About Lexington, Kentucky

About Lexington

Visitor Information for the Horse Capital of the World

When you are in Lexington, Kentucky, the Horse Capital of the World, be sure to stop by and see us at our downtown Visitor Center, 301 East Vine Street. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5, and Saturdays from 10 to 5. (Open Sunday afternoons from noon till 5 p.m. in the summer.) Speak with a Visitor Information Specialist, and browse our extensive collection of informative brochures and maps.

Getting Here. Conveniently Located at the Intersection of Interstates 64 and 75

Within a day's drive of two-thirds of the population of the United States, Lexington is strategically located at the intersection of interstates 64 and 75 in Fayette County, Kentucky. Lexington is accessible by air with approximately 100 direct and nonstop flights. Nestled among world famous Thoroughbred horse farms, Blue Grass Airport (LEX) welcomes travelers with one of the most beautiful air approaches in the nation.

Brief History

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. He helped establish Kentucky's first forts in Harrodsburg and Boonesborough.

Lexington was founded in 1775, seventeen years before Kentucky became a state. William McConnell and a group of frontier explorers were camped at a natural spring when word came from nearby Fort Boonesboro that the first battle of the American Revolution had been fought in Lexington, Massachusetts. In honor of the battle, the group named their site “Lexington”. By 1820, Lexington, Kentucky, was one of the largest and wealthiest towns west of the Allegheny Mountains. So cultured was its lifestyle, our city soon gained the nickname “Athens of the West.”

Geography

Fayette County consists of 283 square miles of gently rolling plateau in the center of the inner Bluegrass Region. The area is noted for its beauty, 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.

Population

The latest U.S. Census estimate for Lexington-Fayette County is 270,789 (2006). The estimated population of the metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which is comprised of Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Jessamine, Madison, Scott, and Woodford counties, is 424,778.

Places of Worship

There are over 230 churches and synagogues in Lexington, representing 38 denominations as well as mosques and a Hindu temple. Call the Convention and Visitors Bureau for more information.

Media

The Lexington Herald-Leader is our daily morning newspaper.

Commercial television stations:
WLEX-TV (Channel 18-NBC affiliate) (859)259-1818
WKYT-TV (Channel 27-CBS affiliate) (859)299-0411
WTVQ-TV (Channel 36-ABC affiliate) (859)294-3636
WDKY-TV (Channel 56-FOX affiliate) (859)269-5656

Public television (PBS affiliate):
KET (Channel 46-Kentucky Educational Television) (859)258-7000

Local Cable Provider:
Insight Communications (859)514-1400

Liquor Laws

Minimum drinking age is 21. Alcoholic beverages may be sold in licensed bars and restaurants from 6 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. Sunday to 2:30 a.m. Monday. Package stores may open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Smoking is not allowed inside public buildings, including restaurants.

Time Zone

October to April: Eastern Standard Time
April to October: Eastern Daylight Savings Time

Climate/Seasonal Planning

Current Forecast

The mean average temperature in Lexington is 54.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual precipitation is 45.68 inches. Lexington and the 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.

Average minimum and maximum temperatures:

Spring: 34-74 degrees F
Summer: 61-86 degrees F
Fall: 36-79 degrees F
Winter: 23-54 degrees F

Safety-One of the Five Safest Cities in the United States

Lexington's crime consistently ranks below the national average. In addition to foot and car patrols, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Police Department operates two highly visible units that have proven to be effective crime deterrents. The Lexington Mounted Police Unit and Mountain Bike Unit patrol the downtown area on horseback and bicycles to help assure community safety. Crimes reported in 2004 were the lowest in 30 years.

A survey released in 2005 by Mercer Human Resource Consulting ranked Lexington as one of the five safest cities in the United States.

Corporations/Industry in Lexington-Major Employers in Lexington KY

Traditional products of the area include horses, bourbon, tobacco and handcrafts, but an increasing diversity of products and services contributes to a healthy economy. Major employers in the Lexington area include:

• Ashland Inc.
• Clark Material Handling Company
• General Electric Company
• GTE Products Corporation
• Jif Peanut Butter
• Johnson Controls
• Lexmark International
• Link-Belt Construction Equipment Company
• Long John Silver's
• Square D Company
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc.
• The Trane Company
• United Parcel Service
• University of Kentucky
• The Valvoline Company

The Council of State Governments, the National Tour Association and the Association of Retail Travel Agents are national organizations that are headquartered in Lexington. Also, The National Horse Center at the Kentucky Horse Park is the national headquarters more than 30 equine associations.

Universities/Colleges in Lexington and the Region

• Asbury College
• Asbury Theological Seminary
• Berea College
• Bluegrass Community and Technical College
• Centre College
• Eastern Kentucky University
• Georgetown College
• Kentucky State University
• Lexington Theological Seminary
• National College of Business and Technology
• Midway College
• Spencerian College
• Sullivan University
• Transylvania University
• University of Kentucky

Sales and Hotel Taxes in Kentucky

Kentucky state sales tax is 6 percent. Groceries are exempt. There is a hotel tax of 6 percent and a state fee of 1%, bringing the total tax on hotel rooms to 13.4%.