County of Marker: Lafayette County
Location of Marker: 11th St., courthouse lawn, Lexington
Marker Erected by: The State Historical Society of Missouri and The State Highway Commission
Date Marker Erected: 1953
Marker Text:
LEXINGTON
Lexington, on the bluffs above the broad Missouri, grew up around Jack's Ferry, 1819, to become by 1860 one of the great river ports on the State. Prosperous river trade and agricultural richness of the area made the town a commercial center, an outfitting point for emigrants West, and an educational and financial metropolis. Lexington became the seat of Lafayette (then Lillard) Co., 1823.
Here were established a U.S. Land Office, 1823; a fifth Branch Bank of the State of Missouri, 1845; and offices of the great freighting firm, Russel, Majors, and Waddell, in 1850's. The proud roll of early schools lists the first college founded by Masons in the world, Masonic College, opened 1848; Baptist Female College chartered 1855; Elizabeth Aull (Presbyterian) Seminary, 1859; and Central (Methodist) College for Women, 1869. Today's noted Wentworth Military Academy was founded, 1880.
Many lovely ante-bellum homes reflect Classic-Revival design of the courthouse, built 1847-49. The cannon ball embedded in courthouse column is relic of Confederate victory in the 1861 Battle of Lexington.
In 1861, Lexington was early regarded as a strategic military prize and was occupied by Union troops to prevent the State Guard forces north and south of Missouri River from uniting. Gen. Sterling Price moved on Lexington to break this Federal control and a bitter three-day battle ensued, Sept. 18-20, 1861, culminating in an attack called the Battle of the Hemp Bales. The Federals under Col. J.A. Mulligan were defeated.
Among points of interest are Lexington Battlefield; Anderson House, 1853, site of violent encounters while used as a battle hospital, now a public, historic house museum; replica of Masonic College Hall; Machpelah Cemetery and grave of first settler Gilead Rupe; "Madonna of the Trail" monument by F.C. Hubbard, one of 12 in the U.S., erected by D.A.R. to mark National Old Trails Roads; Episcopal Church, a Gothic-Revival chapel, built in 1848; and Public Library and Historical Association, housed in former Cumberland Presbyterian Church, built about 1840.
Near Lexington Bridge, completed 1925, the side-wheeler Saluda exploded in 1852. Most of the passengers, Mormons, perished.