc, all the way to extensive phone services for your business, you will find a number of service providers to choose from in Kentucky. You can customize to your heart’s content, and you’ll never get stuck paying for services you don’t want or need. To save time and money, the top choice for phone service in the state is AT & T. This service provider offers the largest coverage area in Kentucky. The broad 3G and 4G technology that expands across the state provides clear, reliable service. AT & T offers phone service for both home and business with a wide range of calling features available for both.

Cable television and internet services are available via a number of service providers as well. Among the most popular providers is Dish Network. Throughout the years, Dish Network. Throughout the years, Dish Network has consistently ranked among the top cable TV and internet providers in the state. In fact, the company is ranked number one nationally in customer service by J.D. Power, due in large part to their expert 24/7 customer support. The services feature up-to-the-minute technology, including the best in HD DVR technology. This means their customers will never have to miss any of their favorite movies and shows from Dish Network’s line up, which features over 200 national HD and international channels. The Hopper whole-home HD DVR unit allows the user to pause, rewind, and record shows – even live TV programs – in any room of the house. The DVR service provides up to a massive 2,000 hours of recording time. Another plus: it can now be paired with any Amazon Alexa-enabled device. The company’s On Demand library features more than 20,000 movies and TV shows to choose from at your leisure. DishLATINO provides top quality programming in Spanish and English. Service bundles are available at great savings, and Cinemax, HBO, and Showtime are all included free for 3 months for new customers, and then at great prices after the free trial period ends. Home cable and internet services with Dish Network are available throughout Kentucky.

All things considered; one would be hard-pressed to find a more serene, more relaxing place to call home than The Bluegrass State. With so many wonderful points to recommend it, making the choice to settle there and call it home makes perfect sense. Along with being friendly and hospitable, the people of Kentucky have a strong work ethic, as evidenced in the booming industry and strong workforce located there. Housing is affordable there even in the most densely populated areas and cities, whether you are single or have a family. The majesty of the great outdoors is at its finest in Kentucky. Natural formations like caves, lakes, mountains, parks, all offer the excitement of hiking, camping, fishing, exploring, discovering. The weather there provides four distinctive seasons and all their beauty, bringing even more enjoyment of its natural gifts.

Kentucky is the perfect place to raise a family. Traditional values and morals are still held in high regard and taught from classrooms to neighborhoods. The generations of families who have built the character and backbone of the state have left their mark there, and it continues to thrive today through their descendants. Although Kentucky is not immune to the problems that face the rest of the country, the family values and strength of people who care about one another and have for decades upon decades brings everyone together to find ways to overcome and move forward and to restore the lifestyle that they love and that they want everyone to share in as well. No problem can’t be dealt with when the entire community cares.

From the excitement that is the Kentucky Derby to the one-of-a-kind Bourbon Trail, to nature’s spectacular facets sprinkled so generously all over the state, Kentucky is simply incomparable in every aspect. Plan an extended visit or come to stay. You will never have a dull moment and you will never smile more than you will once you set foot in The Bluegrass State. Stand quietly for a moment and you will hear for yourself the ageless country song of the mountains as they call to you to come and enjoy everything Kentucky has to offer.