Located in Fayette County, Lexington KY is second-largest city. It is also the horse capital of the world, with Keeneland and the Red Mile race courses in town as well as Rupp Arena and the headquarters for the American Thoroughbred Racing Association.
Interested in more high-brow culture? Try a garden tour or see a theater performance in this Southern city.
Downtown
Josie’s is a local favorite for breakfast. It offers delicious pancakes, egg benedict, and other favorites. It also has a wide selection of desserts and alcoholic beverages. Josie’s is open every day except Friday from 7 am to 10 pm.
Prior to the Civil War free blacks and whites lived in Lexington in close proximity but emancipation and a large freed-black migration caused white anxiety, prompting vigilantism and restrictive civil rights laws that still exist today. African American neighborhoods, such as Goodlowtown and Taylortown, remain on the city’s edges.
Downtown Lexington’s Main Street District is a mix of shops, galleries, restaurants and historic buildings. The district also houses the oldest surviving distillery, James E. Pepper Distillery, as well as Barrel House Distillery and the Branch River Cidery. The city also has a number of food trucks and other smaller businesses that offer an eclectic variety of foods.
North Limestone
The North Limestone area is one of Lexington’s most historic districts. This neighborhood, bounded by Limestone St north of Loudon Ave, and Castlewood Park is filled with commercial businesses that were part of post-World War II infill redevelopment efforts.
This neighborhood also includes many small residential blocks with clapboard cottages and shotgun-style houses. Many of these homes are now being redeveloped into apartments and condos.
If you are looking for a great local bar to grab a drink and watch a game, head over to Al’s Bar on North Limestone. This spot is known for their delicious burgers including lamb, bison and local beef as well as their awesome happy hour!
South Limestone
The area around North Limestone and Loudon Avenue was the heart of Lexington’s light manufacturing in the early 20th century. It was home to a trolley system, the telegraph and railroad companies, numerous hemp factories and malt manufacturing businesses.
South Limestone grew into a neighborhood of single family homes, apartments and stores that served the community until the medical corridor took over. A sense of neighborhood that had been a blend of residential and commercial, one where UK professionals lived, worked and raised their families, has disappeared.
177 North Limestone (photo 9) is an 1807 Federal style house that stands in contrast to the brick warehouses on either side of it. Known as Battle Row, it and its neighbors were the site of several street fights. This is one of the oldest houses in the North Limestone area.
East Limestone
This area consists of homes built by free African Americans at a time when slavery was still an institution in Kentucky. Prosperous whites also resided in the neighborhood as well.
The area was the commercial, financial, and institutional center of Lexington prior to World War II. It contains a variety of architectural styles including Victorian and early 20th century.
A number of these buildings were designed by Gideon Shryock, one of the most famous Kentucky architects. He designed numerous buildings in the Greek Revival style, notably Old Morrison on the Transylvania University campus and the Medical Hall at the same college. He also combined Greek Revival with Gothic on the Catholic Church of St. Peter which stood on North Limestone.
Lexington was heavily involved politically prior to and during the Civil War. The Union and Confederate generals based their headquarters here. Many of these historic buildings have been restored, including Lell’s Opera House at 410-412 West Short Street. It now houses Columbia Steakhouse.
