Lexington at 250: 7 historical tales marking the city’s transformation
Lexington, Kentucky’s 250-year journey is marked by stories of resilience and change. The "World’s Fastest Racehorse," Lexington, brought fame to the city and left a legacy that lives on through his champion descendants, like Tapit. The city’s architecture also tells a remarkable tale: Old Morrison at Transylvania University, which survived two devastating fires, stands rebuilt as a symbol of perseverance.
Community life thrived at Postlethwait Tavern, where early Lexingtonians gathered for both socializing and horse racing, and later witnessed transformations from tavern to Phoenix Hotel and finally, Phoenix Park. Personalities like Levi Todd protected the city’s history, even risking loss during an 1803 fire, highlighting the determination that shaped Lexington’s transformation.
NO. 1: FROM 1832: LEXINGTON VOTERS, YOU NOW MAY CHOOSE YOUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS DIRECTLY
The son of millionaire John Wesley Hunt was elected mayor Nearly 6,000 residents voted Charlton Hunt into office as mayor, along with four council members representing four different wards of Lexington | Published January 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 2: MARY TODD LINCOLN’S GRANDFATHER TRIED TO SAVE LEXINGTON’S EARLIEST HISTORY DESPITE FIRE
The Herald-Leader’s series on Lexington’s 250th birthday explains how a devastating fire wiped out the very first records of Lexington as a new settlement. | Published January 31, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 3: ‘OLD MORRISON’ IS MORE THAN A BUILDING. IT’S A CELEBRATED PART OF TRANSYLVANIA’S HISTORY
The Herald-Leader’s yearlong series on notable moments in Lexington’s past 250 years examines the importance of Transylvania University’s administration building that burned in 1969. | Published January 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 4: POSTLETHWAIT TAVERN WAS WHERE EVERYBODY KNEW YOUR NAME
The Herald-Leader’s examination of Lexington’s 250-year history focuses on one of the very first taverns that opened in the city and was a popular spot for decades. | Published March 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 5: CELEBRATING LEXINGTON. NOT THE CITY, BUT THE RECORD-SETTING HORSE BY THE SAME NAME
The Herald-Leader’s yearlong coverage of Lexington’s 250-year history examines the legacy of Legacy, the award-winning horse. | Published March 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 6: YOU CAN TOUR THE STREETS OF LEXINGTON WHERE FAMOUS AUTHORS WALKED
The 250th birthday celebration of Lexington, Kentucky, includes a walking tour of famous authors who called the city home. | Published April 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 7: HAVE YOU HEARD THE ONE ABOUT A LEXINGTON TEACHER TANGLING WITH A WILDCAT?
The Herald-Leader’s series on great moments in Lexington’s 250-year history tells the story of Lexington’s very first teacher clashing with (no kidding) a wildcat at school. | Published April 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.