Founded in 1778 at the falls of the Ohio River, Louisville (population 255, 511; metro 999,267) blends northern industrial urbanism and southern culture. A transport center, it also has produced cigarettes, bourbon, heavy appliances and automobiles. It is home to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs racetrack on the first Saturday in May the University of Louisville and broad-based local traditions in basketball, and Actor’s Thea-ter’s regional festival of New American plays. Rapidly growing Lexington (population 249, 139), 100 miles away is a center for Bluegrass horse farms and the University of Kentucky.