8 Reasons to Visit Georgetown
Written by Natalie Partin
Does your bucket list include a visit to legendary horse farms, tasting a sweet bourbon concoction (or two), or basically anything involving a relaxing but entertaining getaway? If so, Georgetown, Kentucky is calling your name! We’ve lined out 8 Reasons to Visit Georgetown to help assist in your vacation decisions. Travel in and enjoy the many attractions that make our town one of the BEST Small Southern Towns to Visit in 2018 by U. S. News & World Report.
Convenience, Convenience, Convenience
Need we say more? Georgetown, Kentucky is one of the few destinations located within the golden triangle of Cincinnati, Louisville and Lexington. Travel less than 30 miles north and experience the one-of-a-kind Ark Encounter. Head west towards Louisville and visit Kentucky’s capital, Frankfort. And directly south of Georgetown, experience Lexington – the second largest city in Kentucky. Sitting right along I-64 and I-75, accessibility to Georgetown is never a question. In a day’s drive, one can reach 2/3 of the U.S. population! That’s right… you aren’t too far from us. Come visit!
Small-Town Downtown
One of the things that make us “small-town” is our historic downtown district. With over 200 buildings on the National Register for Historic Places, our downtown holds to its roots and timeless gems. One can find exclusive boutiques, assorted art galleries, quilt & stained glass shops, and an elaborate antique mall along Main Street. Savor farm-to-table, pub grub, southern fair, and white tablecloth cuisine at local restaurants. Southern hospitality is something we don’t take lightly – so come to downtown Georgetown and experience an authentic welcome and a “see ya’ again” from our locals. They’ll have you feeling like a true Kentuckian.
The Birthplace of Bourbon
We’ll let you in on a secret… Georgetown holds close to its claim of being the true birthplace of bourbon. Rev. Elijah Craig – Yes, THE Elijah Craig – is said to have distilled the first batch of Kentucky bourbon in 1789 using the water from Georgetown’s Royal Spring. Bourbon 30 Spirits, located across the street from the infamous Royal Spring in downtown Georgetown, offers its own bourbon to taste while you ponder this mystery. Don’t believe us? That’s okay. Hop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and visit the other influential bourbon distilleries of our state. Whichever story you decide to believe will be a tasty one!
We’re Kentucky's Horse Headquarters!
Central Kentucky is known for many things but its greatest treasure is its horses, and Georgetown happens to be in the epicenter! A visit to Georgetown is best when you include the horse retirement capital to your itinerary, Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm. You’ll get a chance to get up-close and personal with Derby and Preakness winners. There are even a few movie stars out there ready for their close-up! Head to the 1200-acre Kentucky Horse Park to see and learn any and all things HORSE. Attend one of their many horse competitions for an extra-special experience! Get adventurous with horseback riding at Whispering Woods Riding Stables. Educate yourself on true horseman etiquette at Three Hill Farm. Best of all, celebrate the horse at Georgetown’s annual Festival of the Horse in the fall! Quit stalling and saddle up for a trip to Georgetown.
Those Kentucky Roads
Who else can say their roads are its own attraction? Not New York. On a journey through the back roads of Georgetown, you’ll see signature stone fences, colorful barn quilts, historic buildings, and lots of green grass occupied by horses of all breeds. Need a map to route out your countryside drive? Experience the legendary landscape of central Kentucky with the Bluegrass Country Driving Tour, a map available at the Georgetown/Scott County Tourism office. It’s true – traveling to the next town won’t be so bad with a view like ours.
Manufacturing Mecca (Tours Currently Unavailable)
You heard it folks – Georgetown is home to the LARGEST Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in the WORLD, Toyota Kentucky. Georgetown’s Toyota expands across 1300 acres, producing the Camry, Avalon, and now a Lexus – the first and only plant in North America to do so! The coolest part about this plant is you can tour their facility! See how popular cars are built from start to finish on a behind-the-scenes, free motorized tram tour. Not only does this Toyota supply awesome vehicles to consumers, it fosters small-town Georgetown as the fastest growing area in Kentucky! To support the bond formed from Toyota with sister-city Tahara, Japan, Georgetown crafted the first Kentucky-Japan Friendship Garden – Yuko-en on the Elkhorn. Close by Toyota, sip Japanese-inspired craft beers at Country Boy Brewing. See what’s ahead for manufacturing and for Georgetown growth during your Kentucky excursion.
