Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky
—  Consolidated city-county  —
Lexington-Fayette Urban County
Nickname(s): "Horse Capital of the World", "Athens of the West"
Location in the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Coordinates: 38°01′47″N 84°29′41″W
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Counties	Fayette
Government
• Mayor	Jim Gray (D)
Area
• Consolidated city-county	285.5 sq mi (739.4 km2)
• Land	284.5 sq mi (736.9 km2)
• Water	1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2)
• Urban	87.5 sq mi (226.7 km2)
Elevation	978 ft (298 m)
Population (2012)
• Consolidated city-county	305,489
• Density	1,042.8/sq mi (364.5/km2)
• Urban	290,263
• Metro	472,099
• Demonym	Lexingtonian
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
ZIP Code	40502–40517, 40522–40524, 40526, 40533, 40536, 40544, 40546, 40550, 40555, 40574–40583, 40588, 40591, 40598 40514, 40513, 40503
Area code(s)	859
Website	http://www.lexingtonky.gov/

Lexington (officially Lexington-Fayette Urban County) is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 62nd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region. In the 2012 US Census Estimate the city's population was 305,489, anchoring a metropolitan area of 472,099 people and a Combined Statistical Area of 687,173 people.

Lexington ranks tenth among US cities in college education rate, with 39.5% of residents having at least a bachelor's degree. It is the location of the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland race course, The Red Mile race course, Transylvania University, the University of Kentucky and Bluegrass Community & Technical College.

History

See also: Timeline of Lexington, Kentucky, history and History of Kentucky

Lexington was founded in June 1775 in what was then Virginia (17 years before Kentucky became a state in 1792). A party of frontiersmen, led by William McConnell, camped on the Middle Fork of Elkhorn Creek (today called Town Branch and rerouted under Vine Street) at the location known today as McConnell Springs. Upon hearing of the colonists' victory in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, on April 19, 1775, they named their campsite Lexington after Lexington, Massachusetts. Due to the danger of Indian attacks, permanent settlement was delayed for four years. In 1779, Colonel Robert Patterson and 25 companions came from Fort Harrod and erected a blockhouse. Cabins and a stockade were soon built, making the fort, known as Bryan Station, a place of importance. Colonists defended it against a British and American Indian attack in 1782, during the last part of the American Revolution.

Henry Clay's old law office in Downtown Lexington

The town of Lexington was established on May 6, 1782, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. The First African Baptist Church was founded c. 1790 by Peter Durrett, a Baptist preacher and slave held by Rev. Joseph Craig. Durrett helped guide "The Traveling Church", a group migration of several hundred pioneers led by the preacher Lewis Craig and Captain William Ellis from Virginia to Kentucky in 1781. It is the oldest black Baptist congregation in Kentucky and the third oldest in the United States.

By 1820, Lexington was one of the largest and wealthiest towns west of the Allegheny Mountains. So cultured was its lifestyle that the city gained the nickname "Athens of the West". One early prominent citizen, John Wesley Hunt, became the first millionaire west of the Alleghenies. The growing town was devastated by a cholera epidemic in 1833: 500 of 7,000 residents died within two months, including nearly one-third of the congregation of Christ Church Episcopal. London Ferrill, second preacher of First African Baptist, was one of three clergy who stayed in the city to serve the suffering. Additional cholera outbreaks occurred in 1848–49 and the early 1850s. Cholera was spread by people using contaminated water supplies, but its transmission was not understood in those years. Often the wealthier people would flee town for outlying areas to try to avoid the spread of disease.

Victorian Square in Downtown Lexington

Planters held slaves for use as field hands, laborers, artisans, and domestic servants. In the city, slaves worked primarily as domestic servants and artisans, although they also worked with merchants, shippers, and in a wide variety of trades. In 1850, one-fifth of the state's population were slaves, and Lexington had the highest concentration of slaves in the state. It also had a population of free blacks. By 1850, First African Baptist Church, led by London Ferrill, a free black, had a congregation of 1820, the largest of any, black or white, in the state.

Many of 19th-century America's most important people spent part of their lives in the city, including U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis (who attended Transylvania University in 1823 and 1824); Confederate general John Hunt Morgan; U.S. Senator and Vice President John C. Breckinridge; and Speaker of the House, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State Henry Clay, who had a plantation nearby. Lincoln's wife Mary Todd Lincoln was born and raised in Lexington, and the couple visited the city several times after their marriage in 1842.

In 1935 Lexington founded one of the first drug rehabilitation clinics, known as the "Addiction Research Center". Expanded as the first alcohol and drug rehabilitation hospital in the United States, it was known as "Narco" of Lexington. The hospital was later converted into a federal prison.

