Lexington, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lexington, California
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 Lexington, California
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Santa Clara |
| Elevation | 623 ft (190 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1670812 |
Lexington, California, is a ghost town located in Santa Clara County. A ghost town is a place where people used to live and work, but now it's mostly empty or completely abandoned. Today, Lexington is hidden beneath the waters of the Lexington Reservoir. It was originally built along Los Gatos Creek and sat about 550 feet above sea level.
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How Lexington Began
Lexington started in 1848 when two men, Isaac Branham and Julian Jank, built a sawmill. A sawmill is a factory where logs are cut into lumber. Later, a man named Zachariah "Buffalo" Jones bought the mill for $3,000. He then planned out a town around the mill and called it "Jones Mill."
A New Name for the Town
In 1860, John P. Hennings bought some land in the area. He decided to change the town's name to Lexington. He named it after his hometown, Lexington, Kentucky.
The Town's Decline
Lexington was once an important stop for stagecoaches. Stagecoaches were like old-fashioned buses that carried people and mail. The route went from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz.
Mills Move Away
In the 1860s, many sawmills in the area started moving further up into the hills. This meant less business for Lexington, and the town began to lose its importance.
The Railroad's Impact
Things got even tougher for Lexington in 1880. A new narrow-gauge railroad line was finished. This train line went from Los Gatos all the way to Santa Cruz. However, it completely bypassed Lexington. The trains stopped at Alma, a town about a mile south. Lexington's post office had already moved to Alma, making Alma the new transfer point for stagecoaches. This made Lexington decline even faster.
Under the Water
The railroad stopped running in March 1940. A big winter storm had caused a lot of damage to the tracks. Also, a new road, State Route 17, was completed that same year.
The Reservoir is Built
In 1952, the Lexington Reservoir was created. This large reservoir was built to store water. To make way for the reservoir, both Lexington and Alma were officially abandoned. State Route 17 also had to be moved to its current location.
What You Can See Today
If you visit the Lexington Reservoir during a drought, you might see some old ruins. These visible ruins are actually from the town of Alma, not Lexington. You might spot old building foundations and parts of original roads when the water levels are very low.
A Reminder of the Past
Even though Lexington is gone, its name lives on. The nearby area called Lexington Hills is a reminder of the former town. Lexington Hills is an unincorporated community that includes several small villages in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
