1. In 1792, the Kentucky Constitution was adopted on May 18, officially establishing the Commonwealth of Kentucky as the 15th state in the Union.

2. Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb and many other devices, visited Louisville, Kentucky on May 18, 1885 to give a demonstration of his latest inventions to an amazed audience.

3. On May 18, 1927, the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh made a stop in Louisville during his historic transatlantic flight from New York to Paris, where he was greeted by a crowd of over 25,000 people.

4. The Kentucky Derby, one of the most prestigious horse races in the world, has been run on May 18 twice in its history: first in 1901 and again in 1918.

5. In 1980, the city of Owensboro, Kentucky was devastated by a deadly tornado that killed 14 people and caused over $100 million in damages. The tornado struck on May 18, and is still remembered as one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the state's history.