Geography

Vine & Broadway in Downtown Lexington

Lexington, which includes all Fayette County, consists of 285.5 square miles (739.4 km²), mostly gently rolling plateau, in the center of the inner Bluegrass Region. The area is noted for its fertile soil, excellent pastureland, and horse and stock farms. Poa pratensis (bluegrass) thrives on the limestone beneath the soil's surface, playing a major role in the area's scenic beauty and in the development of champion horses. Numerous small creeks rise and flow into the Kentucky River.

The Lexington-Fayette Metro area is home to five counties: Clark, Jessamine, Bourbon, Woodford, and Scott. This is the second largest metro area in the Ohio Valley and in Kentucky. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 285.5 square miles (739 km²). 284.5 square miles (737 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²) of it (0.35%) is water.

Climate

Lexington is in the northern periphery of the humid subtropical climate zone, with hot, humid summers, and cool winters with occasional mild periods. The city and the surrounding Bluegrass region have four distinct seasons that include cool plateau breezes, moderate nights in the summer, and no prolonged periods of heat, cold, rain, wind, or snow. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 32.9 °F (0.5 °C) in January to 76.2 °F (24.6 °C) in July, while the annual mean temperature is 55.5 °F (13.1 °C). On average, there are 23 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs annually, there are 19 days per winter where the high fails to rise above freezing. Annual precipitation is 45.1 inches (1,150 mm), with the late spring and summer months being slightly wetter; snowfall averages 13.4 inches (34 cm) per season. Extreme temperatures range from −21 °F (−29 °C) on January 24, 1963, up to 108 °F (42 °C) on July 10 and 15, 1936.

Lexington is recognized as a high allergy area by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The results for the spring of 2008 rank Lexington at first.

Climate data for Lexington, Kentucky (Blue Grass Airport), 1981–2010 normals
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	80 (27)	80 (27)	86 (30)	91 (33)	96 (36)	104 (40)	108 (42)	105 (41)	103 (39)	93 (34)	83 (28)	75 (24)	108 (42)
Average high °F (°C)	40.9 (4.9)	45.6 (7.6)	55.4 (13)	65.8 (18.8)	74.4 (23.6)	82.9 (28.3)	86.1 (30.1)	85.6 (29.8)	78.8 (26)	67.5 (19.7)	55.4 (13)	43.9 (6.6)	65.2 (18.4)
Average low °F (°C)	24.9 (−3.9)	28.1 (−2.2)	35.7 (2.1)	44.7 (7.1)	53.9 (12.2)	62.5 (16.9)	66.3 (19.1)	65.0 (18.3)	57.5 (14.2)	46.6 (8.1)	37.3 (2.9)	28.0 (−2.2)	45.9 (7.7)
Record low °F (°C)	−21 (−29)	−20 (−29)	−2 (−19)	15 (−9)	26 (−3)	39 (4)	47 (8)	42 (6)	32 (0)	20 (−7)	−3 (−19)	−19 (−28)	−21 (−29)
Precipitation inches (mm)	3.20 (81.3)	3.19 (81)	4.07 (103.4)	3.60 (91.4)	5.26 (133.6)	4.44 (112.8)	4.65 (118.1)	3.25 (82.6)	2.91 (73.9)	3.13 (79.5)	3.52 (89.4)	3.93 (99.8)	45.14 (1,146.6)
Snowfall inches (cm)	4.3 (10.9)	4.7 (11.9)	1.4 (3.6)	0.3 (0.8)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.3 (0.8)	2.5 (6.4)	13.4 (34)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	12.1	11.1	12.4	12.1	12.5	10.9	10.4	8.7	7.8	8.7	10.7	12.4	129.8
Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	4.9	3.8	1.4	0.3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	3.0	13.9
Source #1: NOAA (extremes 1872–present)
Source #2: The Weather Channel

Cityscape

Main article: Cityscape of Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington features a diverse cityscape. From its vibrant downtown, which supports infill and historic preservation projects, to its famed horse farms, the city prides itself in featuring an urban growth boundary that includes greenbelts and strict zoning definitions. This has been done not only to protect the Bluegrass landscape from further development but to protect thoroughbred horse farms, the trademark industry of the region.

Forbes has named Lexington as one of the world's seventeen cleanest cities.

Panoramic view of downtown Lexington area.

Planning

Lexington's strict urban growth boundary protects area horse farms from development.

