Louisville is the largest city in the state of Kentucky and the 29th-most populous city in the United States. It is one of two cities in Kentucky designated as first-class, the other being Lexington, the state’s second-largest city.
Louisville was founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark and is named after King Louis XVI of France. Situated along the Ohio River, Louisville was the site of the first Kentucky Derby and home to both the University of Louisville and the Louisville Cardinals.
Louisville is the historical seat of Jefferson County, located in north-central Kentucky at the Falls of Ohio. The city’s early growth was closely tied to its position on the river, and it quickly developed as a port city. By the early 1800s, Louisville had established itself as a major shipping center, which helped contribute to its rapid growth in population and industry.