1. The Kentucky State Police was formed on January 17, 1948. Governor Earle C. Clements signed the bill creating the law enforcement agency, which replaced the Kentucky Highway Patrol. The Kentucky State Police has since become an integral part of the state's public safety efforts.

2. On January 17, 1861, the Kentucky General Assembly voted to remain neutral in the American Civil War. Despite this decision, the state eventually became a key battleground, with both Union and Confederate forces vying for control of the state.

3. The University of Kentucky men's basketball team played its first game at Memorial Coliseum on January 17, 1950. The Wildcats defeated the University of Illinois 76-47 in the first game at the arena, which became the team's home court until the opening of Rupp Arena in 1976.

4. On January 17, 1811, the New Madrid earthquakes rocked the region, with the epicenter located in southeastern Missouri. The quakes, some of the most powerful ever recorded in the continental United States, were felt throughout Kentucky and caused significant damage across the state.

5. On January 17, 1929, the Kentucky Coal Association was formed in Louisville to represent the interests of the state's coal industry. Kentucky is one of the nation's leading coal-producing states and has a long history of coal mining and related industries.