Louisville, Kentucky river traffic between the upper Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico, the settlement first grew as a portage site. It was the founding city of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which grew into a system across 13 states. Today, the city is known as the home of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), the University of Louisville and its Louisville Cardinals athletic teams, Louisville Slugger baseball bats, and three of Kentucky's six "Fortune" 500 companies. Its main airport is also the site of United Parcel Service's worldwide air hub. Since 2003, Louisville's borders have
Louisville and Nashville Turnpike Louisville and Nashville Turnpike The Louisville and Nashville Turnpike was a toll road that ran from Louisville, Kentucky to Nashville, Tennessee during the 19th century. From Louisville, one route now called US highway 31W (further discussed below) ran through Elizabethtown, Munfordville, Glasgow Junction (now Park City), Bowling Green, and Franklin to the Tennessee line. The other Route ran through Bardstown, Buffalo, Glasgow, and Scottsville and is currently named U.S. 31E. The name survives in abbreviated form along routes including Kentucky State Highways 335 and 470. The route currently named US Hwy 31W was first proposed in 1825 by Kentucky Governor