Georgetown
Kentucky,
the seat of
Scott
County, is located near the center of the county at Royal Spring and
North Elkhorn Creek. Although the area had a few settlers as early as
1775, the permanent settlement that became Georgetown began in 1782 as
Lebanon, Virginia. It was incorporated on December 16, 1790, and
initially named George Town to honor George Washington. On becoming the
Scott county seat when the county was formed in 1792, it was renamed
Georgetown.
The Georgetown post office was open by 1801. The Rev. Elijah Craig
and Virginia Baptists settling in Craig's mills on Royal Spring Branch
were among the first west of the Appalachians to manufacture paper
(1793). Craig also established an early ropewalk (1789) and a whiskey
still. Craig's 1788 classical school became Rittenhouse Academy in 1799.
Georgetown is located in Kentucky Blue Grass Country in the
north-central portion of the state. It is served by US 25, US 62, US
460, and I-75. This thriving rural city is located only seven miles
north of Lexington, KY. Highway and rail connections with Lexington,
Louisville,
and Cincinnati
have contributed to Georgetown's trade advantages.
Median household income for Georgetown, Kentucky from the year 2000
Census is $42,186, and per capita income is a healthy $18,869. Both
figures are higher than the state of Kentucky and that of Scott County.
Georgetown is the county seat of Scott County. The population in 1990
was 11,414. In 2000 it had increased to 18,080, again surpassing that of
it's surrounding county and state. There are many business and civic
organizations in Georgetown. The best known and most active is the
Georgetown Chamber of
Commerce.
Georgetown, KY has many exciting attractions for visitors of all ages
and you will find entertainment and excitement with a hometown feel.
Those interested in the automotive industry can visit the Georgetown
Toyota plant, the home of the American-made Camry,
Solara,
and Avalon.
Georgetown has the official Kentucky-Japan Friendship Garden, Yuko-En
on the Elkhorn, one of six largest gardens of its kind in the US.
Scott County is also home to such festivals as the Scott
County Antique Show, Spring Fling, and Georgetown
International Kite and Culture Festival. Being in horse country,
tourists will enjoy the annual Festival
of the Horse. If a traditional country fair is part of your agenda,
then the Scott
County fair held in Georgetown is a must see attraction. Georgetown
also hosts the Cincinnati
Bengal's training camp in August. Year round locals and visitors
alike enjoy the fine
shopping to be done in Georgetown. Not only host to the Festival of
the Horse, Whispering
Woods Riding Stables is a full service stable with boarding, tack
services and riding lessons. It's also a campground with cabins and
other amenities.
Known as one of the Countries 100 Best is Georgetown
College, a small, residential, co-educational liberal arts college
distinguished by a combination of respected, rigorous undergraduate and
graduate programs.
The Cardome
Centre is one of the oldest and most historic properties in
Georgetown, KY. From the Latin "Cara Domas" meaning dear home
come the word Cardome. In the early 1800's the property had come into
the possession of one of Kentucky's most prominent families, the
Bradfords, who built the first structure on the property in 1821. The
property then came into possession of James F. Robinson, who was the
Kentucky Federal Governor during the American Civil War. He built an
elegant mansion, which was located in the center of the current
buildings. An interesting historical note is that the first Confederate
Governor of Kentucky lived only a few miles from here, also in
Georgetown. He was killed in battle at the beginning of the war.
Unfortunately the mansion building burned and was torn down in 1986. The
Robinson heirs sold the property to the Sisters of Visitation, a
"cloistered" order of nuns, in 1896. Here they founded a
girl's academy that became one of the most prestigious schools of its
type in Kentucky.
Due to a variety of circumstances that led to declining enrollment,
the academy closed in 1969. When the visitation community disbanded in
1987, the property was sold to Community Building Inc., a non-profit
organization formed to administer a million dollar gift from Toyota for
the purpose of establishing a community center for the people of
Georgetown. The site is now owned by the city and serves as a place for
many activities including weddings, company picnics and community
meetings. A very aggressive plan is now underway to upgrade the
facility, which will include a full service kitchen, bed and breakfast,
and a state of the art outdoor amphitheatre.
The residents of Georgetown are very proud of The
Pavilion, a Community Sport and Activity Pavilion with state of the
art amenities. The Pavilion has a comfortable lounge area, childcare
area, multipurpose room with a full kitchen, large conference room,
dance/aerobics room, and fitness area all on the upper level. The indoor
walking track, also on the upper level, allows walkers to keep an eye on
the basketball games below. The lower level boasts the large gymnasium
that can be partitioned off to make 2 basketball courts and/or
volleyball courts. The lap/competitive pool and the leisure pool have
easy access to the locker rooms and the family change area. Renovations
in progress will allow for expansion of the free weight area. Several
regularly scheduled programs are held at the Pavilion along with various
special activities including the Valentine's Day Party and the St.
Patrick's Day Party. Programs held at the Pavilion include tap and
dance, gymnastics, jazz and ballet, water aerobics, swim lessons for all
ages, and many others.
Georgetown, Kentucky is a bright, polished, historic and charming bit
of America. The proximity to Lexington and other factors have allowed
this village to stay alive and prosper even in the shadows of the
franchise entities that usually swallow up venues like this. If you're
looking for a model to bring a small town back to life, Georgetown is
your lesson plan.