Voyage Outdoors
Besides the horse farms and bourbon trails, Georgetown’s outdoor adventure scene is on an uphill climb (literally). Grab a kayak for a day’s paddle or wait for the perfect fish to bite at Elkhorn Creek, the best small mouth stream in Kentucky. Bike one of the many scenic trails found around the county in Sadieville and Stamping Ground or put your Mountain Biking skills to the test at the rugged Skullbuster Trails. Satisfy your fall cravings by visiting Evans Orchard & Cider Mill, an amusement park of farms. Bring the kiddos to the state’s first corn maze at Bi-Water Farm & Greenhouse. Georgetown even offers the perfect spots for those who like to spend their vacations golfing.
Steeped in History
We wouldn’t be a small-town in Kentucky if we didn’t ooze with rich history. The grandest of history comes from Ward Hall, the finest of Greek revival residences in Kentucky, built circa 1857. The Cardome Renaissance Centre, once a monastery school for girls, is another must-do for history buffs. Georgetown College in downtown Georgetown is steeped in history, as it is the first Baptist College west of the Alleghenies. Countywide, Sadieville is home to The Sadieville Rosenwald School, one of the schools built early 20th century for African-American children. Stamping Ground prides itself on being located on the ancient migratory path used by buffalo seeking salt. They also have the original place where notorious Jesse James’ parents were married – How cool? You’ll uncover more than enough history to keep you busy in Georgetown.
There are many more reasons to plan a trip to Georgetown. Sip crafted drinks, explore countryside, dine on southern delicacy, and learn the history of a small-town in the midst of horse country. Instead of letting us tell you about it, why don’t you find out yourself? Start planning your visit at www.georgetownky.com.
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Fun Fingertip Facts
7/24/18 Written by Kathy Witt
Yes, Georgetown/Scott County is a dapper destination, but did you know it has something of a checkered past? Read on to learn about its ties to outlaw Jesse James, a nefarious general the county chose as its namesake, and Sallie Ward, who made a career out of scandalizing polite society. Here are some fun facts about the famous, the infamous and the fabulous in Georgetown.
Did You Know. . .
- Georgetown is the Birthplace of Bourbon – or is it? Whether Rev. Elijah Craig first distilled bourbon whiskey (in 1789) at the site of Royal Spring Park, located in present-day downtown Georgetown, or elsewhere remains hotly contested. What isn’t debated is the fact that Craig was a Baptist minister.
- Bourbon wasn’t the only first for Elijah Craig. He is also credited with these: first classical school in Kentucky, founded in 1788; first ropewalk; first saw, grist and paper mills; and first fulling mill, which has to do with cleansing cloth.
- The school Craig founded was later absorbed into Rittenhouse Academy and later still, in 1829, into Georgetown College, the first Baptist college west of the Allegheny Mountains (and possibly one of the very few with ties to bourbon).
- Early on, Georgetown was named Great Crossings because of traversing buffalo herds. In 1790, the town’s name was changed to George Town in honor of President George Washington.
- Scott County was named for General Charles Scott, a Revolutionary War hero who was called out for “corrupting the morals of our youth” and as “one of the wickedest men I ever saw,” depending on whom you asked. He would later serve as the Commonwealth’s fourth governor, from 1808 through 1812.
- Georgetown is the fastest growing city in Kentucky.
- The largest Toyota Manufacturing Plant in the world is located in Georgetown and visitors can see a Toyota automobile constructed from the ground up on a tram tour.
- The $50,000 price tag for Ward Hall, a 12,000-square-foot villa completed in 1857 and considered one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the South, was paid for in gold.
- Free-spirited divorcee Sallie Ward, whose Uncle Junius owned Ward Hall, made headlines in the late 1800s with her scandals (including marrying four times!) as well as her fashion sense. The saucy “Belle of Louisville,” as she was called, had shoes, hats and frocks named for her.
- The parents of outlaws Frank and Jesse James were married in Stamping Ground. Zeralda Cole and Robert James were married in a house at 406 Locust Fork Pike on Dec. 28, 1841. The house belonged to Zeralda’s uncle and guardian, James Lindsay. The couple met while Robert was a Baptist ministry student at Georgetown College. Unfortunately, their two boys were no such angels; rather, they became notorious bank and train robbers who didn’t have the decency to stay away, but visited their Scott County relatives during their outlaw years.
- The legendary Buffalo Soldiers were established by Congress as the first peacetime all-Black regiments in the U.S. Army. Scott County residents were among the first soldiers, joining the 9th and 10th Cavalries and the 23rd and 24th Infantries. The name, “Buffalo Soldiers,” was given to them by Native Americans in the late 1870s and marks a place of honor in U.S. history for those who served. At least four Buffalo Soldiers are buried in the Old Georgetown Cemetery alongside 40+ colored troops which were recently re-discovered in 2024.
