Timeline story
Col. Robert Patterson builds Lexington
In April 1779 Ensign Robert Patterson led about twenty-five men north from Harrodsburg and began a fort on the site that became Lexington, naming the place for the Massachusetts battle that opened the Revolution.
He helped lay off the town, sat for years on its board of trustees, and later helped charter Transylvania University.
In 1788 he partnered with Matthias Denman and John Filson to found Losantiville (renamed Cincinnati in 1790); he also had a hand in Dayton. His 1780 cabin—moved more than once—stands again on Transylvania’s campus near Third and Broadway.
Cite this story
Published . Last revised .
Chicago
Snowden, Shannon. "Col. Robert Patterson builds Lexington." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 12, 2026. Last revised September 12, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/col-robert-patterson-builds-lexington/.
MLA
Snowden, Shannon. "Col. Robert Patterson builds Lexington." Kentucky History Drive, published 12 Sept. 2026, last revised 12 Sept. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/col-robert-patterson-builds-lexington/.
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