Lexington Board Votes to Relocate Landmark Lantern Horse, Auction Three Others

LEXINGTON — June 15, 2026 — Lexington Select Board votes to relocate a signature public art horse and block cannabis delivery for one year. The board voted 5-0 Monday to approve a disposition plan for the seven fiberglass horses in the "Riding Through History" semi-quincentennial collection, including relocating the mosaic lantern horse known as "Illuminated" — created by artists Tova Speeder and Emily Bargava — from the visitor center patio to the front lawn of the community center, keeping three horses at existing sites, and authorizing Town Manager Steve Bartha to pursue an auction of the remaining three. Project coordinator Jillian Tongue, who has managed the collection since 2022, called the lantern horse "an artistic treasure" and said buyers from Concord and Newton had already approached her about purchasing it. Resident Don McKenna praised the overall plan but urged the board to weigh visibility and vandalism risk before finalizing the community center site. In a separate 5-0 vote, the board authorized Bartha to request a one-year temporary waiver from the state Cannabis Control Commission prohibiting retail recreational marijuana delivery in Lexington, with a community survey to follow and a final opt-in or opt-out decision expected before the end of 2026.