Lexington faces a rare challenge among American cities in that it must manage a rapidly growing population while maintaining the character of the surrounding horse farms that give the region its identity. To do so Lexington enacted the nation's first Urban Growth Boundary in 1958, where new development could only occur in the Urban Service Area. It set a strict minimum area requirement, currently 40 acres (160,000 m²), to maintain open space in the Rural Service Area. A historic District Zoning Overlay was adopted as well to protect the historic character of the surrounding neighborhoods. Two years later, a comprehensive Design Plan for the downtown was completed, which called for the removal of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway lines on what is today's Vine Street. In 1967, the Urban Service Area was decreased in area; various zoning regulations were also amended from the original 1958 issue. Several years later, in 1973, the first Lexington Comprehensive Plan was completed.

Cheapside Ave in Downtown, now closed to vehicles

In 1980, the Comprehensive Plan was updated and the Urban Service Area was modified to include Urban Activity Centers and Rural Activity Centers. The Urban Activity Centers were commercial and light-industrial districts in urbanized areas, while Rural Activity Centers were retail trade and light-industrial centers clustered around the Interstate 64/Interstate 75 interchanges. In 1996, the Urban Service Area was expanded when 5,300 acres (21 km²) of the Rural Service Area was acquired through the Expansion Area Master Plan. This was not without controversy; the first major update to the Comprehensive Plan in over a decade was accompanied by arguments about the future of Lexington and the thoroughbred farms.

The Expansion Area Master Plan included impact fees, assessment districts, neighborhood design concepts, design overlays, mandatory greenways, major roadway improvements, stormwater management and open space mitigation for the first time; it also included a draft of the Rural Land Management Plan, which included large-lot zoning and traffic impact controls. A pre-zoning of the entire expansion area was refuted in the Plan. A 50-acre (200,000 m²) minimum proposal was also defeated, although discussion of the proposal led to a deluge of 10-acre (40,000 m²) subdivisions in the Rural Service Areas.

Three years after the expansion was initiated, the Rural Service Area Land Management Plan was adopted, which increased the minimum lot size in the agricultural rural zones to 40-acre (160,000 m²) minimums. In 1998, a moratorium was issued on rural lot creations to curb the development of new rural 10-acre (40,000 m²) subdivisions, which were incompatible with the existing agricultural uses. Two years later, the Purchase of Development Rights plan was adopted, which granted the city power to purchase the development rights of existing farms; in 2001, $40 million was allocated to the plan from a $25 million local, $15 million state grant. An Infill and Redevelopment study was also initiated during that time, along with design guidelines for the areas surrounding the new Fayette County courthouses.

Government and politics

Federally, Lexington is part of Kentucky's 6th congressional district, represented by Republican Andy Barr, elected in 2012. Previously, Democrat Ben Chandler represented Kentucky, elected in 2004.

The state's senior member of the United States Senate is the Republican Floor Leader, Mitch McConnell, elected in 1984. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Rand Paul, elected in 2010. The Governor of Kentucky is Democrat Steve Beshear, elected in 2007.

In 1974, the governments of the city of Lexington and Fayette County, Kentucky, combined to create the current Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, often abbreviated LFUCG. Lexington has an elected mayor and city council-style of government.

Mayor

On November 2, 2010, former vice-mayor Jim Gray was elected mayor, becoming the city's first openly gay mayor. He was sworn into office on January 2, 2011, by Kentucky Supreme Court justice Mary Noble. Gray was preceded by Mayor Jim Newberry, and the two collaborated on developing improved industrial and agricultural opportunity for the City of Lexington and the State of Kentucky.

Urban County Council

The Urban County Council is a 15-member legislative group. Twelve of the members represent specific districts and serve two-year terms; three are elected city-wide as at-large council members and serve four-year terms. The at-large member receiving the highest number of votes in the general election automatically becomes the Vice Mayor who, in the absence of the Mayor, is the presiding officer of the Council. The current council members are:

Robert F. Stephens Courthouse

• Linda Gorton: Vice Mayor
• Chuck Ellinger II: At-Large
• Steve Kay: At-Large
• 1st District: Chris Ford
• 2nd District: Shevawn Akers
• 3rd District: Diane Lawless
• 4th District: Julian Beard
• 5th District: Bill Farmer, Jr.
• 6th District: Kevin Stinnett
• 7th District: Jennifer Scutchfield
• 8th District: George Myers
• 9th District: Jennifer Mossotti
• 10th District: Harry Clarke
• 11th District: Peggy Henson
• 12th District: Ed Lane

