Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Lexington, VA
Year Listed: 2000
Lexington, Virginia is a picturesque Shenandoah Valley town steeped in Civil War history, rich with collegiate and military tradition, and surrounded by natural beauty. Founded in 1777 in western Virginia, Lexington has historic sites associated with local sons Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson, George C. Marshall, and inventor Cyrus McCormick. It is also home to Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute, and close to the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, and the Blue Ridge Parkway During the 1960's, Lexington could not keep up with the shopping strips and outlet malls that started surrounding the town. But local residents, preservationists, and business owners realized that the preservation of Lexington’s downtown was tied to its economic recovery, and began to purchase, restore, and resell the town’s most significant and threatened historic structures. Brick sidewalks and old-fashioned street lamps were installed to create an authentic atmosphere that reflects the town’s 200-year-history.
The entire downtown area is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Downtown buildings once used as a car dealership and a failed department store now house the regional library and county administrative offices. Structures once called hard-toadapt are restaurants, business offices, and quaint hotels. Visitors to downtown Lexington can dine in pubs and restaurants in gracious antebellum buildings and stay in historic inns and bedand- breakfasts within walking distance of downtown shops. Lexington has countered the nearby invasion of superstore retailers by offering customers needed and desired goods and services and small, independent shops with specialized merchandise. More than 20 annual events in Lexington unite the community and celebrate its individuality and history. Downtown is host to outdoor concerts, festivals, art shows, and retail events. A "festive interaction" between merchants and customers marks the holidays, when parades, decorations, activities, and even Halloween trick-or-treating fill the streets. Visitors can tour downtown Lexington by horse and carriage and take a Civil War driving tour to 14 locations. Historic and cultural attractions in Lexington represent a range of interests and include the George C. Marshall Museum, Stonewall Jackson House and Memorial Cemetery, Lee Chapel, Virginia Military Institute Museum, Cyrus McCormick Farm, Washington and Lee’s Lenfest Performing Arts Center, Lime Kiln outdoor theater, and Virginia Horse Center, a showplace for national and international horse competitions.
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