Lexington Massachusetts Incorporated in 1713
Spend some time in the community of Lexington and you’ll quickly see why it’s renowned for its charm, beauty and commitment to its unparalleled place in American history. Lexington is proud of its top-rated public schools, cultural diversity and active participation in civic affairs. This picturesque town was originally part of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it has retained much of the intellectual and cultural flavor of its academic neighbor to the east. Many of Lexington’s residents belong to the university and research community between Boston and Route 128.
Lexington’s first house was built in 1642, and the town was incorporated in 1713. The town’s careful zoning and active Historical commission have preserved many of the original colonial houses and revolutionary war sites, some of which have been noted by the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, every April 19th on Patriot’s Day, hundreds of town residents gather at sunrise around the town green to watch a re-enactment of the Revolutionary War’s first batt
The tree-lined center of town has the cozy charm of a traditional New England village. There you’ll find the newly renovated Cary Memorial Library, part of the Minuteman Network of lending libraries including the Boston Public Library, and the historical town Battle Green and Minuteman statue. Along Massachusetts Av
Lexington’s public schools are nationally acclaimed. Its students have achieved an outstanding record of acceptance to the nation’s most selective colleges and universities, as well as distinctions in academics, music, drama, debate and athletics. The town’s places of worship reflect numerous traditions, and the town’s diversity is showcased at an annual festival, Lexfest. The Lexington Council for the Arts, the Cary Lecture Series, and the Munroe Center for the Arts are some of the cultural organizations in town who sponsor performances, public exhibits, and education in music, dance, and fine art for adults and children alike.
The privately-owned Hayden Recreation Center, started by two brothers to provide affordable sports facilities to town residents, houses an indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool and a world-class skating rink whose figure-skating teams compete nationally and internationally. Lexington’s recreational assets are abundant, with tennis courts, several pools, a fitness/nature trail, and well-maintained parks, hills for sledding in winter, and wooded conservation lands.
The site of Lexington’s historic railroad system is now a 12-mile bike path, running from neighboring town Bedford through Arlington and beyond, making it possible to bike from Lexington all the way to the Hatch Shell open air theater on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. On a sunny afternoon you’ll find the bike bath teeming with bikers, walkers, runners and families with strollers enjoying the outdoors.
Providing an easy commute to 128/95, the Burlington Mall and Boston and Cambridge by car or public transportation, Lexington offers residents the safety, tranquility and green spaces of a suburb, as well as the rich cultural and entertainment offerings nearby. For commuting, the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority) runs buses every twenty minutes from Lexington Center to Alewife Station, the suburban hub for the subway’s Red Line that goes directly into Boston. Lexington residents can get around town on LEXPRESS, a minibus system started in 1979 as an alternative to cars during the oil crisis.
Lexington’s proximity to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to the north and Cape Cod, and the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard to the south, add to Lexington’s appeal for year-round weekend recreation in New England.