Lexington dates to 1871, and 17% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 48% of U.S. towns · #44 of 57 in Nebraska. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 1 buildings. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1890.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1872.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Lexington’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Lexington is more historic than 48% of U.S. towns, #44 of 57 in Nebraska. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Lexington’s overall grade.
Nebraska towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Nebraska town has 16.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Lexington’s 2.8 sits below most of its state (25% of Nebraska towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.6 points). Two sources give 1871.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Lexington’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lexington. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1896Lexington sheet · 1:125,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Lexington.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices and old corners
Lexington’s post office has been open since 1889. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Dawson
1872–1872
Plum Creek
1872–1889
Newington
1888–1889
Lexington
1889–today
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Donald Price Mobile Home Park
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Every building
Lexington, building by building, 1892–1920
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Lexington began as a frontier trading post in 1860. The post was later destroyed. Fort Plum Creek was established near its ruins in 1864. Lexington was founded in 1871. It was originally called Plum Creek.
About 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of Lexington on U.S. Route 30, a marker identifies the place of the Plum Creek Railroad Attack (40.790695120°N 99.808119581°W / 40.790695120; -99.808119581) where a band of Cheyenne derailed a Union Pacific freight train on August 7, 1867, during construction of the first transcontinental railroad. Boxcars were looted and burned, and three employees were killed: the engineer, the fireman, and a hand-car operator.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1871, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Lexington’s post office opened in 1872, and the census of 1890 counted 1,392 people here.
How does Lexington rank for history?
Lexington is more historic than 48% of U.S. towns, #44 of 57 in Nebraska. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Lexington?
Three places: the Ira Webster Olive House (listed 1989), the Dawson County Courthouse (1990) and the Harry V. Temple House (2019).
How old are the homes in Lexington?
17% of Lexington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.6 points), against a typical 18% for a Nebraska town; the median home was built in 1973.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From the Library of Congress (6), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1938
1938
1938
1938
