The next edition of KET’s Kentucky Life traces the journey of Kentucky veterans in the War of 1812, which – despite being known as “The Forgotten War” – has left an indelible mark on our nation’s history. The episode airs Saturday, Jan. 16 at 8/7 pm and Sunday, Jan. 17 at 4/3 pm on KET and Monday, Jan. 18 at 7/6 pm on KET2.

Amazingly, Kentuckians accounted for 64 percent of the Americans killed in The War of 1812, despite the fact that Kentucky was never invaded.

In this special episode of Kentucky Life, the program follows the trail Kentucky soldiers of the War of 1812 may have journeyed, with stops in Monroe, Michigan, where a battlefield honors the bloody 1813 Battle of the River Raisin, to New Orleans, where the 200th anniversary of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans – the last major battle of the war – was celebrated last year.

The program also stops at the William Whitley House State Historic Site in Crab Orchard, Ky. At the age of 64, Whitley led the “Forlorn Hope” charge against Tecumseh’s forces at the 1813 Battle of the Thames, near present-day Ontario, in which both Tecumseh and Whitley were killed.

During the program, host Doug Flynn tries his hand at firing an authentic Kentucky Long Rifle, to get a glimpse at what warfare in that era may have felt – and sounded – like.

Kentucky Life is a KET production, produced by Brandon Wickey. Paul Smith is the segment producer for this episode.

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, serving more than one million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization on Twitter @KET and facebook.com/KET and at KET.org.

Contact:

Todd Piccirilli
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
859-258-7242
tpiccirilli@ket.org