Sometimes called the “Athens of the South”, Lexington, Kentucky is considered a major academic, business, and commerce center of the Kentucky Bluegrass. It is the 2nd largest city in Kentucky and is home of the University of Kentucky, the center for horse racing, a is a diverse setting with something for everyone including families, college students, young professionals, and retirees. Located at the interchange of I-64 and I-75, and other several important US Highways including US 27 and US 60, Lexington is connected to several important cities and locations throughout the Midwestern, Southeastern, and Mid-Atlantic areas of the United States.

Location: Lexington is located in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky which covers the central portion of the state and encompasses part of Louisville, the state capital of Frankfort, the city of Lexington and even covers the areas of North Kentucky that are across from Cincinnati (the geologic region even spreads into Cincinnati and adjacent parts of SW Ohio but the Bluegrass classification only applies to Kentucky. The geologic term for the area is the Cincinnati Arch because throughout geologic time it represented a topographic high spot. Lexington has an Ohio-Valley version of a Humid Subtropical Climate with cool to sometimes cold winters and occasionally a snow or ice threat, variable falls and springs, and hot and humid summers. Sometimes tornadoes and damaging wind can impact the city. Lexington’s coordinates are 38.05N and 84.49W

Geologic History: Lexington’s geology is dominated by thick layers of limestone with some interbedded shale. This limestone formed over 400 million years ago in the Ordovician period when the Kentucky Bluegrass was a shallow sea near the equator. An environment similar to the Maldives. This limestone was formed from the calcite shells of long gone ancient sea creatures. The importance of this limestone is that it allows for soils that contain calcium which is important for strong horses and also important for the creation of Kentucky Bourbon. Two things that this area is very well known for.

The following below comes from
https://www.commercelexington.com/history.html

History: Before Lexington was the 2nd largest city in Kentucky it was a vast wilderness that was known as a hunting ground and not a place anyone would settle. That changed when Daniel Boone discovered Boonesboro in nearby Madison County. That allowed for more settlers to settle what is now known as Lexington. Prior to 1792, Lexington in its first ten years was part of Virginia as was everything else that is currently in Kentucky. At that time nearby Frankfurt became the state capital.

In the 1800s, a few events shaped the history of Lexington. Lexington’s history was also influenced by the Great Compromiser, Henry Clay who built his estate called Ashland. Then the fertile soils of the Bluegrass led to the development of hemp and eventually tobacco making the Bluegrass area a prime agricultural area. Lexington by the early 1900s became a world leader in Burley Tobacco. In 1924, William Monroe Wright joined with another group of farms that would eventually produce a eight-time Kentucky Derby Champion and would be the birthplace of Keeneland a popular horse racing course.

Present Lexington:

One major event that Lexington has is Keeneland which runs from April to Late October/Early November. It is a social event in which not only is there horse racing but it does create a social/almost tailgate like atmosphere. The next big event revolves around the major university in town the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Wildcats. The University of Kentucky is part of the Southeastern Conference and is most known for their college basketball program who leads the nation in all-time wins (2,293) and all-time winning percentage (76.50%) and for its cheerleading squad which has won the national championship 24 times. The University of Kentucky is also known for its rifle team and academically offers degrees up to the Doctoral level in many subjects.

Lexington is not just for college sports and horse racing. The city has a good food and music scene. One major festival that the city has is the Festival of the Bluegrass which features national and statewide bluegrass bands. Other festivals include a variety of art festivals, other music festivals, food festivals such as the Bluegrass BBQ fest.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Lexington is a very nice combination between a small southern city and a growing college town. The rolling hills of the Bluegrass are often a wonder for anyone outside of the area and there are plenty of festivals, sports, and horse farms for you to take in. For those who enjoy hiking there are many opportunities from local hikes to more well-known hikes like the Red River Gorge area that is only 45 minutes away.

This is your highlighted community of Lexington and the beginning of season 2.