BLEDSOE HONORS CITY OF LEXINGTON ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 250TH ANNIVERSARY
FRANKFORT, KY (Feb. 26, 2025)—On Wednesday, the Kentucky State Senate recognized Lexington-Fayette County on the occasion of its 250th anniversary to celebrate its rich history, contributions to the commonwealth, and ongoing growth as a vital economic and cultural hub.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, was joined in the Senate chamber by Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and members of the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government.
Through Senate Concurrent Resolution 90, Bledsoe and the Senate celebrated the founding of Lexington in 1775 when a group of explorers, including William McConnell, named the settlement after learning of the Battle of Lexington in Massachusetts. The city quickly became a center of education, commerce, and agriculture, earning its nickname as the “Athens of the West.”
“Lexington’s history is a testament to resilience, innovation, and community,” Bledsoe’s resolution reads. “From its early days as a frontier settlement to its current role as a leader in equine industries, higher education, and economic development, Lexington continues to be a cornerstone of our commonwealth’s success.”
The resolution highlights key moments in Lexington’s history, including:
educational leadership as home to the first university west of the Allegheny Mountains, Transylvania University (1780), and the University of Kentucky (1865),
economic development from its early prominence in hemp and tobacco agriculture to becoming the world’s largest burley sales center in the early 1900s,
military contributions through its role in both world wars, including organizing the Hospital Corps of Good Samaritan Base Hospital No. 40 during World War I,
civic innovation through the 1974 merger of city and county governments to create one of the nation’s few truly unified municipal systems, and
equine excellence by establishing itself as the undisputed “Horse Capital of the World” by maintaining picturesque farms and a globally recognized equine industry.
“This milestone is an opportunity to celebrate the people, businesses, and institutions that have made Lexington a remarkable place to live and work,” Bledsoe added.
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Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, represents the 12th Senate District, including Boyle, Mercer, and Woodford Counties and part of Fayette County. She serves as vice chair of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee and the Senate Families and Children Committee. Additionally, Bledsoe is an ex officio member of various budget review subcommittees, including Health and Family Services; Education; Justice; General Government and Economic Development; and Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. She co-chairs the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity statutory committee and is a member of the Licensing and Occupations Committee, the State and Local Government Committee, and the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight statutory committee. In 2024, she co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Task Force and served on the 2024-26 Budget Preparation and Submission statutory committee.
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