9 pivotal moments that shaped Lexington, Kentucky’s history
Lexington, Kentucky’s history is marked by moments that changed its direction and character. The opening of the new Fayette County Courthouse in 2002 provided updated facilities and preserved past structures. The deadly 1974 tornado outbreak left a deep impact, with towns like Brandenburg suffering great loss.
Benjamin Winslow Dudley helped shape American medicine by teaching at Transylvania University, while John Cabell Breckinridge rose from local politics to serve as the nation’s youngest vice president. These milestones, alongside stories like the rise of remarkable figures such as A.B. “Bud” Guthrie, capture Kentucky’s dynamic evolution.
NO. 1: 23 YEARS AGO, THE FAYETTE CO. COURTHOUSE OPENED TO RAVE REVIEWS AND MORE ROOM FOR LAWYERS
Lexington has a rich history of courthouses. Examining the newest one built 23 years ago is part of the Herald-Leader celebration of the city’s 250th anniversary. | Published January 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 2: A REPORTER, AUTHOR, SCREENWRITER & ENVIRONMENTALIST: CELEBRATING A.B. ‘BUD’ GUTHRIE
The Herald-Leader’s yearlong effort to spotlight notable Lexington residents and memorable moments in the city’s 250-year history remembers A.B. “Bud” Guthrie, an Indiana native who worked in Lexington. | Published January 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 3: HE WAS A LOCAL POLITICIAN, US SENATOR AND YOUNGEST VP IN US HISTORY. NOPE, NOT JD VANCE
As Lexington celebrates its 250th birthday, the Herald-Leader examines prominent people, notable dates and key moments in the city’s rich history as KY’s second-largest city. | Published January 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 4: NOTABLE SURGEON AT TRANSYLVANIA TAUGHT A GENERATION OF FUTURE AMERICAN DOCTORS
The Herald-Leader’s yearlong profiles of notable historical figures in Lexington focuses on a Virginia-born surgeon and professor of medicine at Transylvania University. | Published January 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 5: WHY IS LEXINGTON’S KENTUCKY HORSE PARK CONSIDERED THE BEST OF ITS KIND IN AMERICA?
For more than 45 years, the Kentucky Horse Park has captured the beauty, history and stories of Kentucky’s finest thoroughbreds. Its exhibits and respect for the horse has garnered international attention. | Published January 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 6: 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. 7: ‘LEXINGTON, WE’RE ON THE AIR.’ LEX 18 LAUNCHED 70 YEARS AGO
The Herald-Leader’s series on great moments in Lexington’s 250-year history celebrates the 70-year anniversary of LEX 18. | Published March 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 8: WHY ARE THOSE CRAZY REVERSIBLE LANES ON NICHOLASVILLE ROAD?
Big changes came to Nicholasville Road about 50 years ago. Some commuters are still learning how to navigate them. | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Liz Carey
NO. 9: TRAGEDY STRUCK 58 YEARS AGO WHEN AN AIRPLANE CRASHED AT BLUE GRASS FIELD, KILLING 9
The Herald-Leader’s coverage of Lexington’s 250th anniversary spotlights the tragic plane crash that killed nine at Blue Grass Field. It was the worst aviation disaster in the city’s history. | Published April 5, 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.