Frankfort, KY

Frankfort is Kentucky's capital city, set along the Kentucky River. Its name comes from the story of pioneer Stephen Frank, who was killed at a river crossing later called Frank's Ford. The city has the scale of a small capital rather than a giant metropolitan center, with state government, historic neighborhoods, river bluffs, and county-seat functions all close together. Frankfort feels compact and political, but also distinctly Kentucky, with bourbon country and Bluegrass landscapes just outside town.