McConnell Springs

This rapid growth helped Lexington become recognized as a cultural center and labeled as the “Athens of the West”. By 1889, Town Branch Creek had been channelized and two and a half miles of the creek was buried under downtown. A population boom from 1954 to 1963 prompted city leaders to establish Lexington’s Urban Service Boundary in 1958. This was the first of its kind in the nation, designed to manage city growth into outer Lexington’s famous farmlands. When Town Branch Trail is completed, people will get to walk the 7-mile trail along Town Branch Creek, experiencing the urban and rural portions of Lexington. Since McConnell Springs was established as a camp, it has seen a wide variety of land uses. During the War of 1812, a gunpowder mill on McConnell Springs supplied powder for the United States army. After the gunpowder mill closed, the land changed ownership five times, which included a distillery. Eventually, the land ended up in the hands of the Cahill family. In the 1920’s, the Cahill family constructed a large dairy farm. In 1958, the Cahill family sold McConnell Springs to the Central Rock Company. They tore down the buildings and started mining rock and gravel in the area. In 1994, The Friends of McConnell Springs bought the land. Since then, McConnell Springs has been cleaned up and established as a park and natural area. Today, McConnell Springs is the only site in Fayette County that has a series of artesian springs. These springs go underground and reappear on the surface in different spots. The McConnell Springs Park includes 26 acres of natural areas, the historic springs where Lexington was named, two miles of trails, and an education center.