The Kentucky quarter was the last quarter to be introduced in the year 2001. Kentucky is the fifteenth state and joined the union on June 1, 1792. The governor's wife, First Lady Judi Patton and the Kentucky Quarter Project Committee received over 1,800 design ideas from the people of Kentucky. They selected 12 designs that were displayed at the U.S. Capitol and on the Internet. The people of Kentucky voted for their favorite design. Governor Paul E. Patton made the final decision, the design idea with "My Old Kentucky Home." Governor Patton submitted the final design to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Kentucky is one of four states to call itself a commonwealth. A Commonwealth is any of the fifty states in the U.S. especially Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Kentucky announced their quarter at the Federal Hill mansion in Bardstown, Kentucky. The mansion is also pictured in the background of their quarter. A mansion is another name for a large home. Listen to the song, "My Old Kentucky Home"
sung by Singing Sensation Christina
Judge John Rowan built the mansion, and it was completed in 1818. The judge served on the Kentucky Court of Appeals and in the U.S. Senate. He had many fancy parties and well-known guests at his mansion. He also had his relatives as visitors to Federal Hill. In 1852 his cousin, Stephen Foster was a visitor and wrote the song "My Old Kentucky Home" during that visit. These words are found on the right side of the quarter. The mansion became known throughout Kentucky as "My Old Kentucky Home" and is the state song. The mansion and 285 surrounding acres make up My Old Kentucky Home State Park. Today you can visit the mansion as it looked in the time when Stephen Collins Foster was a visitor. Mr. Foster was an American songwriter who wrote mostly about the American South. His first big hit was the song "Oh! Susanna," and he continued to write songs throughout his life.
In the front of the quarter is a thoroughbred racehorse standing behind a fence. A thoroughbred's father and mother are a certain type of racehorse making a thoroughbred the perfect horse for racing. Kentucky is known for its racehorses and a popular horserace the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby began on May 17, 1875 and is the best known thoroughbred horserace in the United States. It is held on the first Sunday in May at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. Over 100,000 people come to watch this famous horserace each year. In 1972 a horse named Secretariat set the fastest race at the Kentucky Derby. He ran the track in 1 minute and 59.4 seconds. The track is 1 and ¼ miles
Designed by the Washington Monument's architect Robert Mills in 1845, the U.S. Marine Hospital in Louisville is considered the best remaining antebellum hospital in the United States
High Bridge over the Kentucky River was the tallest rail bridge in the world when it 
