If you asked a hundred random people to name the most famous city in the Bluegrass State, they’d probably shout out Louisville. Or maybe Lexington. It makes sense, right? Louisville has the Kentucky Derby and the bats. Lexington has the horses and the high-end bourbon tours. But if you’re looking for the seat of power—the place where the laws actually get signed—you’ve gotta look at a much smaller spot on the map. What is the capital of Kentucky? It’s Frankfort. Honestly, it’s one of those "blink and you’ll miss it" state capitals, but it carries a weight that the bigger cities just don't have.
It’s tucked away in a valley. The Kentucky River snakes right through the middle of it, carving out a landscape that feels way more intimate than your average government hub. Most people expect state capitals to be sprawling urban jungles with massive traffic jams and skyscrapers. Frankfort isn't that. It’s quiet. It’s hilly. It feels like a town that accidentally became a capital and then just decided to roll with it for a couple hundred years.
How Frankfort Won the Capital Fight
Back in 1792, Kentucky became the 15th state in the Union. At the time, everybody wanted the title of capital. It was basically a gold rush for prestige. Lexington was the "Athens of the West" and thought it was a shoe-in. Louisville was the river powerhouse. Even little places like Danville and Boonesborough threw their hats in the ring. So, how did Frankfort—which was basically just a small settlement at a river crossing—end up winning?
Money. Pure and simple.
The commissioners tasked with picking a site were basically looking for the highest bidder. Frankfort’s citizens stepped up in a big way. They offered up a ton of land, free building materials like stone and lumber, and a substantial amount of cash to get the government buildings started. Andrew Holmes, a local landowner, basically bribed the state with 12,000 feet of boards and a bunch of prime real estate. By December 1792, the deal was done. Frankfort was the winner.
It wasn't always a smooth ride, though. People kept trying to move the capital for the next century. Every time the capitol building burned down (which happened more than you’d think), cities like Lexington would swoop in and say, "Hey, let us host!" But Frankfort held on. The city basically survived through sheer stubbornness and the fact that moving an entire government is a giant pain in the neck.
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The Architecture of Power: The New Capitol
When people ask what is the capital of Kentucky, they are usually picturing the New Capitol building. It was finished in 1910 and, frankly, it’s a flex. It looks like it belongs in Washington D.C., not a town of 28,000 people. It’s covered in Bedford limestone and Vermont granite. Inside, there’s so much white Georgia marble that it’s almost blinding on a sunny day.
The building is famous for its "Floral Clock." You’ve probably seen photos of it. It’s a massive, 34-foot wide clock face made entirely of plants and flowers. It sits right outside the capitol. There’s a weird urban legend that if you throw a coin into the water beneath the clock, it brings good luck, but mostly it just provides a nice backdrop for tourists who are bored of looking at bronze statues.
The Old State Capitol
Before the 1910 version, there was the Old State Capitol. This one is a Greek Revival masterpiece. It was built using "Kentucky River marble," which is actually just a very hard limestone quarried from the nearby cliffs. The coolest thing about this building is the self-supporting stone stairway. It’s held together by physics and prayer—no central pillar. It’s the kind of architectural weirdness that you just don't see in modern construction.
More Than Just Politics: The Frankfort Vibe
Frankfort isn't just a collection of government offices. It’s deep in bourbon country. You can’t talk about this city without talking about Buffalo Trace. It’s arguably the most famous distillery in the world, and it’s located right there on the banks of the river. This isn't some polished, corporate headquarters; it’s a grit-and-grime working distillery that smells like fermenting mash and old oak.
You can walk the grounds and see where Pappy Van Winkle is born. It’s a National Historic Landmark. The contrast is wild—on one side of town, you have politicians in suits debating tax codes, and on the other, you have guys in flannel shirts moving barrels of bourbon that won't be opened for twenty years. That’s Kentucky in a nutshell.
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The Grave of Daniel Boone
If you head up to the Frankfort Cemetery, you’ll find the grave of Daniel Boone. Or at least, what people think is the grave of Daniel Boone. There’s a whole controversy there. Boone died in Missouri, but Kentucky decided they wanted their hero back. In 1845, they dug him up (and his wife, Rebecca) and moved them to Frankfort.
Missourians claim that Kentucky dug up the wrong body. Some historians think the bones in Frankfort actually belong to a random settler. It’s a classic Kentucky ghost story. Regardless of who is actually in the ground, the view from the gravesite is the best in the city. You can look down over the river and see the capitol dome peeking through the trees. It’s incredibly peaceful.
The Geography of the Deep Valley
Frankfort is physically split. You’ve got South Frankfort, where the capitol is, and North Frankfort, which is the older, more "downtown" area. They are connected by several bridges, including the "Singing Bridge." It’s called that because the metal grate deck hums when you drive over it. It’s a bit jarring if you aren't expecting it, but locals don't even notice the sound anymore.
The Kentucky River is the lifeblood here. It used to be the main highway for commerce. Today, it’s mostly for recreation and the occasional barge. But the river also makes the city prone to some pretty gnarly flooding. The 1937 flood was legendary—it practically swallowed the downtown area. If you look at some of the older buildings, you can still see high-water marks. It’s a constant reminder that nature still calls the shots in this valley.
Why Frankfort Stays Small
You might wonder why the city hasn't exploded in size like Nashville or Columbus. A lot of it is the terrain. Frankfort is boxed in by limestone cliffs. There isn't a whole lot of flat land to build massive suburbs. This has preserved the "small town" feel. People know each other. You see the Governor at the local coffee shop or the grocery store.
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It’s a lifestyle choice. While Louisville deals with the chaos of being a major metro area, Frankfort just keeps humming along at its own pace. It’s a place where the state’s history is preserved because there literally isn't room to pave over it with a shopping mall.
Practical Insights for Visiting the Capital
If you’re planning a trip to see what is the capital of Kentucky for yourself, don't just do a drive-by of the capitol building. You need to actually get out and walk.
- Check the Distillery Schedule: Buffalo Trace tours fill up months in advance. Even if you can't get a tour, you can walk the grounds for free. It’s worth it just for the smell of the "Angel’s Share" in the air.
- Visit the Military Museum: It’s housed in the old state arsenal. It looks like a castle on a hill. It’s one of the most underrated spots in the city.
- Eat Downtown: Go to St. Clair Street. There are some killer local spots like Rick’s White Light Diner (as seen on TV) or B’s Bakery.
- The Governor’s Mansion: It’s modeled after the Petit Trianon at Versailles. You can take tours, but even just walking the perimeter gives you a sense of the old-school elegance the city tries to maintain.
Frankfort represents a specific kind of Southern identity. It’s a mix of high-minded political ambition and rugged, river-town reality. It isn't flashy. It doesn't care if it’s the biggest city in the state. It knows it's the most important one. When you stand on the floor of the House of Representatives in the New Capitol, you feel the weight of every decision made since 1792.
Actionable Next Steps
To truly experience Frankfort, you should start by booking a tour of the Kentucky State Capitol at least two weeks in advance, as the legislative sessions can restrict access to certain chambers. After the tour, drive five minutes to the Frankfort Cemetery to see the Daniel Boone monument for the best panoramic photo of the river valley. If you are a bourbon enthusiast, monitor the Buffalo Trace website daily at 9:00 AM for "day-of" tour cancellations, which is often the only way to get inside the aging warehouses during peak season. For a deeper historical dive, visit the Kentucky Historical Society downtown to see the "Lincoln's Watch" and other artifacts that explain why this tiny river town remains the heartbeat of the Commonwealth.