Harrodsburg And Mercer County

Dedicated exclusively to the oldest town in Kentucky, Postcard History Series: Harrodsburg and Mercer County presents what Fort Harrod looked like when it was established in 1775. High Bridge, spanning the Kentucky River between Mercer and Jessamine Counties and only miles from Shakertown, was an engineering wonder of its age. As the highest railroad bridge in the world at the time, it was the subject of hundreds of postcards. Summer visitors came from all over the country to enjoy Harrodsburg's Graham Springs Resort, known as the "Saratoga of the West." Views of nearby Dix Dam and Herrington Lake were made into postcards for vacationers to send to their friends and family.

The Kentucky Encyclopedia's 2,000-plus entries are the work of more than five hundred writers. Their subjects reflect all areas of the commonwealth and span the time from prehistoric settlement to today's headlines, recording Kentuckians' achievements in art, architecture, business, education, politics, religion, science, and sports. Biographical sketches portray all of Kentucky's governors and U.S. senators, as well as note congressmen and state and local politicians. Kentucky's impact on the national scene is registered in the lives of such figures as Carry Nation, Henry Clay, Louis Brandeis, and Alben Barkley. The commonwealth's high range from writers Harriette Arnow and Jesse Stuart, reformers Laura Clay and Mary Breckinridge, and civil rights leaders Whitney Young, Jr., and Georgia Powers, to sports figures Muhammad Ali and Adolph Rupp and entertainers Loretta Lynn, Merle Travis, and the Everly Brothers. Entries describe each county and county seat and each community with a population above 2,500. Broad overview articles examine such topics as agriculture, segregation, transportation, literature, and folklife. Frequently misunderstood aspects of Kentucky's history and culture are clarified and popular misconceptions corrected. The facts on such subjects as mint juleps, Fort Knox, Boone's coonskin cap, the Kentucky hot brown, and Morgan's Raiders will settle many an argument. For both the researcher and the more casual reader, this collection of facts and fancies about Kentucky and Kentuckians will be an invaluable resource.

Lists buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts that possess historical significance as defined by the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, in every state.