Lexington, Kentucky

1775Lexington Founded on the Frontier: Frontiersmen camped at a spring and named their settlement for the Revolutionary battle of Lexington. The town became the first major city west of the Appalachians and a gateway to the western frontier.

1974City-County Government Merger: Lexington and Fayette County merged into a single urban-county government, one of the first major consolidations in the nation. The merger streamlined services and unified planning.

1789Transylvania University Founded: Transylvania became the first university west of the Alleghenies, attracting scholars and earning Lexington the nickname 'Athens of the West.' It was once more prominent than Harvard in the frontier era.

1875Thoroughbred Racing Established: Organized Thoroughbred racing at the Kentucky Association track cemented Lexington's role as the horse capital of the world. The surrounding Bluegrass region became home to hundreds of legendary horse farms.

1865Civil War Occupation Ends: Lexington endured multiple occupations during the Civil War as a divided border-state city. Confederate raider John Hunt Morgan's raids and Union occupation shaped the city's complex war experience.

1865University of Kentucky Founded: Founded as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, UK grew into the state's flagship university and a major research institution with over 30,000 students.

2000Urban Growth Boundary Protects Farmland: Lexington's Urban Growth Boundary became a national model, preventing suburban sprawl from consuming the world-famous horse farms that surround the city.

1806Henry Clay Rises in Lexington: Statesman Henry Clay established his Ashland estate and launched his political career from Lexington, becoming Speaker of the House and one of the most influential politicians of the 19th century.

2012UK Wildcats Win Eighth NCAA Championship: The University of Kentucky men's basketball team won its eighth national championship, reinforcing Lexington's identity as a college basketball powerhouse. BBN (Big Blue Nation) is among the most passionate fanbases in sports.

1833Cholera Epidemic Devastates City: A devastating cholera outbreak killed over 500 residents — roughly one in ten — and permanently altered the city's development patterns and public health infrastructure.