Law enforcement

Primary law enforcement duties within Lexington are the responsibility of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Police. The Division of Police resulted from the merger of the Lexington Police Department with the Fayette County Patrol in 1974. The Fayette County Sheriff's Office is responsible for court service, including court security, prisoner transport, process and warrant service, and property tax collection. The University of Kentucky Police Department, the Transylvania University Department of Public Safety, Blue Grass Airport Public Safety, Lexington-Fayette Division of Community Corrections, Fayette County Schools Department of Law Enforcement, the Veterans Affairs Police Department and the Kentucky Horse Park Police also have jurisdiction within their geographic areas in Lexington-Fayette County. In addition, the Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control exercises law enforcement over animal control issues and the Kentucky State Police, KSP Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources can be seen performing their respective law enforcement duties within the county. Several federal law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI and Secret Service, maintain satellite offices within Lexington while the Federal Bureau of Prisons operates FMC Lexington within Fayette County.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	18,410		—
1800	14,028		−23.8%
1810	21,370		52.3%
1820	23,250		8.8%
1830	25,098		7.9%
1840	22,194		−11.6%
1850	22,735		2.4%
1860	22,599		−0.6%
1870	26,656		18.0%
1880	29,023		8.9%
1890	35,698		23.0%
1900	42,071		17.9%
1910	47,715		13.4%
1920	54,664		14.6%
1930	68,543		25.4%
1940	78,899		15.1%
1950	100,746		27.7%
1960	131,906		30.9%
1970	174,323		32.2%
1980	204,165		17.1%
1990	225,366		10.4%
2000	260,512		15.6%
2010	295,803		13.5%
Est. 2011	301,569		1.9%
University of Kentucky 2011 estimate

The Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Jessamine, Scott, and Woodford counties. The MSA population in 2006 was estimated at 436,684. The Lexington-Fayette-Frankfort-Richmond, KY Combined Statistical Area had an estimated population of 645,006 in 2006. This includes the metro area and an additional seven counties.

As of the census of 2010, there were 295,803 people, 123,043 households, and 69,661 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,036.1 per square mile (400.0 /km²). There were 135,160 housing units at an average density of 473.4 per square mile (182.8 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.7% White, 14.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.2% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.9% of the population.

There were 123,043 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals living alone and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.94.

The age distribution was 24.95% under 20, 10.3% from 20 to 24, 29.92% from 25 to 44, 24.27% from 45 to 64, and 10.53% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,813, and the median income for a family was $53,264. Males had a median income of $36,166 versus $26,964 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,109. About 8.2% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under the age of 18 and 8.6% of those ages 65 and older.

_Sources:

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• _{1970 census:}
• _{1980 census:}
• _{1990 census:}
• _{2000 to 2005 census:}
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Economy

Main article: Economy of Lexington, Kentucky

See also: List of employers in Lexington, Kentucky

The Jif Peanut butter plant on Winchester Road

With its abundance of government and technology jobs, Lexington has one of the nation's most stable economies. Lexington has been described as having "a fortified economy, strong in manufacturing, technology and entrepreneurial support, benefiting from a diverse, balanced business base". The Lexington Metro Area had a July 2008 unemployment rate of only 5.4%. Lexington was named the 4th best city for "Businesses and Careers" in 2011 by Forbes Magazine, the 5th best city for Young Professionals in 2008 and 6th Best Value Cities 2011 by Kiplinger. As such, the city is home to several large corporations. There are three Fortune 500 companies located within the city, Affiliated Computer Services, Lexmark International and Hewlett Packard, employing 1,200, 3,450, and 250 respectively. United Parcel Service, Trane, Tempur-Pedic, International and Amazon.com, Inc. have a large presence in the city, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky is within the Lexington CSA in adjoining Georgetown. The city is also host to a Jif peanut butter plant that produces more peanut butter than any other factory in the world, and to the Forcht Group of Kentucky, a holding company that employs more than 2,100 people across Kentucky. Forcht Group operates several businesses in Lexington including First Corbin Bancorp, Kentucky National Insurance Company, My Favorite Things, BSC, a bank data services company, and First Lab, among others.

The city's largest employer, the University of Kentucky, as of 2012, employs about 14,000, although that number is expected to shrink due to reduced funding from the state. The University is the ninth largest economic company in the state of Kentucky, with an annual budget of $1.4 billion, and the College of Medicine within the University is the 21st-largest company in the state.

Other sizable employers include the Lexington-Fayette County government and other hospital facilities. This includes the Fayette County Public Schools, employing 4,651, and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, employing 3,936. Central Baptist Hospital, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, and the Veterans Administration Hospital employ 6,206 total.

Education

See also: List of schools in Lexington, Kentucky

Memorial Hall is the most frequently photographed building at the University of Kentucky

According to the United States Census, of Lexington's population over the age of twenty-five, 22.4% hold a bachelor's degree, 11.4% hold a master's degree, and 3.1% hold a professional degree. Just 2.6% hold a doctorate degree. Lexington was ranked 10th in a list of America's most educated cities with a population of more than 250,000, ranked by percentage of bachelor's degrees among residents 25 and older, according to the United States Census Bureau. In a report released by Jack Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University, Lexington ranks 13th in the United States in terms of literacy rate. The index was compiled through six indicators of literacy, including Internet sources, newspaper circulation, the number of bookstores, library resources, education and periodical resources.

