Kentucky
(07-20-2004)

I love Kentucky. That’s a phrase I thought I would never utter. It’s a beautiful state and soaked in history, like corn in bourbon mash. For the traveler, it’s perfect for meandering by car among the thousands of little towns and hamlets, each with a unique story to tell.

But I start with LOUISVILLE or, as the locals say, loo-a-vil, slurred quickly and casually. It’s a relaxed, charming, and even romantic little town, although it’s not that little; it just feels like it. Its revitalization is taking place along the picturesque Ohio River and they’ve got all the bases covered: fine antique hotels, convention center, downtown baseball stadium, refurbished buildings, horse-draw carriages, art galleries, music clubs, and a friendly southern attitude. It’s a work in progress, to be sure, but they’re moving in the right direction. (Recently, the city and county were merged making Louisv! ille Metro the 16th largest city in the U.S.)

Besides, who can argue with a city where chewing gum was invented, the cheeseburger originated and “Happy Birthday to You” was written? I had a great time chatting with the locals, and closing the bar at Stevie Ray’s R&B club. Good bands too! And a tour through the Louisville (Slugger) Bat Company was a genuine treat.

CHURCHILL DOWNS, located in Louisville Metro, is a well-manicured complex, worthy of the esteem it holds in the horseracing world. It was inaugurated in 1875, and the first winning jockey was an African-American named Oliver Lewis. Most original jockeys, in the 1800’s, were either orphans or slaves.

The Louisville Jockey Club (later named Churchill Downs) was started by Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., the grandson of William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame). Curiously, Mr. Clark, Jr, like his namesake Meriwether Lewis, also shot himself. Another interesting sidelight: The sight of Louisville was first a military camp set up by Lt. Col. George Clark, the older brother of William Clark. Now that’s a family tree worth shaking.

Further south of Louisville is the JIM BEAM COMPANY, the largest maker of bourbon in the world. Although much of southern Kentucky is dry, and Baptist, it was a Baptist who first created bourbon. It seems he was trying to save a little money by reusing old barrels, so he charred the insides to rid them of impurities, and that’s where the distinctive flavor comes from (along with the limestone-treated water). In case you’re wondering, in 1795, a Kentucky church, after much discussion, voted that operating a distillery was “not inconsistent” with true religion. ! (Indeed, I would say that operating a distillery is true religion.) Anyways, it was George Washington’s tax on liquor that gave rise to the moon shiners, but that’s another story. By the way, in Kentucky today, Bourbon County is dry, and Christian County is wet. Go figure.

In 1964, Congress declared bourbon our national drink. Once in a while, they get something right.

I can’t leave this subject without one quick Mark Twain anecdote: On a trip to Europe, at customs, he declared only clothing. When his bag was inspected, the official asked him how the bottle of bourbon hidden at the bottom could be considered clothing. Twain replied, “You’re looking at my nightcap.”

Further south is the small hamlet of BARDSTOWN, the bourbon capital of the world. It’s Kentucky’s second oldest city, so there’s much history. But what I found most interesting was that in the 1800’s, the Pope (yup, that pope) saw the possibility of a major western expansion by the U.S., so from a map he picked Bardstown to be the seat of a new archdiocese in the territory. And to this day, amidst all the Baptists, Bardstown is still 75% Catholic.

I had a drink at the local old tavern (established in 1797) and met two guys from the southern part of the state, whose demeanor and looks could best be described as redneck. Of course, I deftly steered the discussion towards the social issues, and after a couple of bourbons, they both admitted they illegally grow marijuana on their small farms, yet voted for the dry amendment for their county. The reason? It seems they don’t want a bunch of rowdy drunken kids running around in the middle of the night looking for pot plants. I think it was Tip O’Neill who said, “All politics is local.”

FOOTNOTE # 1: I didn’t see any bluegrass, but I’m sure it’s there. Kentucky fried chicken is made in a pressure cooker. And, in this corn growing state, there are more Kentucky Colonels than Kentucky kernels. The governor gives the title to just about anybody who knows somebody, who knows somebody else, etc. And, yes, Lewis and Clark took along some darkened aged whiskey, perhaps a form of bourbon.

FOONOTE # 2: Entering the state, the billboard says, “Kentucky, where education pays.” The next day, I saw a billboard with the simple phrase, “Jesus Saves”. Thus, the southern concept of a symbiotic relationship between church and state is simply explained.

FOOTNOTE # 3: Unfortunately, it was time to leave Kentucky, but not before I took a quick ride through the University of Kentucky campus in Lexington. Yes, Mike, it’s quite impressive.

I love Kentucky. There, I’ve said it again. On this trip so far, the two places I intend to return are Aspen, Colorado and the back roads of Kentucky. Polar indeed.

	Rules at Churchill Downs
Downtown Louisville
Oldest Still in U.S.	Where bourbon is aged
Old Tavern, Bardstown