1. On January 11, 1811, the first steamboat to successfully navigate the Ohio River, the New Orleans, arrived in Louisville, Kentucky. This event marked a significant milestone in transportation and trade in the region.

2. January 11, 1908, marks the birth of environmentalist and author Rachel Carson in Springdale, Pennsylvania. Although not originally from Kentucky, Carson spent much of her life studying and writing about the natural world, including her influential book Silent Spring, which helped to launch the modern environmental movement.

3. On January 11, 1935, the iconic boxer and civil rights activist Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Ali went on to become one of the most celebrated athletes of all time, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers in history.

4. January 11, 1990, saw the opening of the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The Center is dedicated to the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali, and features exhibits on his boxing career, his humanitarian work, and his impact on the civil rights movement.

5. On January 11, 2007, the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Maker's Mark is one of the most popular bourbon brands in the world, and the distillery has been producing its signature whiskey since the 1950s.