Kentucky State Archives

The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives will not be open on Monday, December 31 or...

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 10:55:06 -0500

The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives will not be open on Monday, December 31 or Tuesday, January 1 in observance of the New Year.

The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives will not be open on Monday, December 24 or...

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 15:08:14 -0500

The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives will not be open on Monday, December 24 or Tuesday, December 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday.

New items on display at the Capitol!

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 12:25:49 -0500

See records related to the construction of the Capitol Building and Capitol Annex. Click on each photo for more information.

Contract Estimates for Capitol Construction

The General Supply & Construction Co.

1908

Invoices for Capitol Painting

J.S. Poer & Co. 1908

Night Watchman Services

Kentucky State Capitol. 1908

Photo of Capitol Annex Construction. 1950

Photo of Kentucky State Capitol. 1930s

Photo of Capitol Building and Capitol Annex. 1950s

Photo of Kentucky State Capitol Pediment. 1910

Minute Book

Board of Capitol Commissioners. 1904-1911

New items are on display at the Capitol! Join us in remembering the Kentuckians who participated in...

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 11:39:36 -0500

New items are on display at the Capitol! Join us in remembering the Kentuckians who participated in World War I.

In addition to this, The World Remembers 2018 project is on display in KDLA’s lobby and commemorates the servicemen and women from sixteen nations who lost their lives in 1918 during World War I.

World War I Service Card for Colette Beecher. 1920

World War I Service Card for Hugh Rodman. 1920

Franklin County in the World War. Council of Defense. 1917 - 1919

Council of Defense Certificate for Jouett Caudle. 1918

World War I Service Card for Steven Beckett. 1920

World War I Service Card for Willie Sandlin, Medal of Honor Recipient. 1920

Army Discharge Records for Fred Morgan. 1919

World War I Service Card for James T. Streible. 1920

Meade County in the World War. Council of Defense. 1917 - 1919

Governor Stanley’s Liberty Day Proclamation

Kentucky is known for a lot of things that start with a B – basketball, bluegrass, and Bourbon!...

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 08:14:21 -0400

Kentucky is known for a lot of things that start with a B – basketball, bluegrass, and Bourbon! Celebrate National #BourbonHeritageMonth and stop by the Capitol to see the records we have on display!

Letter from W.M. Logan.
Source: Auditor of Public Accounts, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1916

Bourbon Month Proclamation by Governor Ernie Fletcher
Source: Secretary of State, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 2007

Letter from the Pattison Brothers
Source: Auditor of Public Accounts, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1920

Photo of the Old Taylor Distillery
Source: Department of Arts, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. ND

Photo of Old Grand-Dad Distillery
Source: Public Information Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. ND

Distilled Spirits Tax Book
Source: Auditor of Public Accounts, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1906-1919

Brown-Forman Letter
Source: Auditor of Public Accounts, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1919

The @kystatefair is coming up! The 11-day fair has been around...

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 11:27:04 -0400

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The @kystatefair is coming up! The 11-day fair has been around since 1902. Visit our display in the Capitol to see some memories and publications from previous fairs! What memories do you have of the fair? What are you looking forward to this year?

If you can’t make it the display, you can always see the virtual collection in here: https://kdla.access.preservica.com/welcome/.

Left Description:

Photo of Prize-Winning Jersey Herd

Public Information Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1940s-1950s.

Premium List and Rules

State Publications, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1911.

Photo of Scenic Funmobile at the Exposition Center

Public Information Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1950s.

Photo of a horse jumping in a horse competition

Public Information Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1944.

Premium List and Rules

State Publications, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1961.

Right Description:

Photo of Lawrence Kaelin with piglets from Monroe Miller’s Grand Champion Sow

Work Projects Administration Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1939.

Livestock Entry Form

State Publications, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1914.

One Hundred Kentucky State Fairs

Kentucky State Fair Board Publication, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 2004.

Photo of Webster County Display

Public Information Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1940s-1950s.

New items are on display at the Capitol celebrating summertime in Kentucky! How are you spending...

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 11:47:36 -0400

New items are on display at the Capitol celebrating summertime in Kentucky! How are you spending your summer? Click on each photo for more information.

Photo of people boating. 1950s-1960s.

Photo of people gathered around crates of strawberries. 1937-1938.

Photo of three boys at a swimming hole in South Fork, Breathitt County. 1940.

Photo of a Junior Baseball League. 1939.

Photo of a shuffleboard game at a state park. 1950s-1960s.

Photo of people on sitting on the roof of the Chimney Rock Boat Club at Herrington Lake. 1950s-1960s.

Photo of boys at the State Fair Fishing Contest. 1960s.

Photo of people camping at the Kentucky Dam Village. 1962.

Happy 40th anniversary, Kentucky Horse Park! You’ve hosted...

