• Lexington was settled in 1775 by European settlers, who named their community in honor of Lexington, Massachusetts, the site of the of the first engagement between Colonial and British forces setting off Revolutionary War.
• The city was incorporated as a city in 1828 and is today the county seat for Davidson County, which encompasses 567 square miles.
• Through the 20th Century, Lexington was known for producing textiles and world-renowned furniture, and today proudly serves as the Barbecue Capital of the World!
• Since 1984, the city has hosted the Lexington Barbecue Festival, one of the largest street festivals in North Carolina.
• Lexington-style barbecue is made with pork shoulder cooked slowly over a hardwood fire, usually hickory. It is basted in a sauce (called “dip” locally) made with vinegar, ketchup, water, salt, pepper, and other spices.

Getting Here

Lexington is easily accessible from I-85, I-285, US 29, US 52, US 64, US 70, and N.C. Routes 8, 47, 49, 62, 68, 109, and 150

• High Point: 18 miles southwest
• Winston-Salem: 24 miles south
• Greensboro: 32 miles southwest
• Charlotte: 57 miles northeast
• Raleigh: 108 miles west
• Asheville: 142 miles east
• Wilmington: 215 miles northwest