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Ohio Valley History Conference

Title: Ohio Valley History Conference

Start: October 9, 2025, 5:30 pm EDT

End: October 11, 2025, 12:00 pm EDT

Address: 100 West Broadway Street . Frankfort, KY 40601

41st Ohio Valley History Conference: Borders, Boundaries, and Belonging

The Kentucky Historical Society is pleased to host the Ohio Valley History Conference (OVHC). OVHC is a regional conference promoting the work of scholars who live in or study Kentucky, Tennessee, and the greater Ohio Valley. The conference is open to historians and advanced graduate students from all time periods and specializations, including public historians and independent scholars. With the theme of “Borders, Boundaries, and Belonging,” the conference encourages deeper examination of how borders—both physical and imagined—shape the social, cultural, political, and legal terrains of history. Graduate students, independent scholars, and public historians are strongly encouraged to attend the conference. 

Keynote Speaker

We are proud to announce that the Friday night keynote speaker will be Dr. Eladio Bobadilla from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Bobadilla is a historian of social movements in the United States, whose research focuses on the intersections between class, race, ethnicity, immigration, and politics. His forthcoming book—For Us, There Are No More Back Doors: The Roots and Consequences of the Immigrants’ Rights Movement—will be published as part of the Working Class in American History series by the University of Illinois Press. 

Eladio Bobadilla Primary 1024x683

Schedule

All activities will be held at the Kentucky Historical Society's Kentucky History Center in downtown Frankfort. Sessions will be announced soon!

Thursday, October 9

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm - Opening Reception

Friday, October 10

8:30 am - Breakfast & Welcome

Sessions throughout the day and lunch on your own. 

6:00 pm - Buffet Dinner & Program with Keynote Speaker, Dr. Bobadilla

Saturday, October 11

8:30 am - Breakfast

Sessions until noon

Noon - Conference ends.

Accommodations & Directions

Click here to access a list of nearby hotels/rentals for October 9-11.

The Kentucky Historical Society campus, including the Kentucky History Center (where the conference will be held), is located at 100 W Broadway Street, Frankfort, KY, 40601.

From Louisville, KY (~55 miles / ~1 hour):

  • Take I-64 East toward Lexington.
  • Take Exit 53B for US-127 North toward Frankfort.
  • Continue on US-127 N / Lawrenceburg Rd.
  • Turn right onto Wilkinson Blvd 
  • At the four-way stop, turn left onto West Broadway Street (you will cross under a railroad underpass)
  • The Kentucky History Center will be on your left just past the Old State Capitol. Take a right onto Ann Street, and the parking lot entrance will be immediately on your left.

From Lexington, KY (~28 miles / ~40 minutes):

  • Take US-60 West (Versailles Rd) toward Versailles and Frankfort.
  • Continue on US-60 into Frankfort. US-60 becomes US-421 N.
  • Follow signs for US-421 N.
  • US-421 N becomes Wilkinson Blvd.
  • At the four-way stop, turn left onto West Broadway Street (you will cross under a railroad underpass).
  • The Kentucky History Center will be on your left just past the Old State Capitol. Take a right onto Ann Street, and the parking lot entrance will be immediately on your left.

From Cincinnati, OH (~80 miles / ~1.5 hours):

  • Start on I-71 South from downtown Cincinnati.
  • Take Exit 62 for US-127 South toward Glencoe / Owenton.
  • Turn left onto US-127 South, following signs for Owenton / Frankfort.
  • Continue on US-127 S through Owenton, Monterey, Peaks Mill.
  • Follow signs for 127 S/421 N (merge onto Wilkinson Blvd).
  • Stay on Wilkinson Blvd into downtown Frankfort.
  • At the four-way stop, turn left onto West Broadway Street (you will cross under a railroad underpass).
  • The Kentucky History Center will be on your left just past the Old State Capitol. Take a right onto Ann Street, and the parking lot entrance will be immediately on your left.

From Bluegrass Parkway (via Lawrenceburg/US-127 N):

  • Take Bluegrass Parkway East toward Lawrenceburg.
  • Take Exit 59 for US-127 North toward Lawrenceburg/Frankfort.
  • Stay on US-127 N through Lawrenceburg and into Frankfort.
  • Turn right onto Wilkinson Blvd.
  • At the four-way stop, turn left onto West Broadway Street (you will cross under a railroad underpass).
  • The Kentucky History Center will be on your left just past the Old State Capitol. Take a right onto Ann Street, and the parking lot entrance will be immediately on your left.

Fees & Registration

$85 for graduate students

$100 for professors/public history professionals

Registration closes on October 3, 2025.

Click here to register.

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