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 10:00:47 -0400

Happy 40th anniversary, Kentucky Horse Park! You’ve hosted everything from a Japanese quiz show to a visit from Princess Anne (not to mention horse competitions!) – we’re excited to see what the next 40 years will bring!

Happy Independence Day!Source: Creative Services Photo...

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 08:00:56 -0400

Happy Independence Day!

Source: Creative Services Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 2004.

New items are on display at the Capitol! Celebrate Kentucky’s statehood, and have a look at some of...

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 08:21:35 -0400

New items are on display at the Capitol! Celebrate Kentucky’s statehood, and have a look at some of our state’s early records!

Land Grant to Charles Sims. Woodford County. 1793.

Land Survey. General Court Equity Case. 1798.

Squire Boone Land Claim Statement. Hardin County. 1797.

Magistrate Appointment Petition. Crab Orchard, Kentucky. 1792.

Militia Appointment. Major John Martin, 8th Regiment. 1792.

Stray Book. Jessamine County. 1799-1815.

June is National Camping Month and National Great Outdoors Month! We’ll be celebrating by posting...

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 09:09:03 -0400

June is National Camping Month and National Great Outdoors Month! We’ll be celebrating by posting some of our favorite camping and outdoor photos for the rest of June. Check out these photos from John James Audubon State Park! Are you camping this summer?

On this Memorial Day, we honor the sacrifice of all those who have died for our freedom. These...

Mon, 28 May 2018 06:41:39 -0400

On this Memorial Day, we honor the sacrifice of all those who have died for our freedom. These Kentuckians made the ultimate sacrifice 100 years ago during the First World War.

Source: Military Affairs, Veterans’ Bonus claim #370131 box 152, Archives and Records Management Division, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.

Source: Military Affairs, Veterans’ Bonus claim #99229 box 385, Archives and Records Management Division, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.

Source: Military Affairs, Veterans’ Bonus claim #213494 box 816, Archives and Records Management Division, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.

It’s #NationalInventorsMonth! The life of an inventor is not always carefree. This letter written by...

Thu, 24 May 2018 08:02:41 -0400

It’s #NationalInventorsMonth! The life of an inventor is not always carefree. This letter written by Robert Fulton expresses his concern for his steamboat Vesuvius, which became stranded on a sand bar two hundred miles below the mouth of the Ohio River in the fall of 1814. Fulton asks the Governor of Kentucky to send thirty militiamen to protect the vessel until she could be dug out.

Source: Governor Isaac Shelby Papers, Box 5 folder 85, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. September 22, 1814

The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives will be closed on Monday, May 28 in observance...

Wed, 23 May 2018 09:43:57 -0400

The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives will be closed on Monday, May 28 in observance of Memorial Day.

Department of Agriculture, Archives and Records Management...

Fri, 18 May 2018 08:22:36 -0400

Department of Agriculture, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. ND

The Kentucky Egg Queen and Egg Princess hope you’re just as excited to celebrate #NationalEggMonth!

Department of Agriculture, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. 1970

New items are on display at the Capitol. Take the opportunity to view some of our election related...

Fri, 11 May 2018 12:27:47 -0400

New items are on display at the Capitol. Take the opportunity to view some of our election related records!

Photo from Governor Happy Chandler’s Presidential Campaign. 1960.

Martin Van Buren and Richard M. Johnson Presidential Campaign Poster. 1836.

Alben W. Barkley Senatorial Campaign Poster. 1940s.

Photo of Edward Hays, Thelma Stovall, and Oldham Clarke sworn in as members of the Board of Election Commissioners. 1967.

Kentucky Election Laws. 1948.

Record of Electoral Votes. 1792-1864.

Gallatin County Election Ballot. 1960.

It’s time for the Kentucky Derby! Have you placed your bet...

Sat, 05 May 2018 08:00:51 -0400

It’s time for the Kentucky Derby! Have you placed your bet yet?

State Archivist Beth Shields and Electronic Records Branch Manager Kari May are featured in...

Thu, 03 May 2018 08:46:42 -0400

State Archivist Beth Shields and Electronic Records Branch Manager Kari May are featured in Preservica’s latest blog post! Check it out: https://preservica.com/blog/preservation-and-public-access-to-the-records-of-over-240-kentucky-state-agencies

You can visit the Kentucky State Digital Archives here: http://kdla.access.preservica.com/

Happy May Day! Who else is getting ready for...

Tue, 01 May 2018 08:20:46 -0400

Happy May Day! Who else is getting ready for maypole dancing?

Source: Kentucky School For The Blind Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. ND.

It’s #NationalTelephoneDay! Phones are a big part of how we connect and communicate with each...

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 12:16:44 -0400

It’s #NationalTelephoneDay! Phones are a big part of how we connect and communicate with each other. In the first photo, an attentive audience learns about telephone courtesy.

The second photo features switchboard operators training on the same topic.

What was your first phone? Comment with a photo or gif!

Source: Public Information Photo Collection, Archives and Records Management Division – Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. May 15, 1963.