1. Situated between a Triangle and a Square, your first stop is a historical plaque that pays homage to the namesake of our city. This famous horse helped put Kentucky on the map as the horse-racing capital of the world.

2. Turn left to cross the street, utilizing a roadway feature that reduces pedestrian-vehicle exposure and can reduce pedestrian crashes by up to 46%. Many of downtown Lexington’s, including this one, feature greenery and a park-like atmosphere.

3. Continue northwest to find the childhood home of one of America’s First Ladies. She lived in Lexington from birth until age 21, part of a prominent business and political family. The family’s home is a now a museum open to the public for both self-guided and guided tours.

4. Your next stop features two unique ways Kentucky has contributed to transportation. In 1923, Kentucky native Garrett Morgan patented a design for the first three-phase traffic signal. Prior to this, traffic signals had only “stop” and “go” options, but Morgan sought to improve safety by adding a “wait” period, later becoming the yellow phase. Almost a century later, in 2009, Lexington became one of the first cities to widely adopt the flashing-yellow left arrow in its traffic signals. Find an intersection that utilizes the flashing-yellow left turn arrow in its traffic signal. (Hint: there are two on Main St and the second one will bring you very close to the next clue.)

5. The first railroad west of the Appalachian Mountains was built in Lexington and connected with Frankfort, the state capital. Find the red train that marks the site of this original railroad, dating from the 1830s. To its left, the trainyard and tracks are descended from the original railroad and are still in operation today.

6. Next, look for a collection of abstract art that represents Kentucky’s bourbon heritage and marks the gateway into Lexington’s distillery district. Kentucky is home to over 100 bourbon distilleries, many of them offering tours and tastings. Bourbon is made from fermented corn and limestone-filtered water, then aged in metal-hooped wood barrels which are charred with fire, giving off a Golden Glow.

7. While most bourbon-making happens in the rural regions of the state, one distillery is close to downtown Lexington. This company makes several whiskeys as well as bourbon-barrel-aged beer. They are housed in a building that marries historical tradition with modern architecture.

8. With spirits High, head back towards downtown to find the venue that hosts the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team, as well as concerts and other community events. The arena holds up to 24,000 people. People are passionate about basketball in Kentucky, so crowds are usually full and enthusiastic! The building was named after a legendary UK coach, and his grandson was the first person to make a basket when it opened in 1976.

9. After you pass our host hotel, follow the limestone-walled path. This path is part of the Town Branch Commons, a transformative public-private park and trail system that traces the historic Town Branch Creek through downtown Lexington. The corridor system includes continuous bike and walking paths, connecting 22 miles of trails between our downtown center and the surrounding rural landscapes. The trail officially opened in 2022 and has already earned several national awards. Enjoy walking this quarter-mile segment to the next clue and take a picture anywhere along the trail.

10. Keep your eyes peeled for an animal who is a big fan of the MUTCD! Located in front of the building that homes our city traffic engineers and planners, this equine is a favorite mascot among our transportation colleagues.

11. On the same building, you will find a mural depicting one of Kentucky’s famous politicians. He represented Kentucky in both the Senate and House, and unsuccessfully ran for President three times. He was at the center of a political party that believed public lands should be used for transportation infrastructure improvements and promoted the concept of national roads.

12. Your next task is to find a bus or a trolley. Public transportation in Lexington began back in 1874. Through the years, they transitioned from horse-drawn stagecoaches to streetcars to motor buses. For many years it was a private enterprise, but in 1973 it became publicly operated and secured its common moniker, Lextran. Today, Lextran operates a fleet of over 65 vehicles and 25 fixed routes. You will pass their home base on the way to your next destination.

13. While Illinois likes to claim this President as their own, he was actually born in a log cabin in Kentucky and lived his first seven years here. Look for a colorful, larger-than-life recreation of him, named one of USA Today’s top 20 places to take a selfie!

14. Continue via Town Branch Commons until you find a collection of seven life-size bronze racehorses galloping towards a finish line, while mares and foals graze in nearby grass. This 2.5-acre park is dedicated to the Thoroughbred industry in the Bluegrass. Its location is emblematic of the early straightaway races that pioneers held on Lexington streets in the 1780s.

15. You’ve reached the furthest point of the scavenger hunt! To start your path back to the hotel, look for the iconic blue door of a favorite local shop. If you want to stop for a moment and step inside, you might find you have a little more energy for the rest of the excursion.

16. Back on Main Street, your next stop is an architectural gem that will take you back to 1930s Lexington. This locale attracted music lovers, film aficionados, and anyone who wanted to surround themselves with elegance. In its 100+ years of life, it has survived flood, fire, suburban exodus, and urban renewal. The building features a glitzy marquee that will make for a fun photo op!

17. Nearby, the rotunda in the lobby of this building features the largest ceiling clock in the world and a five-story Foucault pendulum. The centrally located public building features a curved façade that mimics the clock inside.

18. Next, look for the Zero Milestone Camel. This statue is at the center of Lexington and is used by the state highway department as the baseline for any mileage signs showing Lexington as a destination. The original mile marker was a plain granite monument erected in 1926 by the Lexington Automobile Association in front of Union Station. This was replaced by the camel statue design a few years later. (Currently the statue is in a construction zone, but you should still be able to see the top of it!)

19. If you want to pick up some horse-country souvenirs, this next place is your best bet. It is named after the place where locals like to spend a fall or spring afternoon testing their luck in the exciting sport of horseracing.

20. With more bourbon barrels than people in the state of Kentucky, you won’t have any trouble finding one. (Hint: many restaurants use barrels as small tables.)

21. Not far away, these fully functional intertwined streetlights are Totally in Love. If you look closely, you can even see that the glass globes are reaching towards each other. They mark the entrance to an offbeat and quirky art museum that is free to the public.

22. The city’s three-letter nickname should be easy to spot. It stands in front of a landmark building that encompasses an entire city block and was once used as the county courthouse.

23. Lastly, head back to your current home base and look for a symbol where all modes of transportation connect. It represents all of us here at the RSS conference, and if you are very observant, you might notice it also represents someone from a galaxy far, far away.