About Lexington

Lexington, Kentucky, known as the "Horse Capital of the World," is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region in central Kentucky. Founded in 1775, Lexington received its name during the American Revolutionary War in honor of the first military engagement against the British in Lexington, Massachusetts. The city is situated in Fayette County.

Lexington is home to such attractions as the 1,200-acre Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland Thoroughbred Racing track, the Festival of the Bluegrass and the University of Kentucky's Adolph Rupp Arena. The Red Mile Harness Track in Lexington is the second-oldest horse-racing track in the nation, and the FEI World Equestrian Games were held in Lexington in 2010. The city itself is home to more than 100 parks, including the 734-acre Raven Run Nature Sanctuary along the Kentucky River Palisades.

The University of Kentucky, located in Lexington, is well known for its NCAA Division I men's basketball team. The Wildcats have won seven NCAA Division I Men's Basketball championships and are currently ranked first in the nation in number of all-time victories. The University of Kentucky is the city's largest employer, and Affiliated Computer Services, Hewlett Packard, United Parcel Service, Trane, Amazon.com, and Lexmark International all play a large role in Lexington's economy.

A large number of technology and government-based jobs led Lexington to be named the fifth-best city in the country for "Businesses and Careers" in 2008 by Forbes Magazine, and also the fifth-best city in the nation for young professionals in 2008 by Kiplinger. Also adding to Lexington's economic stability, the city boasts a diverse, well-educated population: 39.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, ranking it among the top 10 most-educated cities in the United States in 2010 by a Census Bureau study.

Lexington is home to a number of museums, including Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate, the Headley-Whitney Museum, the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, the Mary Todd Lincoln House and the Hunt-Morgan House. The UK Art Museum houses more 4,000 items from a multitude of periods in its permanent collection, and the Lexington Public Library also is home to the world's largest Foucault pendulum clock.

Written by Matt Stottmann