Woodford County at a Glance

" I never met a Kentuckian who wasn't coming home."
- A.B."Happy" Chandler

Interesting Facts & Information

Woodford County was formed in 1789 and is located between Lexington and Frankfort, Kentucky.  The county is nestled in the heart of the Bluegrass thoroughbred country.

Many of the thousands of acres of horse farms that make up Woodford county have been host to such notable figures as Queen Elizabeth II, President Bush and William Jennings Bryan.  These farms are home to many famous thoroughbreds including Kentucky Derby Winner Seattle Slew and two time Horse of the Year, Cigar.    Also, Woodford County offers numerous opportunities for the antique lover.

Versailles, the Woodford County seat, was founded in 1792 by General Marquis Calmes. The area was once known as Falling Spring, but the town was named to honor General Lafayette.  Versailles offers a wealth of historic southern homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Midway was built by the Lexington and Ohio Railroad in 1831. The site was also known as Middleway.   Midway is the home of Midway College.  Chartered in 1847,   Midway College is an independent liberal arts college for women. Railroad Street, centered around railroad tracks, features Victorian-style antique shops, gift boutiques and restaurants.

Nonesuch was founded in 1870.  It is home of Irish Acres Gallery of Antiques.   This lavish 32,000-square foot gallery is located in an old elementary school and houses the award-winning restaurant known as The Glitz.

Demographics

Woodford County:  Versailles, Midway and Nonesuch, Kentucky

POPULATION (2001): Woodford County: 23,208; Versailles City Limits: 7,511; Midway City Limits: 1,620

Area: 191 square miles

Churches:   51

Climate:

• Temperature: The average annual temperature is 55 degrees.  The record high ( July 1988 ) was 103 degrees.  The record low was -21 degrees.  ( 1993 figures )

• Precipitation: Normal precipitation is 45.68 inches a year.  Average number of days precipitation is 130 days with an average of 44 days being thunderstorms.  ( 1993 figures )

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COMMUNICATIONS:

Cable Television: Adelphia, Richmond, Kentucky, 65 Channels - Basic

Newspaper: The Woodford Sun, 184 South Main Street. Circulation: 5,900.

Postal Service: United States Postal Service, 149 Fieldview Drive. First Class service with incoming mail two times a night and outgoing mail two times a day.

Radio Stations: WJMM 99.3 FM, WCGW 770 AM, and WUGR 1250 AM

 

 

ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK:

Woodford County consistently has the lowest unemployment rates statewide.

The total number of Woodford County residents employed in 2001 averaged

13,658 with an unemployment rate of 2.8%.

 

 

EDUCATION:

In Woodford county: 4 public elementary schools; 4 private elementary schools; 1 middle school (Grades 7-8); 1 high school, and 1 alternative school (Grades 7-12.)

 

Midway is home to Midway College, a women’s college with an enrollment of over 2,000 that includes co-educational evening programs.

Within 50 miles of Versailles, there are a number of colleges and universities:

University of Kentucky, Lexington; Transylvania University, Lexington;

Kentucky State University, Frankfort; Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond;

Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore; Georgetown

College, Georgetown; and Centre College, Danville.

 

Vocational education training is available just 13 miles east in Lexington at

the Central Kentucky Regional Technology Center. There are also two Fayette

County Centers for Applied Technology. Frankfort offers vocational education

at the Franklin County Vocational Technical School and at the Anderson

County Regional Technology Center in nearby Lawrenceburg. Adult education

and literacy services are provided through the Community Education Center

in Versailles.

 

 

FINANCIAL DATA:

There are five banks in the area: Citizens Commerce National Bank,

Community Trust Bank, Kentucky Bank, National City Bank, and United Bank

and Trust Company.

 

 

HEALTH FACILITIES/SERVICES:

Bluegrass Community Hospital, Comprehensive Care Center, Woodford

County Health Department, and the Woodford County Ambulance Service.

TAX RATE:

 

 

TRANSPORTATION:

 

Air:

Bluegrass Airport, eight miles east of Versailles. Scheduled commercial airline

service with over 100 daily arrivals and departures.

 

Highway:

Major highways serving Woodford County and Versailles are US 60 and 62,

both "AAA" rated trucking highways; the Bluegrass Parkway, 3 miles south

of the city via Kentucky 33, a "AA" rated trucking highway; Interstate 64,

located 8 miles northeast via US 62 or 10 miles north-west via US 60; and

access to interstate 75, located 17 miles east of Versailles at Lexington.

Interstate 64 and 75 intersect approximately 4 miles north of Lexington.

 

Motor Freight:

Thirty-one common carrier trucking companies provide interstate and/or

intrastate service to Versailles.

 

Rail:

The Lexington and Ohio Railroad provides branch line rail service to

Versailles. The nearest intermodal facilities are available in Georgetown,

Kentucky, 18 miles northeast of Versailles.

 

Waterways:

The Kentucky River is located five miles west of Versailles and flows along

the western boundary of the county. A six-foot navigation channel is maintained from Frankfort to the Ohio River near Carrollton, Kentucky.

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