Kentucky was granted statehood in 1792, becoming the first U.S.
state west of the Appalachian Mountains. Frontiersman Daniel
Boone was one of Kentucky's most prominent explorers and many
immigrants followed the trail he blazed through the Cumberland
Gap, known as the Wilderness Road. Although it sided with the
Confederacy during the Civil War, the population was deeply
divided, and many Kentucky residents fought for the North. Known
primarily as an agricultural area into the 20th century,
Kentucky is also a major U.S. coal producer and site of the U.S.
military bases Fort Knox and Fort Campbell. It is also known as
the home of the legendary Kentucky Derby horse race and
bluegrass music, pioneered by Kentucky native Bill Monroe. More
to Explore Pioneer Daniel Boone became famous for his 18th-
century exploration of Kentucky and exploits as a frontiersman.
The American Civil War, fueled by the debate over slavery and
states' rights, pitted North against South in the costliest
conflict fought on U.S. soil. The Wi