Life in Lexington looks different in the eyes of a lifelong resident. Anne Addy, who celebrated her 100th birthday in September, shared what life in the community was like over the past century.

Less traffic, more walking

When asked what life looked like in the Town of Lexington in earlier years, Addy was quick to mention the quiet roads. 

“Well, for one, there was far less traffic,” she said. “Not many families had cars, or if they did, they had just one.” 

She recalled that the community relied heavily on walking. 

“Children would walk to school, and families would walk to the grocery stores,” Addy said.

A simpler, quieter life

“There was less hustle and bustle,” Addy said. “It didn’t feel like everyone was in such a rush like there is now.” 

She remembers walking to Main Street to shop at grocery stores such as Robert’s Grocery and Mack’s Grocery. They once stood near what is now O’Hara’s Irish Pub and Nicky’s Pizzeria. 

She also fondly recalled shopping at Session’s, a former clothing and home goods store where a new four-story Courtyard by Marriott hotel is currently under construction. 

“Back then, you could also leave your kids in the car while shopping, and it was all right,” Addy said with a laugh.

A rural community

While Lexington has seen tremendous growth and development in recent decades, Addy remembers when the town was more rural. 

Main Street was still a community hub, but she recalls a time when there were more fields and pastures than buildings and houses. Contrary to its more urban feel today, Addy remembers there being cow pastures and fields within town limits. 

Having grown up on a farm near what is now Midway Elementary School, Addy helped tend cows, draw water from a well and pick strawberries, which was her least favorite chore. 

“I wasn’t afraid to get my hands dirty. I did what I needed to do and got it done,” she said. 

Her family sold crops such as strawberries and okra to local grocery stores and farmers, including to Walter P. Rawl. 

“There was just a lot more room to stretch your legs and live your life,” Addy said.

A close-knit community

Addy also recalled a stronger sense of community before Lexington’s population boomed. 

“Everyone knew everyone,” she said. “You could walk into a store on Main Street, and the employees would know you and your family.”

Addy’s youngest son, Alan, remembers how the community came together for Lexington High School football games at the former stadium where Flight Deck Restaurant now stands.  

“Every Friday night, everyone in Lexington would show up and watch the football game,” he said. “Then everyone would go to Hite’s Restaurant and Dairy Bar by the stadium. It was like a big happy gathering every week.” 

Anne and her family have a deep love for early Lexington and its sense of community. Even as the town continues to grow, Addy hopes residents will hold on to what she calls “the traditional Lexington way”: being good neighbors and staying involved with one another. 

Addy’s daughter, Barbara Parker, said her mother was active in the church and the community, and hopes Lexington’s small-town spirit endures. 

“Mom was involved in every step of our lives,” Parker said. “She was connected with so many families. It’s important that the community continues to uphold one another like she did and keep that part of early Lexington from fading away.” 

“I’ve had a good life here in Lexington,” Addy said. “I’ve made friends, young and old. It’s been a good life.”