Kentucky Governor, and Politician. Born in the Jackson Purchase region of far western Kentucky, he developed an interest in politics during the last few years of his attendance at the now-defunct Heath High School near Paducah. Originally enrolled in the local Paducah Junior College, Carroll received an associate's degree before marrying the former Mrs. Charlann Harting. The following Summer, his family relocated from rural McCracken County to Lexington, where he attended the University of Kentucky. Two years later, Carroll graduated from the university with a B.A. degree in Political Science. In 1956, he followed up this achievement with an LLB, at the time the primary law degree recognized within the country. Upon graduation from U.K., Carroll, an Air Force Reserve Cadet, enlisted in the United States Air Force for a period of three years. At the conclusion of his service in the Armed Forces, he returned to his hometown to take up practice in a local law firm. In early 1960, Carroll began his foray into politics when he was selected as the lead campaign official in McCracken County's effort to establish a TVA power supply for the county. The successful campaign launched the young lawyer into the public eye. Two years after the TVA project, Carroll was elected to his first of five terms representing McCracken County in the Kentucky General Assembly. From 1968 to 1970, he served as the Speaker of the House in the Assembly's lower chamber. During his time in the leadership position, he successfully instilled a greater sense of decorum within the Assembly, removing lobbyists, family and friends of the House members, and the practice of openly eating within the chamber. From 1971 to 1974, Carroll served under Governor Wendell Ford as the Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth. Ford's election to the United States Senate in '74 propelled Carroll to the highest office in the state, with Carroll serving as the fifty-fourth governor of Kentucky. The following year, he secured a landslide victory of his own, carrying every congressional district within the state. His Lieutenant Governor, Thelma Stovall, made history in her own right, becoming the first woman in the state to hold said position. Over the next five years, the Carroll administration worked actively to improve the state's legal and educational systems. Hallmarks of his legislation included raises for educator's pay and free textbooks for students. During the Oil Embargo of 1973, he served under President Jimmy Carter as an enery advisor. In this role, he advocated for the use of Kentucky's abundant coal resources. Later in his administration, he helped secure funding which proved pivotal in the expansion of the state's park system, and served as the chair of the National Governors Association. Following the conclusion of his term as governor, Carroll resumed practicing law. Twenty-five years after his last foray into politics, Carroll returned to the state Capitol when he won the Senate seat for Kentucky's seventh congressional district. Over the next sixteen years, he successfully held the seat. In recognition of his services to the Commonwealth, Carroll was bestowed a number of awards, including five honorary degrees from various institutes of higher learning. In 2001, the twenty-one-mile Purchase Parkway, spanning from Fulton to Graves counties, was renamed the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway in his honor.