West Suburb in Lexington in Fayette County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Vertner Woodson Tandy

1885 - 1949

Photographed by Ken Smith, September 1, 2012

1. Vertner Woodson Tandy Marker

Inscription. Born in Lexington, son of Henry A. Tandy, respected African American contractor. Attended the Chandler School, Tuskegee Institute, Cornell Univ. 1st registered black architect in New York State, where he built landmark homes & buildings. A founder of Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest African American Fraternity.

Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Beta Lambda Chapter, Lexington, Ky.

Erected 2009 by Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky Department of Highways. (Marker Number 2296.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations. In addition, it is included in the Kentucky Historical Society series list.

Location. 38° 3.159′ N, 84° 30.255′ W. Marker is in Lexington, Kentucky, in Fayette County. It is in West Suburb. It is on Main Street (U.S. 25, 421) west of Jefferson Street (Kentucky Route 1928), on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 693 West Main Street, Lexington KY 40508, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Todd House (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Mary Todd Lincoln House

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(about 700 feet away); Pioneer Burying Ground (approx. 0.2 miles away); From Enslaved to the Presidency / From Slavery to Liberation (approx. 0.2 miles away); Town Branch (approx. ¼ mile away); Historic Botherum (approx. ¼ mile away); Mary Todd Lincoln (approx. ¼ mile away); Lexington Historic Distillery District (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lexington.

Also see . . . Vertner Woodson Tandy. BlackPast website entry (Submitted on November 16, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee.)

Vertner Woodson Tandy image. Click for full size.

via BlackPast, unknown

2. Vertner Woodson Tandy

Photographed by Ken Smith, September 1, 2012

3. Vertner Woodson Tandy Marker

Photographed by Ken Smith, September 1, 2012

4. Vertner Woodson Tandy Marker

Photographed by Ken Smith, September 1, 2012

5. Vertner Woodson Tandy Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on September 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,577 times since then and 89 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 12, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. 2. submitted on September 12, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 12, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.