Lexington history from 1782, its 180 National Register listings with listing years, three National Historic Landmarks, and museums with hours as published.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. National Register listings and dates come from the National Park Service’s NRHP listed-properties spreadsheet (listings through May 22, 2026). Other facts are linked where they appear. Questions about a historic property: the city’s Historic Preservation Office, 859-258-3265.

VisitLEX, the city’s convention and visitors bureau, dates its founding to 1782. Fayette County is older still: it was formed in 1780 as one of three original counties, and its land records date to before Kentucky became a state in 1792, according to the Fayette County Clerk. Today the city and county share one merged urban-county government.

Who to call

  • Historic Preservation Office (National Register, historic districts, building records): 859-258-3265, 101 E. Vine St.
  • Lexington History Museum (LexHistory): 210-214 N. Broadway
  • Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate: 859-266-8581

The courthouse square and Cheapside

The center of early Lexington was its public square, today’s courthouse block and Cheapside. A Kentucky historical marker at Cheapside, presented by the Lexington-Fayette County Historic Commission, says a log schoolhouse on the east side of the square was one of the first buildings outside the fort walls, in 1782. A stone market house went up in 1795, the square became a popular trading center, and court day was held there each month until 1921. The Saturday farmers market still meets beside the square, in the pavilion at Henry A. Tandy Centennial Park.

Downtown’s National Register districts include the Downtown Commercial District, roughly bounded by Main, Church and Walnut streets and Broadway (listed 1983), the Victorian Commercial Block (1978), the North Broadway-Short Street Historic District (1983) and the North Limestone Commercial District (1983). The Government Center at 200-228 E. Main St., the former Lafayette Hotel block, was listed in 1983.

National Historic Landmarks

Three Lexington properties are National Historic Landmarks, according to the NPS data:

  • Ashland, the estate of Henry Clay on Richmond Road: designated Dec. 19, 1960; on the National Register since Oct. 15, 1966.
  • Old Morrison, Transylvania University, West Third Street: designated Dec. 21, 1965; on the register since Oct. 15, 1966.
  • Keeneland, the racetrack off Versailles and Rice roads: designated and listed Sept. 24, 1986.

Museums, historic homes and cemeteries to visit

Hours are as each site publishes them; check before you go.

Site Address Hours Phone
Lexington History Museum (LexHistory) 210-214 N. Broadway Noon to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate 120 Sycamore Road March and December: 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. April-November: same, plus 1 to 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays, major holidays, January and February 859-266-8581
Mary Todd Lincoln House 578 W. Main St. March 15 to Nov. 30: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, last entry 3 p.m.; guided tour 3 p.m. weekdays 859-233-9999
Lexington Cemetery 833 W. Main St. Grounds 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; office 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday 859-255-5522

The Lexington Cemetery and Henry Clay Monument were listed on the National Register in 1976. The same grounds hold the Lexington National Cemetery (listed 1998), the Confederate Soldier Monument and The Ladies’ Confederate Memorial (both 1997). African Cemetery No. 2, 419 E. Seventh St., was listed in 2004, and the Episcopal Burying Ground and Chapel, 251 E. Third St., in 1976.

LexHistory lists general admission of $10, with children under 5 free, and limited free parking behind the museum. The Mary Todd Lincoln House limits self-guided entry to 15 guests every half hour.

Historic districts

The NPS data classes 33 Fayette County listings as districts, from downtown neighborhoods such as Gratz Park (1973), Elsmere Park (1976), South Hill (1978), Bell Court (1980), Woodward Heights (1980), Constitution (1982), Northeast Residential (1985), Mentelle Park (1985) and Ashland Park (1986), to rural districts such as the West Fayette County Rural Historic District (1991) and the Boone Creek Rural Historic District (1994). The newest district is Elmendorf on Iron Works Pike and Paris Pike (2023).

Lexington also has its own local H-1 historic overlay zones, separate from the National Register. Work on property in an H-1 zone can need extra city approvals, and the city’s Board of Architectural Review meets monthly; see the city’s H-1 overlay maps and our building permits guide.

Every National Register listing in Lexington and Fayette County

All 180 properties the National Park Service lists for Fayette County, by the year each was listed. Names are as the register records them (often last name first). Archaeological sites have restricted addresses. Where the register gives a community or mailing town other than Lexington, such as Athens or Centerville, it is shown in parentheses.

