Centrality
In Lexington, centrality plays an important role in the chain of causation over time. Originally, centrality is one of major incentives to the original settlers. Lexington enjoys a central location to connect north and south, which gives it a geographic advantage to be centralized for trade. By 1820, Lexington was one of the largest and wealthiest towns in the Midwest. The other incentive-soil fertility allows agriculture become a major industry in Lexington. Therefore, the city is surrounded by a large number of farmlands. In order to keep the city’s identity, the city enacted Urban Growth Boundary to restrict the scope of development in 1958. Therefore, most of developments can only occur in urban area, which intensifies the pattern of centrality in return. The centrality pattern contributes to economic vibrancy and continuing population growth in urban area.
Due to advancement of mobility after World War II, city is not able to well accommodate a mass of automobiles. The street width is too narrow for large trucks and no enough space for parking. City became an aging, dirty, crowded but expensive place, which aroused the trend of decentrality. The development of interstates further intensified this trend. Lexington is not an exception as well. The I-64 and I-75 strengthen the connectivity among surrounding counties so the towns located in the intersections of interstates have been developed. For instance, Georgetown is located in the north of Lexington along with I-75. It is a seat of Scott County. The US largest plant of Toyota was built in this town in mid-1980s. In 2000, Scott County got a 58.1% population growth due to a large number of employments. The new towns in high way intersection become more attractive than urban core, which indicates a trend of decentrality. However, most of activities are still concentrated in Lexington urban area even though some satellite towns draw people out of city. Lexington is a relatively conservative city so a large scale decentrality is not as evident as other liberal cities. Political control is highly functional at this point.
In Lexington, centrality plays an important role in the chain of causation over time. Originally, centrality is one of major incentives to the original settlers. Lexington enjoys a central location to connect north and south, which gives it a geographic advantage to be centralized for trade. By 1820, Lexington was one of the largest and wealthiest towns in the Midwest. The other incentive-soil fertility allows agriculture become a major industry in Lexington. Therefore, the city is surrounded by a large number of farmlands. In order to keep the city’s identity, the city enacted Urban Growth Boundary to restrict the scope of development in 1958. Therefore, most of developments can only occur in urban area, which intensifies the pattern of centrality in return. The centrality pattern contributes to economic vibrancy and continuing population growth in urban area.
Due to advancement of mobility after World War II, city is not able to well accommodate a mass of automobiles. The street width is too narrow for large trucks and no enough space for parking. City became an aging, dirty, crowded but expensive place, which aroused the trend of decentrality. The development of interstates further intensified this trend. Lexington is not an exception as well. The I-64 and I-75 strengthen the connectivity among surrounding counties so the towns located in the intersections of interstates have been developed. For instance, Georgetown is located in the north of Lexington along with I-75. It is a seat of Scott County. The US largest plant of Toyota was built in this town in mid-1980s. In 2000, Scott County got a 58.1% population growth due to a large number of employments. The new towns in high way intersection become more attractive than urban core, which indicates a trend of decentrality. However, most of activities are still concentrated in Lexington urban area even though some satellite towns draw people out of city. Lexington is a relatively conservative city so a large scale decentrality is not as evident as other liberal cities. Political control is highly functional at this point.