6. Isaac Murphy
(1861-1896)
Born on a horse farm in Lexington, Isaac (Burns) Murphy is well known in the history of Thoroughbred racing. A leading jockey of his time, Murphy's family once lived in downtown Lexington on "Jordan's Row," which "faced the public square." (In 1805, Henry Clay's law office was also located on "Jordan's Row," the present-day 110-112 North Upper.) Later, Murphy lived on Megowan Street near the Thoroughbred Park. In 1884, 1890 and 1891, he won the Kentucky Derby. Murphy is buried in the Kentucky Horse Park cemetery on Iron Works Pike where his remains were moved in 1977.
Photo courtesy of Kentucky State
University Special Collections & Archives
1. Main Street Baptist Church, 582 West Main Street
2. "Forgotten Pioneers," A doctor's office that was located at 118 North Broadway
3. Cheapside
4. Historic Pleasant Green, 540 West Maxwell Street
5. Baptism scene, between Bolivar and Scott Streets
6. Home of Isaac Murphy, Eastern Street
7. St. Paul AME Church, 251-253 North Upper Street
8. Old First Baptist site, corner of Short and DeWeese
9. Polk-Dalton Infirmary, 148 DeWeese
10. East Second Street Christian Church, 146 Constitution Street
Click on each number to learn more about these 10 sites.
Click here to the print the African American Heritage Trail in pdf format. (4 pages)
Doris Wilkinson, Retired
Department of Sociology
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0027
Click here for selected references on Lexington's African American Heritage.