The city is served by the Fayette County Public Schools. The system consists of 5 high schools, 11 middle schools, and 33 elementary schools, along with six private schools. There are also two traditional colleges: the University of Kentucky, which is the state's flagship public university, and Transylvania University, which is the state's oldest four-year university. Other institutions of higher learning include Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Sullivan University, Spencerian College, Medtech College, Strayer University, Commonwealth Baptist College, and a newly opened distance-learning extension of Indiana Wesleyan University. Additionally, Kentucky State University and Eastern Kentucky University are in the neighboring cities of Frankfort and Richmond respectively, which places them within the Lexington Combined Statistical Area.

Culture

Annual cultural events and fairs

Lexington is home to many thriving arts organizations including a professional orchestra, two ballet companies, professional theatre, several museums including a basketball museum, several choral organizations and a highly respected opera program at the University of Kentucky. In addition, there are several events and fairs that draw people from throughout the Bluegrass.

The Lexington History Center in downtown Lexington. Before it was converted into a museum, the building was used as the Fayette County courthouse.

Mayfest Arts Fair is a free outdoor festival that takes place annually over Mother's Day weekend. Held in Gratz Park between the Carnegie Center and Transylvania University, the festival typically features up to 100 art and craft booths, live entertainment throughout the weekend, food, children's activities, adult activities and literary events, free carriage rides, a traditional Morris and Maypole dance and various demonstrations.

Taking part the first full weekend of June is the Festival of the Bluegrass, Kentucky's oldest bluegrass music festival. It includes three stages for music and a "music camp" that teaches the bluegrass music to school children. Also in June is the popular Broadway review presented by UK Opera Theatre, "It's A Grand Night for Singing!" usually held the 2nd and 3rd weekends.

Later in June, the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization hosts the Lexington Pride Festival, currently into the planning phases of its third festival as of 2009, the event is popular among the diverse communities in Lexington.

Lexingtonians gather downtown for the Fourth of July festivities which extend for several days. On July 3, the Gratz Park Historic District is transformed into an outdoor music hall when the Patriotic Music Concert is held on the steps of Morrison Hall at Transylvania University. The Lexington Singers and the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra perform at this event. On the Fourth, annual festivities include a reading of the Declaration of Independence on the steps of the Old Courthouse, a waiter's race in Phoenix Park, a parade, a country music concert, and fireworks. Also, throughout the day street vendors sell their wares and food to the downtown visitors. The Fourth of July is considered to be the biggest holiday in Lexington.

“Many Cultures... One City” Festival Latino de Lexington the biggest fiesta in September, now on its 12th year, has been the city's main event to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. During the festival, thousands of people, Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike, gather in downtown Lexington to enjoy the cultural displays, dancing presentations, live music, and a variety of food from different regions in Latin America.

Rupp Arena serves as the home of UK men's basketball and is also a major concert and convention venue

"Southern Lights: Spectacular Sights on Holiday Nights", taking place from November 18 to December 31, is held at the Kentucky Horse Park. It includes a three-mile (5 km) drive through the park, showcasing numerous displays, many in character with the horse industry and history of Lexington. The "Mini-Train Express", an indoor petting exotic animal petting zoo, the International Museum of the Horse, an exhibit showcasing the Bluegrass Railway Club's model train, and Santa Claus are other major highlights.

In 2002 Lexington became the first city to launch a Thriller video reenactment as a Halloween festivity. The video’s storyline and dance sequences are faithfully recreated, beginning outside the historic Kentucky Theatre and featuring hundreds of zombies who attend rehearsals at nearby Mecca Live Studio in the weeks leading up to the parade. Lexington’s 10th annual Thriller Parade was sponsored by Lexington Parks and Recreation, Mecca, and WRFL FM 88.1, and took place on October 30, 2011 for an audience of thousands, with Albert Ignacio playing the role of Michael Jackson. Lexington’s March Madness Marching Band also performs in zombie attire.

The Lexington Christmas Parade: Held usually the day after Thanksgiving, the parade route follows Main Street between Midland and Broadway. Festivities include a Holiday Market with over 25 arts and craft vendors, a stage with entertainment, food, and the annual tree lighting ceremony, which occur in Triangle Park.

