1. In 1818, Kentucky became the 15th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution's twenty-first amendment, which repealed the nationwide prohibition of alcohol. This amendment ended the era of the prohibition, also known as the "noble experiment."

2. In 1851, the limestone arches of the Natural Bridge in Powell County, Kentucky, were purchased by private citizens to be protected from being destroyed. The Natural Bridge is a popular tourist attraction and has drawn visitors, including several U.S. presidents.

3. On December 3, 1870, Governor Leslie T. Woodson signed into law the act that created the Kentucky State Board of Agriculture, which aimed to promote the state's agricultural interests. The board's efforts to improve Kentucky's agricultural production and marketing continue today.

4. In 1949, Frankfort, Kentucky's state capital, was one of the sites across the country where people panicked during the broadcast of Orson Welles' radio play, "The War of the Worlds." Several residents of Frankfort thought that an actual Martian invasion was taking place.

5. Kentucky native Bill Monroe, widely considered the "Father of Bluegrass Music," died on December 3, 1996, at age 84. Monroe's distinctive sound helped to define the traditional Bluegrass music genre. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor.