Set in the heart of Kentucky, Lexington dates back to 1775, when trailblazer Daniel Boone helped pioneers construct a fort just east of the city limits in modern Boonesboro. Shortly thereafter, others followed, setting up camp at McConnell Springs. When word of the Battle of Lexington (which kicked off the American Revolution) reached them, these settlers named their village after the Massachusetts town and to honor their fellow patriots. Thanks to the area’s fertile soil and pristine pastureland, wealth quickly flowed into this frontier community, bringing with it a strong affinity for the finer things in life, from tobacco to the equestrian arts. By 1797, Lexington had its first organized jockey club, a bustling fine arts scene, and a reputation as the “Athens of the West.” Today, Lexington is no less fascinating. Among its attractions are monuments to horseracing, including Kentucky Horse Park and Thoroughbred Park; the University of Kentucky and its beloved Wildcats, whose basketball prowess makes Rupp Arena one of the nation's most feared sports venues; a massive downtown reclamation project with scores of specialty shops and restaurants; and historic homes like Mary Todd Lincoln House and Ashland, home of 19th century statesman Henry Clay. During April and October, tradition joins hands with commerce as equestrian competitions swell the city with aficionados and exuberant visitors. As if on a pilgrimage, they come for sport, spectacle, and the appeal of a city whose character is as revered as bourbon, as solid as limestone beneath the bluegrass.
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