Other events and fairs include:

• The Artists Market: A small display of arts and craft booths which is set up concurrently with the Farmer's Market each Saturday from the first weekend in June through the last weekend in August. Located in Cheapside Park adjacent to the Lexington Farmer's Market.
• Thursday Night Live: An annual summer series of free, public concerts held in Cheapside Park every Thursday evening from 4:30pm – 7:30pm in from May – October.
• A Midsummer Night's Run: A 5K race in early August.
• The Woodland Art Fair: An annual event of the Lexington Art League, is held annually in August at Woodland Park and features many local and national artists working in a variety of media.
• The Roots & Heritage Festival: An event that takes place throughout the month of September and consists of a wide variety of culturally enriching activities including art exhibits, literary readings, film presentations, the Festival Ball and the ever-popular two-day street festival featuring live musical performances from internationally renowned artists.
• The Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra presents several annual concerts.
• The Kentucky Women Writers Conference which has hosted dozens of the nations foremost women writers.
• Gallery Hop: a seasonal event where the city's art galleries are open to the public on the third Friday of February, April, June, September and November.
• Beaux Arts Ball: A masquerade ball hosted by the University of Kentucky's College of Design (formerly College of Architecture).
• Tournament of Champions: One of three national high school debate championship tournaments featuring policy debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate. The best teams in the nation meet after qualifying during the regular season on the first weekend in May annually, hosted by the University of Kentucky Debate Team.
• Lexington Pride Festival: An annual summer event to celebrate pride in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Lexington has one of the highest concentrations of gay and lesbian couples in the United States for a city its size.

Historical structures and museums

The Mary Todd Lincoln House, completed in 1832

Hunt-Morgan House, completed in 1814, served as residence for the first millionaire west of the Appalachians (John Wesley Hunt), a Confederate General (John Hunt Morgan), and Kentucky's only Nobel Prize winner (Thomas Hunt Morgan)

Lexington is home to numerous museums and historical structures. One of the most famous is Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate along Richmond Road east of downtown. This two-story museum is a National Historic Landmark and was the former home of statesman Henry Clay.

Lexington Public Library, in the Phoenix Park area near the geographic center of Lexington, houses the world's largest ceiling clock, a five-story Foucault pendulum and a frieze depicting the history of the horse in the Bluegrass. It is also home to an art gallery and the 138-seat Farish Theater. In addition to the Central Library, there are five branches located throughout the city: Beaumont (off Harrodsburg Rd.), Eagle Creek (off Richmond Rd.), Northside (Russell Cave Rd.), Tates Creek (off Tates Creek Rd.), and Village (Versailles Rd.). Lexington Public Library offers a variety of programs and services to the citizens of Fayette County and circulates nearly 3,000,000 items per year.

The Pope Villa, built in 1811, is one of the best surviving domestic designs by the architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe. It is being restored by the Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation, which also maintains and administers the Hunt-Morgan House.

Additional historic sites are the following:

• Aviation Museum of Kentucky
• First African Baptist Church
• The Headley-Whitney Museum
• Hunt-Morgan House
• Kentucky Theatre
• Lexington Cemetery
• Martin Castle Also known as Castle Post
• Mary Todd Lincoln House
• Old Morrison, on the Transylvania University campus
• Rupp Arena
• Waveland State Historic Site

The University of Kentucky Art Museum is the premier art museum for Lexington and the only accredited museum in the region. Its collection of over 4000 objects ranges from Old Masters to Contemporary, and it also hosts ongoing special exhibitions.

The local Woolworth's building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as a site of civil rights protests against segregation during the 1960s. The building was demolished by its owner in 2004 and the area paved for use as a parking lot until further development.

Media

Main article: Media in Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington's largest daily circulating newspaper is the Lexington Herald-Leader. The region is also served by eight primary television stations, including WLEX, WKYT, WDKY, WTVQ, The CW, WKLE, and MyNetworkTV, and online news agency KyForward.com. Business Lexington is a bi-weekly business newspaper. The Chevy Chaser Magazine and the Southsider Magazine are two community publications. The state's public television network, Kentucky Educational Television (KET), is headquartered in Lexington and is one of the nation's largest public networks.

Parks and outdoor attractions

City parks and facilities

Lexington Cemetery's tulip garden. The facility was founded in 1848, during a cholera epidemic.

Lexington has over 100 parks ranging in size from the 8,719-square-foot (810.0 m²) Smith Street Park to the 659-acre (2.7 km²) Masterson Station Park. There are also six public golf courses at Avon, Kearney Links, Lakeside, Meadowbrook, Tates Creek and Picadome and four dog parks, at Jacobson, Masterson Station, Coldstream, and Wellington. It also has two public 18-hole disc golf courses at Shillito Park and at Veterans Park, and a public skate park at Woodland Park, featuring 12,000 square feet (1,100 m²) of "ramps, platforms, bowls, and pipes".

Lexington Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places, not only because of notable people interred there, but because it was founded during the major cholera epidemic of 1848.

