Phoenix Hotel (Lexington, Kentucky)
Coordinates: 38°02′45″N 84°29′49″W / 38.045908°N 84.496979°W The Phoenix Hotel was a historical structure located on East Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. It was established in the 1820s and became a prominent landmark as well as the oldest hostelry by succession in the area. After several reincarnations, the hotel closed in 1977. The building was demolished in 1987 and replaced by Phoenix Park.
The site that would become the Phoenix Hotel originally housed Postlethwaite's Tavern, which was constructed in 1800. Several name changes occurred between 1800 and 1820, one of which was to Wilson's Tavern, which was visited by Col. Aaron Burr in 1806. The Phoenix Hotel opened on this site in the 1820s. After it was established, the hotel quickly became a well-known landmark. As a prominent structure closely linked with travelers and tourism in the early history of the city, it helped to give Lexington the reputation that led it to be called "Athens of the West".
The Phoenix Hotel was used for many other purposes, including use as a headquarters by General William "Bull" Nelson, General Braxton Bragg, and General Kirby Smith during the American Civil War. Additionally, the Morgan's Men Association was formed at the Phoenix Hotel after the reinternment of General John Hunt Morgan on 17 April 1868. The surviving members of Morgan's command served as the funeral escort, and then met at the hotel. It was at this meeting that the Morgan's Men Association was created, which still exists in modern times. Around 1891, the Alpha Theta chapter of the Kappa Alpha Order at Transylvania University was founded, with the charter members being initiated at the Phoenix Hotel.
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