This Day in Lexington
This day in Lexington history, on April nineteenth, takes us back to seventeen seventy-five, when our namesake town in Massachusetts changed the course of American history. It was there that British troops clashed with colonial minutemen in what became known as the Battles of Lexington and Concord, marking the official start of the Revolutionary War.
The famous "shot heard round the world" rang out that morning on Lexington Green, as American colonists stood their ground against the British advance toward Concord. By day's end, the British forces were retreating back to Boston, harassed by militia all along the route. The victory sparked the Siege of Boston, with American forces surrounding the British-held city.
Of course, our Kentucky Lexington wouldn't exist for another seven years, when pioneers crossed the mountains and established a settlement they named after that first battlefield. Every time we say our city's name, we're honoring those early patriots who stood up for independence on this very date, two hundred forty-nine years ago.
That's your history for today.
Listen live: The Lexington Times runs a 24/7 local news livestream — watch on YouTube or on Facebook. This transcript is from a recent on-air segment.