Listed Property Address
1966 Ashland (National Historic Landmark) 2 mi. SE of Lexington on Richmond Rd.
1966 Old Morrison, Transylvania College (National Historic Landmark) W. 3rd St. between Upper St. and Broadway
1971 Clay, Henry, Law Office 176 N. Mill St.
1971 Lincoln, Mary Todd, House 574 W. Main St.
1971 Waveland 5 mi. S of Lexington off U.S. 27
1973 Loudoun House Corner of Bryan Ave. and Castlewood Dr.
1973 Botherum 341 Madison Pl.
1973 Gratz Park Historic District Bounded by 2nd and 3rd Sts., the Byway, and Bark Alley
1973 Ridgely House 190 Market St.
1973 Walnut Hill Presbyterian Church E of Lexington off U.S. 25
1973 Kennedy, Matthew, House 216 N. Limestone St.
1973 McAdams and Morford Building 200-210 W. Main St.
1974 McGarvey, Dr. John, House 362 S. Mill St.
1974 McPheeters, Charles, House 352 S. Mill St.
1974 Poindexter, William, House 359 S. Mill St.
1974 Lemon, James, Houses 329-331 S. Mill St.
1974 January, Thomas, House 437 W. 2nd St.
1974 Monsieur Giron’s Confectionary 125 N. Mill St.
1974 First Presbyterian Church 174 N. Mill St.
1974 Rose Hill 461 N. Limestone St.
1974 Scott and Wilson Houses District 324, 328, 330, 336 S. Mill St.
1975 Woodstock Todds Rd.
1975 Morton, William, House 518 Limestone St.
1975 Opera House and Yates Bookshop Building 141 and 145 N. Broadway
1975 Woodland 1 mi. E of Lexington on Squires Rd. off U.S. 421
1975 Elam Mound Archeological Site Address restricted
1975 Mt. Horeb Earthworks, Unit A Address restricted
1976 McConnell Springs Address restricted
1976 Worley, Allen, and Foushee Houses 355, 361, and 367 S. Broadway
1976 Hurricane Hall N of Lexington off U.S. 25
1976 Elsmere Park Historic District Off N. Broadway, between W. 6th and 7th Sts.
1976 Lewis Manor NW of Lexington on Viley Rd.
1976 Trotter’s Warehouse 122-124 S. Mill St.
1976 Western Suburb Historic District Irregular pattern along W. Short St. from Saunter to KY 922
1976 Episcopal Burying Ground and Chapel 251 E. 3rd St.
1976 Lexington Cemetery and Henry Clay Monument 833 W. Main St.
1976 Brand-Barrow House 203 E. 4th St.
1976 Fairlawn 6 mi. NE of Lexington on U.S. 68
1976 Christ Church Episcopal Church and Market Sts.
1976 Moore-Redd-Frazer House Georgetown Pike
1976 Shady Side 4 mi. E of Lexington on U.S. 68
1977 Higgins Block 145-151 W. Main St.
1977 Barton, Abraham, House 200 N. Upper St.
1977 Floral Hall 847 S. Broadway
1977 Highland Hall 6208 Richmond Rd.
1977 Watt, Henry, House 703 W. High St.
1978 Morton, Will, Tavern Stand 137 S. Limestone St.
1978 Elley Villa 320 Linden Walk
1978 Bell Place Sayre Ave.
1978 Spring Hill Farm 1401 Old Frankfort Pike
1978 South Hill Historic District Roughly bounded by S. Broadway, W. High, S. Limestone, and Pine Sts.
1978 Victorian Commercial Block Bounded by Broadway, Main, Short, and Spring Sts.
1978 Helm Place SW of Lexington on Bowman Mill Rd.
1978 Delta S of Lexington at 2450 Armstrong Mill Rd.
1978 Shelby Family Houses SE of Lexington on Richmond Rd., Shelby Lane, and Jacks Creek Pike
1978 Lemon Hill E of Lexington off U.S. 60
1978 Cave Spring SE of Lexington off US 25
1978 McCracken-Wilgus House 327 Wilgus St.
1979 Clark Hardware Company Building 367-369 W. Short St. and 142 N. Broadway
1979 Todd, William Lytle, House W of Lexington at 3725 Bowman Mill
1979 Stony Point 4935 Parkers Mill Rd.
1979 Bowman Houses W of Lexington on Bowman’s Mill Rd.
1979 Northside Historic Residential District Roughly bounded by RR tracks, N. Limestone, W. Short and Newtown Sts.
1979 Central Christian Church 207 E. Short St.
1979 Price, Pugh, House 2245 Liberty Rd.
1979 Price, Williamson, House 2497 Liberty Rd.
1979 Athens Historic District Athens-Boonesboro Pike (Athens)
1979 Rogers, Joseph Hale, House E of Lexington on Bryan Station Pike
1979 Brown, Joshua, House 2705 Tates Creek Rd.
1980 Fayette National Bank Building 159-167 W. Main St.
