Located in central Kentucky, Fayette County was established in 1780. Along with Lincoln and Jefferson counties, Fayette was one of the first three counties created from Kentucky County, Virginia. Fayette County was named for General Marquis de Lafayette, a French officer who was one of General George Washington's most trusted advisors during the Revolutionary War.

The county seat of Lexington also has roots in the American Revolution, as it honors the April 19, 1775, battle fought in Massachusetts.

Fayette County is bordered by Jessamine, Woodford, Scott, Bourbon, Clark, and Madison Counties. Early white settlers and surveyors came to the area beginning in 1774. McConnell's Station, which was erected in 1775, was one of the earliest on the Kentucky frontier. Soon other stations, such as Bryan's Station, sprang up in the area.

While Lexington developed into Kentucky's premier urban center before Louisville's rise, Fayette County farmland was some of the most prized in the state. Crops such as hemp and corn thrived in the county's fertile soil, and livestock such as cattle, and especially thoroughbred horses, came to be recognized for their extraordinary quality. Eighteenth and nineteenth century Fayette County farmers utilized the Kentucky River, which marked its southeastern border to get goods to distant markets. The twentieth century brought innovations such as the interstate highway system, which brought commercial enterprises to Fayette County and made the area a major crossroads for east-west and north-south travelers.

Fayette County's rich history that is explored here, and is found on the county's highway markers, includes people and places that have influenced the county's past. Here you can learn about Kentucky's premier statesman, Henry Clay, as well as famous race horses such as Lexington, Aristides, and Man O' War.

Women who made significant impacts such as Madeline McDowell Breckinridge and Mary Todd Lincoln are also examined. There are stories about the county's educational efforts at Sayre Female Academy, Transylvania University, and the University of Kentucky. Here also are some people and places that are well known by most Kentuckians, like Adolph Rupp, John Hunt Morgan, Keeneland, and Bryan's Station, and some others that may sound familiar but whose stories are more obscure, like Civil War diarist Frances Peter, Robert J. Breckinridge, African American Cemetery Number Two, and Coldstream Farm.

We hope you will use this app to learn more about Fayette County's interesting and abundant history.