LEXINGTON, a town of the United States of N. America, capital of Fayette county, Kentucky, is situated on Town Fork, a feeder of the Elkhorn, 65 miles E. of Louisville by rail. Its streets are well laid out, and the surrounding country, which is undulating and highly fertile, contains many elegant mansions. The chief public
edifices are,—Transylvania University, the State Lunatic Asylum, the public library, and churches. Besides these, there is a graceful monument erected to the memory of Henry Clay, who resided for some time at Ashland, a short distance from the town. The legal and medical departments of the Transylvania college have become important institutions. In 1854, the latter had 1351 graduates, forming the third largest number among the colleges of the United States. The manufactures of the town are important, including ropes, bagging, iron machinery, and carriages. In 1850 there were 15 factories engaged in hemp manufacture, employing 600 persons, and making yearly 2,500,000 yards of bagging, and 2,000,000 lb. of rope; while in the neighbourhood there were nearly as many establishments engaged in the same work. Hemp is grown largely in the state. By rail the town is connected with Louisville, Danville, Cincinnati, and other large towns. Lexington, the second oldest town of Kentucky, was founded in 1776, and for sixteen years continued to be the capital of the territory, when, in 1792, the government was transferred to Frankfort, the present state capital. Incorporated 1782. Pop. (1854) about 12,000.