Kentucky Could Have Been Transylvania, We Could Have Had Nashville

"Kentucky" is a wonderful old name. It's ours to keep, and we're used to it. Depending on your source, it's adapted from an Iroquois word that means "land of tomorrow." Very nice. On the other end of the scale, there's the one I learned in elementary school, "dark and bloody ground." Personally, I'd go with "land of tomorrow."

Daniel Boone Explores Kentucky

But in the 18th century, if Daniel Boone had his way (and considering he was DANIEL BOONE, I'm surprised he didn't get it) neither of those meanings would have applied because the Commonwealth would not have been called "Kentucky."

Kentucky Was Almost Named 'Transylvania'

In 1775, Boone and 30 others made the arduous journey from North Carolina to the Cumberland Gap. The goal was to establish a colony called Transylvania. Boone then helped develop one of the Bluegrass State's (pre-bluegrass) earliest settlements in Boonesborough, the capitol of Transylvania. That didn't last long as a land deal with the Cherokees three years later. Gone was the colony AND the name Transylvania. This map shows the purchased area and even indicates that if all had gone according to Boone's plan, Nashville (at least a large portion of its metropolitan area) would have been in Kentucky...I mean Transylvania.

Just think we could have had Dracula AND the Grand Ole Opry. Well, we still DO have a Transylvania, the university in Lexington, but it already doesn't feel like the same. Right now, I'm envisioning a big bluegrass festival with musicians dressed as vampires. I'm seeing Professor Van Helsing drinking an Ale 8 One and eating a hot brown before trying to find Vlad the Impaler (Dracula's real name).

Oh well, I guess we'll stick with "Kentucky." We don't have scary mountains NEARLY as big as the Carpathians. Kind of kills the mood.