Green County was founded on December 20, 1792, out of portions of Lincoln and Nelson Counties. Named after Revolutionary War hero Gen. Nathanael Greene, it was the 16th county formed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Established by a legislative act in 1794, Greensburg became the county seat and the economic hub of Green County. Although the county has experienced boom periods with the iron industry and oil exploration and development, those periods have unfortunately proven unsustainable. Yet, the county has shown resilience in overcoming challenges. The continuing strength of Green County's agricultural base combined with the growth of small businesses in Green County, particularly in Greensburg, signal a resurgence in the economic activity within the county's borders.

The Kentucky Encyclopedia's 2,000-plus entries are the work of more than five hundred writers. Their subjects reflect all areas of the commonwealth and span the time from prehistoric settlement to today's headlines, recording Kentuckians' achievements in art, architecture, business, education, politics, religion, science, and sports. Biographical sketches portray all of Kentucky's governors and U.S. senators, as well as note congressmen and state and local politicians. Kentucky's impact on the national scene is registered in the lives of such figures as Carry Nation, Henry Clay, Louis Brandeis, and Alben Barkley. The commonwealth's high range from writers Harriette Arnow and Jesse Stuart, reformers Laura Clay and Mary Breckinridge, and civil rights leaders Whitney Young, Jr., and Georgia Powers, to sports figures Muhammad Ali and Adolph Rupp and entertainers Loretta Lynn, Merle Travis, and the Everly Brothers. Entries describe each county and county seat and each community with a population above 2,500. Broad overview articles examine such topics as agriculture, segregation, transportation, literature, and folklife. Frequently misunderstood aspects of Kentucky's history and culture are clarified and popular misconceptions corrected. The facts on such subjects as mint juleps, Fort Knox, Boone's coonskin cap, the Kentucky hot brown, and Morgan's Raiders will settle many an argument. For both the researcher and the more casual reader, this collection of facts and fancies about Kentucky and Kentuckians will be an invaluable resource.