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Canary cage from coal mine, c. 1900
Miners carried caged birds with them into coal mines to warn them of the presence of poisonous gases. With technological advances, electronic instruments replaced birds. The phrase "canary in the bird cage" became a popular American phrase for sensing impending danger. Donated by Wade Hall.
Canary cage from coal mine, c. 1900


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KHS Announces 2013 Kentucky Junior Historical Society Conference and Kentucky History Day Winners
FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 10, 2013) — Students from around the Commonwealth were rewarded for their...
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KHS Artifacts Loaned to Major Lincoln Exhibition
FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 8, 2013) – The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) will loan Abraham Lincoln’s...
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KHS Civil War Sesquicentennial

KHS Civil War Sesquicentennial
Click here to see all the latest news and events regarding the Kentucky Civil War Sesquicentennial.
Civil War Sesquicentennial Discovering Together: Kentucky's Civil War Landscapes