Welcome to the Bluegrass State!
About Lexington
When European settlers arrived on the scene, the Bluegrass region was in use as a hunting ground for numerous Native American tribes. Daniel Boone was one of the first Anglo-Saxons to explore the area and helped establish Kentucky’s first forts in Harrodsburg and Boonesborough.
Lexington was founded in 1775, 17 years before Kentucky became a state. By 1820, it was one of the largest and wealthiest towns west of the Allegheny Mountains. So cultured was its lifestyle, Lexington gained the nickname “Athens of the West.”
Make the most out of your time in the Horse Capital of the World.
Here are “must dos” guaranteed to make your trip unforgettable!
- First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln’s home.
- See over 50 breeds of horses at the Kentucky Horse Park.
- Try your luck at Keeneland Race Course during a race meet, or tour the grounds year round.
- Meet four-footed celebrities in their own homes on a Horse Farm Tour.
- Celebrate the living history of Kentucky Bourbon at four historic distilleries: The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses and Wild Turkey.
- Visit four period Historic Homes of the area’s most famous citizens.
- Wander through the restored Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, the largest in the United States.
- The Toyota Manufacturing Plant (they make most of the Camrys and hybrids here in Lexington).
For more ideas, please visit the Lexington Vistor’s Bureau at http://www.visitlex.com.