1980 Odd Fellows Temple 115-119 W. Main St.
1980 Hayes, Samuel T., House SE of Lexington on Sulphur Well Rd.
1980 Lexington City National Bank Building 259-265 W. Main St.
1980 Miller Brothers Building 359-361 W. Main St.
1980 Fayette Safety Vault and Trust Company Building 111-113 Cheapside St.
1980 Second Presbyterian Church 460 E. Main St.
1980 Warfield, Dr. Walter, Building 122-124 N. Upper St. and 140-160 W. Short St.
1980 Cleveland-Rogers House SE of Lexington at 8151 Richmond Rd.
1980 Smith, Mitchell Baker, Company Building 230-232 W. Main St.
1980 Grant, George W., House 519 W. 4th St.
1980 Clark, John, House Tates Creek Pk.
1980 DeLong Agricultural Implements Warehouse Patterson St.
1980 Woodward Heights Neighborhood Historic District Roughly bounded by High, Merino, and Pine Sts.
1980 Chandler Normal School Building and Webster Hall 548 Georgetown St.
1980 McCauley, John, House 319 Lexington Ave.
1980 Cave Place W of Lexington
1980 Bell Court Neighborhood Historic District Roughly bounded by RR tracks, Main St., Boonesboro and Walton Aves.
1982 Northside Residential Historic District (Boundary Increase) 337-371 N. Limestone, 400-465 N. Limestone, and 356 Morris St.
1982 McCann, Benjamin, House Old Richmond Pike
1982 McCann, Neal, House 5364 Todds Rd.
1982 Cloud House 3740 Versailles Rd.
1982 Grimes House and Mill Complex Grimes Mill Rd.
1982 Kinkead House 362 Walnut St.
1982 Watkins, Thomas B., House 1008 S. Broadway
1982 Mansfield Richmond Rd.
1982 Poplar Grove 2088 Parkers Mill Rd.
1982 Sayre Female Institute 194 N. Limestone St.
1982 Bates Log House 5143 Spurr Rd.
1982 Beck, James Burnie, House 209 E. High St.
1982 Constitution Historic District Roughly bounded by E. 3rd., Limestone, Walnut and Pleasant Stone Sts.
1982 Randall Building Bogaert’s Jewelry Store 127-129 W. Main St.
1982 Lexington Herald Building 121 Walnut St.
1982 Maxwell Place Rose St., University of Kentucky
1982 Allen, James House 1020 Lane Allen Rd.
1983 Lexington-Fayette County Government Building Block 200-228 E. Main St.
1983 Bell, John, House SR 1978
1983 Burrier, John, House SR 1966
1983 Graves Tavern Off U.S. 60 (Versailles)
1983 McConnell, James, House Old Frankfort Pike
1983 McConnell, William, House Forbes Rd.
1983 Payne, Henry, House Off U.S. 421
1983 Pettit’s, James, Mill KY 418 (Ford)
1983 Russel, Robert, House Off KY 353 (Centerville)
1983 Shryack, Frederick, House Off KY 859 (Clintonville)
1983 Buenna Hill Off Ferguson Rd. (Centerville)
1983 Corinthia Off Lemons Mill Rd. (Centerville)
1983 Innes House Off Lemons Mill Rd. (Centerville)
1983 Featherston, Edmonson and Clark Houses 218, 226 and 232 E. Maxwell St.
1983 Woodlands Historic District Roughly bounded by Main and High Sts., Ashland and Woodland Aves.
1983 Downtown Commercial District Roughly bounded by Main, Church, Walnut Sts., and Broadway
1983 North Broadway-Short Street Historic District N. Broadway and W. Short St.
1983 North Limestone Commercial District N. Limestone St. between Church and 3rd Sts.
1984 Kinkead, Henry P., House 403 Walnut St.
1984 Southeast Lexington Residential and Commercial District Roughly bounded by High St., Rose Lane, Lexington and Woodland Aves.
1985 Northeast Residential Historic District Roughly bounded by E. Fifth St., Kleiser Ave. and Campsie Pl., E. Fourth St., and Humbard Alley
1985 Mentelle Park Mentelle Pk.
1985 Guilfoil Village Site (15FA176) Address restricted
1986 Ashland Park Historic District Roughly bounded by S. Hanover Ave., Richmond Rd., Woodspoint Rd., and Fontaine Rd. and E. High St.
1986 First African Baptist Church 264-272 E. Short St.
1986 Keeneland-Keeneland Racetrack (National Historic Landmark) Off Versailles and Rice Rds.
1987 Hartland 2230 Armstrong Mill Rd.
1987 Southern Railway Passenger Depot 701 S. Broadway
