A Brief History of Lexington Kentucky

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, Lexington was one of the largest and wealthiest towns west of the Allegheny Mountains. Although it prospered with slavery, as 1/5 of the population were slaves, the city was so cultured, Lexington gained the nickname "Athens of the West."