OKH: Our Kentucky Home -- Main Page

This website was launched in October of 2002 by friends and family of Kentuckians everywhere. Below is the inaugural letter which embodies the spirit of our intent and hope for the spirit and future of this web site.

These days, in the shadow of September 11th, in these trying times, the idea of home is a little more important to us all.
The idea for this website has been in the back of our minds for quite some time. For me, I suppose it started soon after I moved away from Kentucky and realized what treasure I had left behind. Kentucky is a lush, rich and beautiful land where good people live their lives, realize their dreams and represent what is true and right and proper about our nation as whole, on a daily basis. It seems the farther away from Kentucky you are, the tighter the heartstrings will pull and the more you will miss your old Kentucky home.
Now, many of you reading this will be lucky enough to be able to look out your window and see the beauty of the Bluegrass State. You may drive to work amid the rolling farmlands of the west, the majestic horsefarms of central Kentucky or verdant mountains in the east. But regardless where you are in Kentucky, you are surrounded by some of the most beautiful country in our entire nation. Having driven across most of the US several times, I assure you, this is no idle boast. Perched here on the edge of the west coast, admittedly enjoying the coastlines of northern California, I nonetheless find my thoughts drifting back over the fog-covered mountains of early mornings or listening to the gentle rain of a spring day. Like many people who call Kentucky home, though they live beyond its borders, I miss my Kentucky more than I let myself realize. It is for that reason, for those people outside the borders, as well as the friends, family and loved ones back home, that we built this web site.
Whether you are travelling through the state, living there, going back home or just wishing one those were the case, we hope you will find some happy thought or memory in the many pictures, sounds, articles and tidbits we've stored here. We invite you to share with us your stories, your memories of our land and to help pass on some of the rich heritage to the next generation.
One final note, on this the maiden issue of our website's newsletter. Though the plans for launching the website have been in the works for quite awhile, there was some question on whether we should launch a celebration of Kentucky just now. This is a difficult time for Kentuckians; they face very real and serious concerns on a local, state and national level. The question of celebration, in the face of these more sobering problems, gave us reason to pause and to consider waiting for a better time.
And yet, this is about Kentucky.
Kentucky is steeped in tradition and heritage and its history is a testament to the enduring strength of its people. The history of the Commonwealth is a litany of such difficult times -- and of overcoming them. The true nature and spirit of Kentucky is enduring strength against adversity, be that the battles of the Civil War, the midnight Riders of the Tobacco wars, floods and droughts or the problems we face today. Surrounded by its beauty, strengthened by its heritage and enduring through its people, Kentucky will always be there to remind us that, though times be difficult, we can always find comfort in our old Kentucky home.
So, in keeping with that truest of spirits, we decided that now was exactly the right time to celebrate Kentucky. Join us, friends and family, and welcome to Our Kentucky Home.

Enter

	This website was launched in October of 2002 by friends and family of Kentuckians everywhere. Below is the inaugural letter which embodies the spirit of our intent and hope for the spirit and future of this web site.
These days, in the shadow of September 11th, in these trying times, the idea of home is a little more important to us all. The idea for this website has been in the back of our minds for quite some time. For me, I suppose it started soon after I moved away from Kentucky and realized what treasure I had left behind. Kentucky is a lush, rich and beautiful land where good people live their lives, realize their dreams and represent what is true and right and proper about our nation as whole, on a daily basis. It seems the farther away from Kentucky you are, the tighter the heartstrings will pull and the more you will miss your old Kentucky home. Now, many of you reading this will be lucky enough to be able to look out your window and see the beauty of the Bluegrass State. You may drive to work amid the rolling farmlands of the west, the majestic horsefarms of central Kentucky or verdant mountains in the east. But regardless where you are in Kentucky, you are surrounded by some of the most beautiful country in our entire nation. Having driven across most of the US several times, I assure you, this is no idle boast. Perched here on the edge of the west coast, admittedly enjoying the coastlines of northern California, I nonetheless find my thoughts drifting back over the fog-covered mountains of early mornings or listening to the gentle rain of a spring day. Like many people who call Kentucky home, though they live beyond its borders, I miss my Kentucky more than I let myself realize. It is for that reason, for those people outside the borders, as well as the friends, family and loved ones back home, that we built this web site. Whether you are travelling through the state, living there, going back home or just wishing one those were the case, we hope you will find some happy thought or memory in the many pictures, sounds, articles and tidbits we've stored here. We invite you to share with us your stories, your memories of our land and to help pass on some of the rich heritage to the next generation. One final note, on this the maiden issue of our website's newsletter. Though the plans for launching the website have been in the works for quite awhile, there was some question on whether we should launch a celebration of Kentucky just now. This is a difficult time for Kentuckians; they face very real and serious concerns on a local, state and national level. The question of celebration, in the face of these more sobering problems, gave us reason to pause and to consider waiting for a better time. And yet, this is about Kentucky. Kentucky is steeped in tradition and heritage and its history is a testament to the enduring strength of its people. The history of the Commonwealth is a litany of such difficult times -- and of overcoming them. The true nature and spirit of Kentucky is enduring strength against adversity, be that the battles of the Civil War, the midnight Riders of the Tobacco wars, floods and droughts or the problems we face today. Surrounded by its beauty, strengthened by its heritage and enduring through its people, Kentucky will always be there to remind us that, though times be difficult, we can always find comfort in our old Kentucky home. So, in keeping with that truest of spirits, we decided that now was exactly the right time to celebrate Kentucky. Join us, friends and family, and welcome to Our Kentucky Home.