Louisville is well known for horse racing (the Kentucky Derby has been held there since 1875), and is a leading producer of gin, whiskey, tobacco, and Louisville Slugger baseball bats. Other major exports include chemicals, rubber, paint, and electrical appliances. It is home to the American Printing House for the Blind, the world's largest publisher of books in Braille, and the Kentucky School for the Blind. The University of Louisville was the first city-owned university in the U.S., founded in 1798, and the Louisville Free Public Library was one of the first public systems in the country.
