Kentucky is an innovative and creative state and many things originated here. If you appreciate interesting and quirky facts about the Bluegrass State, then you’ll love this piece of Kentucky trivia that you may or may not have known. It is commonly believed that back in the 19th century, two sisters from Kentucky wrote “Happy Birthday,” one of the most well-known songs in the U.S. and even around the world.
There is one song in existence that almost everyone sings at least once a year, and that song very likely originated right here in Kentucky.
Betsie Van der Meer/ DigitalVision / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
When you sing “Happy Birthday To You” and then watch someone blow out the candles, have you ever wondered how the song came to be?
Google/Melanie Rudolph Most agree that this catchy tune began with two sisters from Kentucky. Patty and Mildred J. Hill lived in the Louisville area in the late 1800s where Patty was an educator and Mildred was a musician.
It’s said that Patty Hill worked at The Little Loomhouse, a destination that you can still visit outside of Louisville.
Facebook/The Little Loomhouse As a teacher, Patty would sing “Good Morning to All” while working with the children and her sister Mildred put these words to a melody. That melody would go on to become “Happy Birthday To You.”
While there has been some dispute over who actually wrote the song, credit typically goes to these sisters.
Google/Melanie Rudolph Kentucky sure likes to claim the song by means of Patty and Mildred, and even dedicated a parking lot in Louisville to them, which is also home to the plaque of the sisters, shown above.
Patty lived until 1946 and Mildred passed away in 1916. Both sisters are buried in the beautiful Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.
Flickr/LunchboxLarry
Along with the creators of “Happy Birthday To You,” Cave Hill Cemetery is the final resting place of Colonel Sanders and Muhammad Ali.
Facebook/Kentucky History on a Stick
These two sisters from Kentucky likely did not think their legacy would be a simple song they sang to little children.
Ezra Bailey/Stone/Getty Images And yet that song went on to be one of the most well-known tunes in the world and now when you sing it, think of this famous song’s humble, Kentucky beginnings.
The next time it’s your birthday or you are singing “Happy Birthday” to someone else, think of the two sisters from Kentucky who may have started it all with a simple tune for young children. Did you know this interesting trivia about Kentucky? What other facts about the Bluegrass do you find fascinating? Let us know in the comments!
Betsie Van der Meer/ DigitalVision / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
Google/Melanie Rudolph
Most agree that this catchy tune began with two sisters from Kentucky. Patty and Mildred J. Hill lived in the Louisville area in the late 1800s where Patty was an educator and Mildred was a musician.
Facebook/The Little Loomhouse
As a teacher, Patty would sing “Good Morning to All” while working with the children and her sister Mildred put these words to a melody. That melody would go on to become “Happy Birthday To You.”
Kentucky sure likes to claim the song by means of Patty and Mildred, and even dedicated a parking lot in Louisville to them, which is also home to the plaque of the sisters, shown above.
Flickr/LunchboxLarry
Facebook/Kentucky History on a Stick
Ezra Bailey/Stone/Getty Images
And yet that song went on to be one of the most well-known tunes in the world and now when you sing it, think of this famous song’s humble, Kentucky beginnings.
And be sure to read up on The Little Loomhouse, a historic and charming destination in Kentucky that’s part of the story of “Happy Birthday To You.”
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