250 Lex

Back in late December of 2024, we were starting to hear about all the plans that the city was cooking up to celebrate Lexington's 250th anniversary in 2025. As of June, we're coming up on the halfway point in the year-long calendar. So WUKY’s Alan Lytle recently rang up 250 Lex Co-Chair Kip Cornett to find out how things are going so far and to get a preview of the next couple of months ahead.

It's officially Pride Month and Lex Talk History is back with a fresh episode examining Kentucky's long, storied, and often under-told LGBTQ history. Alan and Mandy welcome back Josh Porter from the Faulkner Morgan Archive to talk about the Queer, Here, & Everywhere exhibit now on display at the downtown branch of the Lexington Public Library. They also discuss a number of upcoming 250 Lex events to celebrate homecoming month.

Lex Talk History, the official podcast of the Lexington History Museum, goes from "All Things LaFayette" to a seldom told aspect of life in the Mary Todd Lincoln House. This bonus May edition features Gwen Thompson, executive director of the historic childhood home of the former First Lady. She and Mandy discuss some of the people that too often history leaves out of the grand narrative; especially poignant with Lexington's 250th anniversary upon us. One person in particular was an enslaved servant named Chaney Dickerson. It's a fascinating conversation you won't want to miss.

2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de LaFayette’s historic tour of the United States. LaFayette, then the last surviving major general of the Revolutionary War, received a hero’s greeting at many stops, including his visit to Lexington. In this edition of Lex Talk History Mandy and Alan get a visit from Lexington History Museum trustee-emeritus Bill Swinford; arguably the most knowledgeable source on the subject. Bill previews a number of Lafayette anniversary events coming up this month.

If you like live music, 250 Lex is going to be your jam this month. The committee tasked with celebrations surrounding Lexington's two hundred fiftieth anniversary has announced an entire month's worth of concerts and music events across the city. WUKY's Alan Lytle has details.

Lexington’s Rupp Arena made an exciting announcement this morning about a concert they will host later this year. WUKY’s Samantha Lederman has the details.

250 Lex's theme for March is higher education and Lex Talk History is doing its part to highlight our rich history of colleges and universities. Alan and Mandy welcome historian Andrew Patrick for an overview. They also talk about the latest museum happenings, give an update on the StoryCorps project currently set up in Woodland Park through April 14th, and preview 250 Lex's College Town Showcase coming this weekend to the campuses of Blue Grass Community and Technical College, Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky.

Mayor Linda Gorton was on hand Wednesday at Lexington's Carnegie Center to unveil the April theme for the year-long 250 Lex celebrations. WUKY's Alan Lytle reports.

Lexington prides itself on being the Horse Capital of the World and the city is celebrating it's 250th birthday this year. WUKY's Samantha Lederman brings us the details of another big day for another Lexington.

If you’ve ever been to the downtown branch of the Lexington Public Library chances are you’ve interacted with Lexingtonian Wayne Johnson. For over 30 years his natural habitat has been the Kentucky Room where all things Lexington are cataloged, displayed and stored. With Lexington celebrating its 250th birthday this year and with February’s 250 Lex theme being history, we thought, who better to talk to than the man himself? Wayne Johnson shares his list of the top 10 events in Lexington history in this episode of WUKY's One on One.