- The dome of the State Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, is 212 feet (65 meters) high.
Frankfort is the capital of the state of Kentucky. The name comes from the term Frank's Ford. In 1780 Stephen Frank, a frontiersman, was killed in a fight at a ford on the Kentucky River. A ford is a shallow part of a river that can be crossed by wading. Frankfort is split into two parts by the Kentucky River. The city is 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Louisville and 26 miles (42 kilometers) northwest of Lexington. Places of interestKentucky State University, a school founded in 1886 for African Americans, is in Frankfort. Historic buildings include the Old Capitol, Liberty Hall, and the Orlando Brown House. The State Capitol has a 212-foot- (65-meter-) high dome. The Old Capitol is the home of the Kentucky Historical Society. Other historical sites include the graves of pioneer Daniel Boone and his wife, Rebecca. EconomyFrankfort is an important trade center. It produces tobacco and corn. It also manufactures bourbon whiskey, candy, furniture, electronic parts, machinery, and textiles. Thoroughbred horses are raised in Frankfort as well. HistoryGeneral James Wilkinson founded Frankfort in 1786. The city was made the capital of Kentucky in 1792. Early in its history the capitol building was burned—twice. Both times Louisville and Lexington tried to have the capital moved from Frankfort. During the American Civil War, Confederate general Braxton Bragg occupied the city for a short time in 1862. The city was flooded in 1937, and there was much damage as a result. Population (2000 census), 27,741. |