Frankfort: Kentucky's Capital on the Kentucky River
Frankfort became the capital of Kentucky when the state was admitted to the Union in 1792. The choice was a compromise between Lexington and Louisville, and the city's location along the Kentucky River in Franklin County placed it roughly in the center of the settled portion of the state at that time. The original capitol building burned in 1813, and the current Beaux-Arts capitol building, completed in 1910, stands on a bluff above the river.
State government is the dominant employer. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches, along with numerous state agencies, account for a large share of the jobs in Franklin County. This gives Frankfort a different economic character from most Kentucky cities of comparable size. The population hovers around 28,000, far smaller than Louisville or Lexington, but the administrative functions concentrated here draw workers from surrounding counties.
Buffalo Trace Distillery, located on the banks of the Kentucky River at the northern edge of town, has operated continuously on the same site since 1787 and claims to be the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States. The distillery produces Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Pappy Van Winkle, and several other labels. Bourbon tourism has become an increasingly important part of the local economy.
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Frankfort became the capital of Kentucky when the state was admitted to the Union in 1792. The choice was a compromise between Lexington and Louisville, and the city's location along the Kentucky River in Franklin County placed it roughly in the center of the settled portion of the state at that time. The original capitol building burned in 1813, and the current Beaux-Arts capitol building, completed in 1910, stands on a bluff above the river.
State government is the dominant employer. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches, along with numerous state agencies, account for a large share of the jobs in Franklin County. This gives Frankfort a different economic character from most Kentucky cities of comparable size. The population hovers around 28,000, far smaller than Louisville or Lexington, but the administrative functions concentrated here draw workers from surrounding counties.
Buffalo Trace Distillery, located on the banks of the Kentucky River at the northern edge of town, has operated continuously on the same site since 1787 and claims to be the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States. The distillery produces Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Pappy Van Winkle, and several other labels. Bourbon tourism has become an increasingly important part of the local economy.
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