Nestled amid the rolling green hills of Central Kentucky sits the town of Georgetown. It is home to nearly 30,000 people as well as Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK), the plant that assembles the Avalon.

Toyota has been a part of Georgetown for more than a quarter century—not just as a business but as part of the community. The plant employs more than 6,000 people full-time, and its impact on Kentucky residents extends to TMMK’s numerous parts suppliers and vendors in the state.  Toyota’s contributions to local organizations include sponsoring volunteer projects and donating thousands of pounds of produce from its on-site garden, and many team members are involved in the community as well.

After more than 25 years in business, the Kentucky plant continues to grow. Toyota recently announced plans to increase annual engine assembly capacity of four-cylinder engines by 25 percent, creating even more jobs in Georgetown.

Georgetown itself traces its official roots to 1784, when Elijah Craig incorporated the town, then called Lebanon, into the state legislature. The city’s name was soon changed to George Town in honor of George Washington.

Interestingly, the city has a long tradition of manufacturing, dating back to the late eighteenth century. Historical reports say Georgetown was the home to Kentucky’s first saw and grist mill, its first paper mill, and even its first whiskey distillery. And of course, it’s also the home to the very first—and the latest—Toyota Avalon.