Athens, Kentucky

Athens, Kentucky
—  Rural settlements of Lexington, Kentucky  —
Athens, Kentucky
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Kentucky
Counties Fayette
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)

Athens, Kentucky, United States, is a small unincorporated village in the rural services area of Lexington- Fayette Urban County to the east of Interstate 75. First settled in 1786 as the community of Cross Plains,[1] the town was chartered as Athens in 1826[2] and had its own post office from that time until 1906.[3] The current commercial center was reduced to its present size by a series of fires in the mid-19th century.[1]

Like several other communities, the local pronunciation of its name uses a long vowel in the first syllable, making it /ˈeɪθənz/ ay-thənz. The common english pronunciation of this name, which is most notably used for the Greek capital, uses a short "a".

Athens Historic District

Athens Historic District
Location: SE Fayette County, Kentucky
Architectural style: Italianate, Greek Revival, Late Victorian
Governing body: Private
NRHP Reference#: 79000971
Added to NRHP: 1979

The Athens Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 for its Italianate, Greek Revival, and Late Victorian architecture.[4]

References