A city within McLean County, Illinois, Lexington had a population of 1912 at the 2000 census.
Originally recognized as a resting place of the Chicago Trail, Lexington became a station situated between Springfield and Chicago. With the decline of rail travel at the beginning of the 20th century, a paved road was built in 1915 which was originally called Route 4. Due to a rapid increase of highways, in 1926, Route 4 became Route 66 and has remained a popular place of interest.
One of the most historical sites of the area is Patton Cabin. Located just on the outskirts of one of the local parks within Lexington, Patton Cabin was built in 1829 with the assistance of the local Native Americans and finally moved to its current location and restored to its former glory to serve as a reminder of its historical value.
A good time to visit is possibly within the first two weeks of September as Lexington holds the Taste of Country Festival. Comprising of the Route 66 parade, a classic and/or vintage car show, the infamous chilli cook-off, arts and craft vendors, live entertainment, and a variety of food booths alongside children’s activities ensures that there is something for whole family. Lexington is no slouch on the technology front and several big tech firms have had their routes there – especially in the areas of computers. They have yet to hold a technology festival as far we I know but with the proliferation of cheap laptops, internet access and home electronics popularity, one may be just around the corner.
The McLean County Museum of History located within Lexington, Illinois, should be a must-see on every visitor’s agenda. Open to the public since 1904, the museum boasts an array of presidential papers and other items of historical value from that period in time. With in excess of 18000 displayed items highlighting the life-style of central Illinois from the very beginning of the state’s history through to the modern day. 10000 volumes of information alongside 1500 feet of archived material will proved with all the information you require to become fully informed. One permanent exhibit is Encounter the Prairie, which enables you to learn about the customs that the settlers brought to Illinois, with in-depth educational historical facts on the African Americans, Irish, Upland Southerners, and Germans who have all settled within the area.
Another high-light should be The Prairie Aviation Museum or PAM for short, whose mission statement is as follows:
• To create an environment in which to learn about the contributions of aviation to our community and nation, by those who persevered.
• To broaden the scope and structure of the Prairie Aviation Museum spanning over 100 years of flight.
• To collect, preserve, and display aircraft and related items, keeping alive the story of flight
• To have our visitors feel educated, entertained, and inspired
Open from Thursdays through to Sundays, the museum has many exhibits inclusive of permanent, rotating displays, a mini theatre as well as a static outdoor display of historical aircraft and vehicles.
It may also be useful to note that Lexington, Illinois, is blessed with a warm climate, the driest months, surprisingly, are in January with the most rainfall recorded in July.