National Register Listings in
Fayette County, Kentucky

African Cemetery No. 2 Allen, James House Ashland Ashland Park Historic District Athens Historic District Barton, Abraham, House Basye, T. D., House Bates Log House Beck, James Burnie, House Bell Court Neighborhood Historic District Bell Place Bell, John, House Boone Creek Rural Historic District Botherum Bowman Houses Bowman Mill Road Rural Historic District Brand-Barrow House Breckinridge, John C., Memorial Brown, Joshua, House Buenna Hill Burrier, John, House Cadentown School Cave Place Cave Spring Central Christian Church Central Kentucky Blue Grass Seed Co. Chandler Normal School Building and Webster Hall Christ Church Episcopal Clark Hardware Company Building Clark, John, House Clay, Henry, Law Office Cleveland-Rogers House Cloud House Conant, William, House Confederate Soldier Monument in Lexington Constitution Historic District Corinthia DeLong Agricultural Implements Warehouse Delta Douglass School Downtown Commercial District Edgewood Elley Villa Elsmere Park Historic District Episcopal Burying Ground and Chapel Fairlawn Fayette National Bank (Boundary Increase) Fayette National Bank Building Fayette Safety Vault and Trust Company Building Featherston, Edmonson and Clark Houses First African Baptist Church First Presbyterian Church Floral Hall Grant, George W., House Gratz Park Historic District Graves Tavern Grimes House and Mill Complex Hartland Hayes, Samuel T., House Headley, George, House Headley, Hal Price, Sr., House Helm Place Higgins Block Highland Hall Hollywood Terrace Historic District Hurricane Hall Innes House January, Thomas, House Keeneland-Keeneland Racetrack Kennedy, Matthew, House Kinkead House Kinkead, Henry P., House Ladies' Confederate Memorial, The Lemon Hill Lemon, James, Houses Lewis Manor Lexington Cemetery and Henry Clay Monument Lexington City National Bank Building Lexington Dry Goods Company Building Lexington Herald Building Lexington National Cemetery Lexington Veterans Administration Hospital Lexington-Fayette County Government Building Block Liggett and Meyers Harpring Tobacco Storage Warehouse Liggett and Myers Tobacco Re-handling Facility Lincoln, Mary Todd, House Loudoun House Mansfield Mathews, Courtney, House Maxwell Place McAdams and Morford Building McCann, Benjamin, House McCann, Neal, House McCauley, John, House McConnell, James, House McConnell, William, House McCracken-Wilgus House McGarvey, Dr. John, House McPheeters, Charles, House Mentelle Park Middle Reaches of Boone Creek Rural Historic District Miller Brothers Building Monsieur Giron's Confectionary Moore-Redd-Frazer House Morgan, John Hunt, Memorial Morton, Will, Tavern Stand Morton, William, House North Broadway-Short Street Historic District North Limestone Commercial District Northeast Residential Historic District Northside Historic Residential District Northside Residential Historic District (Boundary Increase) Odd Fellows Temple Old Morrison, Transylvania College Opera House and Yates Bookshop Building Payne, Henry, House Pensacola Park Historic District Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association Pepper, James E., Distillery Pettit's, James, Mill Poindexter, William, House Pope VIlla Poplar Grove Price, Pugh, House Price, Williamson, House Ramsey, Lewis, Jr., House Randall Building Bogaert's Jewelry Store Redd Road Rural Historic District Ridgely House Rogers, Joseph Hale, House Rose Hill Russel, Robert, House Russell School Sayre Female Institute Scott and Wilson Houses District Second Presbyterian Church Shady Side Shelby Family Houses Shryack, Frederick, House Smith, Mitchell Baker, Company Building South Hill Historic District Southeast Greyhound Line Building Southeast Lexington Residential and Commercial District Southern Railway Passenger Depot Spindletop Farm Spring Hill Farm Springview Farm Steele, Drewsilla, House Stony Point Todd, William Lytle, House Trail's End Camp Trotter's Warehouse United States Post Office and Court House Victorian Commercial Block Walnut Hill Presbyterian Church Warfield, Dr. Walter, Building Watkins, Thomas B., House Watt, Henry, House Waveland West Fayette County Rural Historic District Western Suburb Historic District Wolf Wile Department Store Building Woodland Woodlands Historic District Woodstock Woodward Heights Neighborhood Historic District Woolworth, F.W., Building Worley, Allen, and Foushee Houses Young, Charles, Park and Community Center
The town of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was the birthplace of Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
Kentucky random facts
Fayette County, located in the heart of central Kentucky, has a rich and vibrant history that dates back to the late 18th century. The county was established in 1780 and named after the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military officer who fought alongside the American colonists during the American Revolution. Throughout its history, Fayette County has played a significant role in the development of Kentucky and the United States as a whole.

In the early years of its settlement, Fayette County became a critical hub for traders and pioneers heading westward. The city of Lexington, the county seat, quickly developed into a thriving center of commerce and education. Known as the "Athens of the West," Lexington attracted numerous intellectuals and scholars, establishing it as a leading educational and cultural center in the region.

Fayette County also played a crucial role in the growth of Kentucky's horse industry. The county's fertile bluegrass land proved ideal for raising thoroughbred horses, and Lexington became known as the "Horse Capital of the World." The area's world-renowned horse farms and racetracks have contributed significantly to the county's economy and cultural identity.

Throughout its history, Fayette County has faced challenges and experienced periods of growth and decline. It was witness to key historical events such as the American Civil War when the county was divided between Union and Confederate sympathizers. After the war, the county experienced economic growth and urban development, but also faced challenges related to racial segregation and civil rights struggles.

In recent years, Fayette County has continued to evolve and adapt to changing times. Today, it is a diverse and vibrant county, known for its cultural events, educational institutions, and beautiful landscapes. Fayette County's history serves as a testament to the resilience and spirit of its people, and it remains an important part of Kentucky's heritage.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Fayette County, Kentucky.

  • 1775 - Daniel Boone explores the area now known as Fayette County
  • 1779 - The town of Lexington is established
  • 1780 - Fayette County is officially formed
  • 1792 - Kentucky becomes the 15th state in the United States
  • 1796 - The Transylvania University is founded in Lexington
  • 1818 - Ashland, the estate of Henry Clay, is completed
  • 1833 - Lexington and Fayette County merge governments to create the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
  • 1850s - The area becomes an important center for horse breeding and racing
  • 1862 - Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of President Abraham Lincoln, is born in Lexington
  • 1872 - The University of Kentucky is founded as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky
  • 1910 - The Lexington Horse Show, now known as the Kentucky Horse Park, begins
  • 1927 - The annual Keeneland Race Course opens
  • 1940s - The area experiences significant growth due to the World War II defense industry and training centers
  • 1961 - IBM establishes a major manufacturing facility in Lexington
  • 1978 - Lexington hosts the first World Equestrian Games held in the United States
  • 1999 - The Lexington Public Library opens its new central location