Horse racing tracks

Lexington is home to two historic horse racing tracks. Keeneland, sporting live races in April and October since 1936, is steeped in tradition where much has not changed since the track's opening. The Red Mile Harness Track is the oldest horse racing track in the city, and second oldest in the nation. This is where horses pull two-wheeled carts called sulkies while racing, also referred to as harness racing. The Kentucky Horse Park, located along scenic Iron Works Pike, is a relatively late-comer to Lexington, opening in 1978. It is a working horse farm and an educational theme park, along with holding the distinction of being a retirement home for some of the world's greatest competition horses including Cigar and 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide. Lexington also played host to the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in September and October 2010.

Natural areas

The city is home to Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, a 734-acre (3.0 km²) nature preserve along the Kentucky River Palisades. There are 11 miles (18 km) of back-country hiking trails that range from wheelchair-accessible paved trails to difficult single-track trails. It is common to run across hopeful Appalachian Trail backpackers. The city has recently purchased land adjacent to the park which will make Raven Run the largest park in the city. Raven Run is home to over 56 species of trees, 600 species of plants, 200 species of birds, and other wildlife. Remains of a grist mill, homestead and limekiln remain. The preserve also has a nature center and various educational programs throughout the year. Such programs include seasonal wildflower walks, stargazing during the warmer months, evening insect tours, and historical walks and presentations.

The Arboretum is a 100-acre (0.40 km²) preserve adjacent to the University of Kentucky. It features the Arboretum Woods, a small, 16-acre (65,000 m²) Bluegrass Woodland patch that is home to eighteen native Kentucky tree species, and more than 50 native Kentucky grasses and herbs. It also has 1,500 varieties of roses in the Rose Garden, a Home Demonstration Garden, and numerous paved paths and trails.

The city also plays host to the historic McConnell Springs, a 26-acre (110,000 m²) park within the industrial confines off of Old Frankfort Pike. There are two miles (3 km) of trails that surround the namesake springs, historic dry-laid stone fences, and historical structures.

Sports

College athletics

Commonwealth Stadium

The Kentucky Wildcats, the athletic program of the University of Kentucky, is by far Lexington's most popular sports entity. The school fields 22 varsity sports teams, most of which compete in the Southeastern Conference. The most famous team by far is the men's basketball team, which has won 8 NCAA championships and is the winningest program in college basketball history, being the first to reach 2000 wins. Lexington's only other collegiate team, the Transylvania University Pioneers, competes in NCAA Division III athletics.

Lexington produced a number a major collegiate and professional athletes. The more well known include World Athletics Championships multiple gold medal-winning sprinter Tyson Gay; former Tates Creek High School and Louisville Cardinals kicker David Akers, who is the all-time scoring leader for the Philadelphia Eagles; former Louisville Cardinals football player and Cleveland Browns cornerback Frank Minnifield; Miami Marlins outfielder Austin Kearns; former Kentucky and Pittsburgh Steelers center Dermontti Dawson; and NBC Sports announcer Tom Hammond.

Professional sports

A Lexington Legends game

Lexington is home to the Lexington Legends, a Class A minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Since its inception in 2001, Lexington has produced numerous major leaguers including: 2009 National League All-Star Hunter Pence (Outfielder) of the San Francisco Giants, John Buck (Catcher) of the Florida Marlins, Mike Gallo (Pitcher), who is currently a free agent, and Josh Anderson, (Right fielder) who is currently a Free Agent. The Legends belong to the South Atlantic League, have one league title (2001) and four playoff appearances since 2001. Roger Clemens pitched in one game for the Legends in 2006 as part of his preparation to return to the Houston Astros.

Lexington was at one time home to the Lexington Horsemen, an arena football team in the arenafootball2 league.

Lexington was at one time home to the Kentucky Thoroughblades, a minor league (AHL) hockey team that played between 1996 and 2001. For one season (2002–2003) the ECHL Men O' War played minor league hockey in Lexington.

The University of Kentucky Hockey team competes at club level in the American Collegiate Hockey Association

For a time the city was home to the Lexington Bluegrass Bandits who competed in the USL Premier Development League

In fall 2009, Lexington's first professional basketball team, the American Basketball Association's Bluegrass Stallions, tipped off at Kentucky Horse Park.

Horse racing and equestrian events

The Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event

Lexington has been known as a major center for Thoroughbred breeding since the late 18th century due to the high calcium content in the soils of the Inner Bluegrass Region, which leads to stronger bones and greater durability in horses. The city is home to two horse racing tracks, Keeneland and the The Red Mile harness track.

The Kentucky Horse Park in Northern Fayette County hosts the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, one of the top 3 annual equestrian eventing competitions in the world. The city hosted the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games from September 25 to October 10, 2010. Beginning in 2011, the Kentucky Horse Park is also the host to the National Horse Show.