1987 Basye, T. D., House 3501 Georgetown Rd.
1988 Lexington Dry Goods Company Building 249-251 E. Main St.
1991 Conant, William, House 1701 Elkchester Rd.
1991 Steele, Drewsilla, House 3951 Old Frankfort Pike
1991 Redd Road Rural Historic District Area largely S and E of jct. of Redd Rd. and Frankfort Rd.
1991 West Fayette County Rural Historic District Roughly bounded by Rice, Van Meter, Elk Chester, Yarnallton, Leestown and Viley Rds. and US 60
1991 Headley, George, House 4435 Old Frankfort Pike
1991 Ramsey, Lewis, Jr., House 3797 Old Frankfort Pike
1994 Boone Creek Rural Historic District Roughly bounded by I-75, Cleveland Rd., Athens-Boonesboro Rd. and Grimes Rd.
1996 Middle Reaches of Boone Creek Rural Historic District Roughly bounded by US 421, Jones Nursery, Coombs Ferry, Sulpher Well Rds., and US 25
1996 Wolf Wile Department Store Building 248-250 E. Main St.
1997 Breckinridge, John C., Memorial Courthouse Lawn. Jct. of N. Upper and E. Main Sts.
1997 Confederate Soldier Monument in Lexington 833 W. Main St.
1997 Ladies’ Confederate Memorial, The 833 W. Main St.
1997 Morgan, John Hunt, Memorial Courthouse Lawn. Jct. of N. Upper and E. Main St.
1998 Mt. Horeb Archeological District Address restricted
1998 Rockefeller Mound Address restricted
1998 Douglass School 465 Price Rd.
1998 Lexington National Cemetery 833 W. Main St.
1999 United States Post Office and Court House 101 Barr St.
1999 Bowman Mill Road Rural Historic District Bowman Mill Rd., Parkers Mill Rd., and Cave Hill Ln.
2002 Woolworth, F.W., Building 106 Main St.
2003 Liggett and Myers Tobacco Re-handling Facility 200 Bolivar St.
2004 African Cemetery No. 2 419 E. Seventh St.
2005 Central Kentucky Blue Grass Seed Co. 321 Henry St.
2006 Cadentown School 705 Caden Ln.
2006 Russell School 201 W. Fifth St.
2008 Hollywood Terrace Historic District Tates Creek Road and the rear property lines of the properties facing Euclid, Tremont and Park Ave
2009 Pepper, James E., Distillery 1200 Manchester St.
2010 Headley, Hal Price, Sr., House 1236 Standish Way
2011 Mathews, Courtney, House 547 Breckinridge St.
2012 Lexington Veterans Administration Hospital 2250 Leestown Rd.
2012 Springview Farm 3079 Royster Rd.
2012 Spindletop Farm 3414 Ironworks Pike
2013 Liggett and Meyers Harpring Tobacco Storage Warehouse 1211 Manchester St.
2014 Southeast Greyhound Line Building 101 W. Loudon St.
2014 Fayette National Bank (Boundary Increase) 167 W. Main St.
2016 Young, Charles, Park and Community Center 540 E. 3rd St.
2016 Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association 343 S. Broadway
2016 Edgewood 5910 Winchester Rd.
2018 Pope Villa 326 Grosvenor Ave.
2019 Trail’s End Camp 8030 Elk Lick Falls Rd.
2020 Pensacola Park Historic District 109-199 Rosemont Gdn., 105-175 Suburban Ct., 101-224 Lackawanna Rd., 101-166 Wabash Dr., 96-171 Goodrich Ave., 1700, 1800, 1900 blocks of Nicholasville Rd., 101-177 Penmoken Park, 1800 block Pensacola Dr., 1800 block Norfolk Dr.
2023 Elmendorf 611 and 639 Iron Works Pike, 3931 Paris Pike
2024 Schwert, Drs. George W. & Margaret, House 3316 Braemer Drive
2024 Lexington Hospitality Motor Inn 2143 North Broadway Street
2025 Luigart Malt House 110 Luigart Court; 754-758 North Limestone
2025 Mentelle House 116 Lincoln Avenue

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places listed properties, data through May 22, 2026. Each listing’s nomination file is in the National Archives catalog.

Frequently asked questions

When was Lexington founded? VisitLEX dates it to 1782; Fayette County was formed in 1780.

How many National Register listings are there? 180 in Fayette County, 33 of them classed as districts.

What are the National Historic Landmarks? Ashland, Old Morrison and Keeneland.

More: things to do this month, parks and trails and population and growth.