Posted in Kentucky
August 15, 2021
9 Historic Photos That Show Us What It Was Like Living In Kentucky In The Early 1900s
The Bluegrass State is a place with deep roots and culture. Kentuckians are proud of their history and heritage, and that’s evidenced by our well-preserved sites and charming small towns. Today we’re taking a step back (or rather, several steps back) to the turn of the 20th century, a time of big shifts and changes all across the U.S. These nine historic photos offer a snapshot of life in Kentucky in the early 1900s, and showcase that undeniable Bluegrass spirit and pride.

Pictured here is a horse-drawn carriage on the streets pf Columbus, Kentucky, circa 1900.

A 11,520-ton Kearsarge class battleship, the USS Kentucky was constructed at Newport News, Virginia, and commissioned in May 1900. Her first active service was on the Asiatic Station between October 1900 and May 1904. Kentucky also operated along the U.S. east coast and in the Caribbean area from 1905 to 1907.

Here, farmhands work tirelessly hand-harvesting tobacco from a field in Kentucky.

Pictured here is a Tobacco Warehouse in Louisville, Kentucky, circa 1906.


It closed in 1926, with the establishment of the Mammoth Cave National Park.

The Capital City Museum is now located in the former Capital Hotel, and it was here that soon-to-be-governor William Goebel was carried after he was shot by an assassin across the street. Learn more about this unique hotel-turned-museum here.

The first interracial and coeducational college in the South, Berea College has faced fierce opposition over the years, first from armed, pro-slavery militias to segregation imposed by the state legislature. Despite physical, financial, and legal risk, Berea College continued in its mission to educate students of all races. The motto “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth” has guided this historic institution since opening its doors in 1859. Read more about the town of Berea in this article.

We hope you enjoyed these intriguing photos of 1900s Kentucky. For more historic photographs of the Bluegrass State, check out these candid photos from the 1920s!
Address: Kentucky, USA