Transportation

Highways

Main article: Roads of Lexington, Kentucky

North Broadway near Transylvania University's campus

Lexington is serviced by both Interstate 64 and Interstate 75, though neither they nor any other freeway run through the city proper. New Circle Road (KY 4) acts as an inner-beltway around the city, Man o' War Boulevard is a semi outer-beltway south of New Circle Road, and numerous U.S. routes and arterial highways radiate out from downtown to provide access to the numerous bedroom communities ringing the metropolitan area. Citation Boulevard is planned to provide some relief to northern New Circle between Leestown Road and Russell Cave Road. Lexington suffers considerable traffic congestion for a city of its size due to the lack of out- or inbound freeways, the proximity of the University of Kentucky to downtown, and the substantial number of commuters from outlying towns.

Air

Blue Grass Airport is Lexington's primary commercial airport. It provides approximately 13 nonstop flights and a total of 86 flights daily from its two runways. Five major airlines operate connection service at Blue Grass, including Allegiant Air, American Eagle Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Express, and US Airways Express.

On August 27, 2006, Comair Flight 5191 took off from the wrong runway, and crashed in a nearby field, killing 49 of the 50 passengers, leaving the first officer alive but badly burned. The aircraft involved was a 50-seat Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-100ER, serial number 7472. On August 27, 2011, a memorial sculpture depicting 47 steel birds flying was unveiled and dedicated to the victims.

The airport is located four miles (six km) west of the city center, at the intersection of US 60 (Versailles Road) and Man o' War Boulevard.

In addition to commercial airline service, the airport is also home to several private {general aviation} operators including TACAir, which serves as the airport's FBO (Fixed Base Operator). Flight training and aircraft maintenance services are also offered. A brand new general aviation runway was dedicated August 4, 2010.

Public transportation

Main article: LexTran

Lexington is served by LexTran, a public transit bus agency operated by LFUCG and has been in existence since 1972. LexTran (officially the Transit Authority of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government) is a public transportation bus system serving Lexington, Kentucky. It runs bus routes throughout the city which all converge in downtown at the Lexington Transit Center located at 220 East Vine. It provides public transportation in the form of buses and lift vans. It operates seven days a week on eight bus routes from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. In addition to mainline and paratransit, LexTran contracts with the University of Kentucky and operates four routes around the campus. It also runs two routes to the Bluegrass Community and Technical College campuses. Even though Lexington and Fayette County are a consolidated government, LexTran does not provide service outside the Lexington city proper due to limited funding sources.[4

Transportation planning

The Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is responsible for transportation planning for Fayette and Jessamine Counties. This includes activities such as carpool matching, administering a commuter vanpool program, air quality forecasting, bicycle and pedestrian planning, congestion management, and developing transportation plans and documents.

Sister cities

Lexington has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Deauville, France since 1957
• County Kildare, Ireland since 1984
• Newmarket, United Kingdom since 2003
• Shinhidaka, Japan since 2006
  • Shinhidaka was formed by a 2006 local government merger. One of the entities involved in the merger was Shizunai, which established a sister city relationship with Lexington in 1988.

All four are, like Lexington, major centers of the Thoroughbred breeding industry in their respective countries.

See also

• Lexington in the American Civil War
• Notable residents of Lexington, Kentucky

Further reading

• Gelbert, Doug. A Walking Tour of Lexington, Kentucky (2011) excerpt and text search
• Leet, Karen M. et al. Civil War Lexington, KY: Bluegrass Breeding Ground of Power (2011) excerpt and text search
• Smith, Gerald L. Lexington Kentucky (KY) (Black America) (2002)
• Wright, John D., Jr. Lexington: Heart of the Bluegrass (1994); 244pp; a history
• Jillson, Willard Rouse (October 1929). "The Founding of Lexington, Kentucky". Filson Club Historical Quarterly 3 (5). Retrieved 2011-11-29. 
• Hollingsworth, Randolph (2004). Lexington: Queen of the Bluegrass. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Press. ISBN 9780738524665. 
• Klotter, James C.; Daniel Rowland, eds. (2012). Bluegrass Renaissance: The History and Culture of Central Kentucky, 1792-1852. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813136073.  (emphasis on the architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe and "neoclassical" Lexington)
• Wilson, Samuel M. (January 1930). "Date of the First Settlement of Lexington, Kentucky". Filson Club Historical Quarterly 4 (1). Retrieved 2011-11-29. 

External links

• Official website of Lexington, Kentucky
• Official website of Downtown Lexington Corporation
• Lexington Kentucky: The Athens of the West, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
• Downloadable PDF and Plain text versions of George Washington Ranck's 1872 book, History of Lexington, Kentucky