1. In 1792, the first Kentucky General Assembly met in Lexington, officially making Kentucky a state.

2. On December 17, 1862, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan raided the town of Glasgow, KY, taking Union soldiers as prisoners and stealing supplies from the town.

3. In 1872, Kentucky Senator John J. Crittenden passed away on December 17th. Crittenden was known for proposing a series of constitutional amendments aimed at resolving the issue of slavery in the United States during the 1860s.

4. On December 17, 1932, the Kentucky Dam was completed. This dam created the largest man-made lake in the eastern United States, providing both hydroelectric power and recreational opportunities for the region.

5. In 2013, a sinkhole opened up beneath the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, swallowing several rare and valuable Corvette cars. The incident occurred on December 17th and made international news.