[6] It was named by a pioneer settler who saw a stand of hickory trees on the site and was reminded of the Biblical cedars of Lebanon.

This Victorian home is owned and maintained by the Boone County Historical Society and serves as headquarters for the organization.

[10][11] Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Boone County Courthouse and Oak Hill Cemetery.

[14] The county courthouse of Lebanon is notable for its single-piece vertical Ionic order limestone columns.

The most recent mayoral election occurred in November 2015 where Republican Matt Gentry 65.48% defeated Democrat Michele Thomas 33.46% by a 2 to 1 margin.

Former Mayor Jim Acton (Democratic Party) did not file to run for a fifth term, which left the 2007 election open to new candidates.

Republican City Council President John Lasley won the election with 48% of the vote, to Democrat Roger Neal's 27% and Independent George Piper's 25%.

City Council President Dick Robertson assumed the mayoral duties until the Republican Party precinct chairpersons met to choose Harold "Huck" Lewis as his successor.

Despite having recently elected Democratic mayors, Lebanon can be considered to be highly Republican when it comes to national and state politics.

The body enrolled 3,381 students for the 2019–2020 school year, and is recognized as a "B" district by the Indiana Department of Education.

[21] Major employers in Lebanon include Lebanon Community School Corporation; the U.S. headquarters of German power tools company Festool and of Canadian specialty foods manufacturer Skjodt-Barrett; manufacturing plants for Hendrickson International, DS Smith, Kuraray, Kauffman Engineering, Maplehurst Bakeries, and D-A Lubricant Company; distribution centers for CNH Parts & Services, Subaru of America, Continental Tire the Americas, and Hachette Book Group USA; and health care and medical facilities operated by Witham Health Services.

Lebanon will also be the site of LEAP, an economic development initiative involving over 9,000 acres of land that will be allocated for technological and manufacturing projects.

[24] The Lafayette and Indianapolis Railroad line traversing Lebanon was owned and operated by a number of companies from its inception in 1852 until it was abandoned in 1985.

[25][26] Portions of the former railroad line have been re-purposed as a shared use path currently known as Big 4 or Farm Heritage Trail.

A trailhead is located at Sam Ralston Road east of Interstate 65 in Lebanon, and the trail extends 9.5 miles (15.3 km) from this point northwest to Thorntown.