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Investigate The State Quarters |
The
Kentucky quarter was the last quarter to be introduced in the year 2001.
Kentucky is the fifteenth state and joined the union on June 1, 1792.
The governor's wife, First Lady Judi Patton and the Kentucky Quarter Project
Committee received over 1,800 design ideas from the people of Kentucky.
They selected 12 designs that were displayed at the U.S. Capitol and on
the Internet. The people of Kentucky voted for their favorite design.
Governor Paul E. Patton made the final decision, the design idea with
"My Old Kentucky Home." Governor Patton submitted the final design to
the Secretary of the Treasury.
Kentucky is one of four states to call itself a commonwealth. A Commonwealth is any of the fifty states in the U.S. especially Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Kentucky announced their quarter at the Federal Hill mansion in Bardstown, Kentucky. The mansion is also pictured in the background of their quarter. A mansion is another name for a large home. |
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Judge John Rowan built the mansion, and it was completed in 1818. The
judge served on the Kentucky Court of Appeals and in the U.S. Senate.
He had many fancy parties and well-known guests at his mansion. He also
had his relatives as visitors to Federal Hill. In 1852 his cousin, Stephen
Foster was a visitor and wrote the song "My Old Kentucky Home" during
that visit. These words are found on the right side of the quarter. The
mansion became known throughout Kentucky as "My Old Kentucky Home" and
is the state song. The mansion and 285 surrounding acres make up My Old
Kentucky Home State Park. Today you can visit the mansion as it looked
in the time when Stephen Collins Foster was a visitor. Mr. Foster was
an American songwriter who wrote mostly about the American South. His
first big hit was the song "Oh! Susanna," and he continued to write
songs throughout his life.
In the front of the quarter is a thoroughbred racehorse standing behind a fence. A thoroughbred's father and mother are a certain type of racehorse making a thoroughbred the perfect horse for racing. Kentucky is known for its racehorses and a popular horserace the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby began on May 17, 1875 and is the best known thoroughbred horserace in the United States. It is held on the first Sunday in May at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. Over 100,000 people come to watch this famous horserace each year. In 1972 a horse named Secretariat set the fastest race at the Kentucky Derby. He ran the track in 1 minute and 59.4 seconds. The track is 1 and ¼ miles. |