- Georgetown is home to two internationally famous artists, both with ties to horses – equine photographer John Stephen Hockensmith and thoroughbred racehorse artist Robert Clark. Both have galleries in downtown Georgetown.
- Kentucky Derby Winner Silver Charm, another resident of Old Friends, won nearly $7 million over the course of his career. Of his 12 wins, six were by a head or less.
- Sadieville, once called “The Big Eagle,” was formed in 1879 in the northern portion of the county as a rail stop along the Cincinnati Southern Railroad. The city was named in honor of Sadie Emison Pack, who played hostess to construction engineers working on the line.
- Sadieville is home to a Rosenwald School, one of the many state-of-the art schools built across the South in the early 20th century for African American children. Constructed between 1917 and 1920, the school remained segregated until 1954. Restored in 2011 to preserve its history, the school is now a museum/cultural center.
- Stamping Ground was named for a noise: the stamping of hundreds of hooves of impatient buffalo waiting to drink from Buffalo Spring. The bowl-shaped basin is actually one of Kentucky’s three major “stamping grounds” sitting at the junction of trails used by migrating herds.
- Author Nick Allen Brown set his 2012 page turner, Field of Dead Horses, in Georgetown. Coincidentally, there are two “fields of dead horses” at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm.
- Georgetown has had a sister city, Tahara, Japan, since 1990. Yuko-en on the Elkhorn, the official Kentucky-Japan Friendship Garden, is a tribute to this relationship.
- Besides being one of Kentucky’s longest creeks, Elkhorn Creek is the best small mouth stream in Kentucky.
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Six Free Things to See & Do in Georgetown
Written by Kathy Witt
Free? As in no charge?
Yep, you read that right. Here are six fun Georgetown attractions you can’t put a price tag on because they’re all on the house. Yours for the taking – and enjoying.
1. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Tour
On your mark, get set, go! Board the tram tour at the largest Toyota Manufacturing Plant in the world and get ready to zoom among and around partially constructed cars as live and robotic plant workers install wheels, drop in speakers or carburetors and move forklifts.
You’ll hear music, too: rock ‘n roll, chimes, carnival tunes and more. Seem out of place in a factory building cars from the ground up? It’s all part of an assembly line safety feature, an Andon Cord workers can tug to forewarn of potential quality issues. If the cord is pulled, the line stops and the issue is addressed.
You can also speed along a racetrack in a NASCAR simulator and slip into a brand new, fresh-from-the-assembly-line Camry – the reigning bestselling car in America.
2. Yuko-en on the Elkhorn
Here is the place to get your Zen on: Yuko-en on the Elkhorn Creek – the only official Kentucky-Japan Friendship Garden. An homage to Georgetown’s sister city since 1990, Tahara, Japan, this 4-season, 5-acre garden is a place of peace.
Enter through the Tokugawa gate, stroll the grounds planted with an abundance of native plants blended with Japanese garden principles, see the statuary and relax near the pond for quiet reflection. Namaste.
3. Georgetown and Scott County Museum
Equine portraits, rotating collections and special exhibits – the Georgetown and Scott County Museum is all about celebrating the history and heritage of the local community and in a really cool setting: the historic 1905 Post Office building. Check out the museum’s video here. The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday or by appointment.
4. Geocaching Trails
The hunt is on! And depending on which of the two adventures you take – the Scott County GeoTrot or the Historic Buffalo Trail, you’ll be all over Georgetown, Sadieville and Stamping Ground, including at the Birthplace of Bourbon, cemeteries, a site connected to outlaw Jesse James – even a craft brewery! Passports are available here and here.
First time? Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting activity that uses GPS coordinates to locate hidden geocache containers that house customized trinkets for Geocachers to collect or replace, and a rubber stamp to mark the geocache location. They are designed hunts featuring specific locations or attractions oftentimes unfamiliar to participants.
Geocaching trails are typically recorded on the geocaching.com app or with a designated GeoTrail passport. Also visit www.geocaching.com to learn more about the world’s largest treasure hunt.
5. Historic Walking Tour of Downtown
Georgetown has a picture-postcard downtown lined with Victorian-era buildings that are filled with art galleries, boutiques, bakeries and restaurants and trimmed with American flags and colorful hanging flower baskets.
Experience a “Walk Through Time” on a self-guided tour of this architecturally beautiful and significant downtown that includes a stop of the Birthplace of Bourbon, Royal Spring Park. This is where it is believed Reverend Elijah Craig first distilled spirits. Grab a copy of the tour at the Georgetown/Scott County Tourist Information Center and Chamber of Commerce.
6. Elkhorn Creek
Drop a line in Kentucky’s longest creek. Elkhorn Creek is considered one of the best smallmouth bass streams in the state, and one of the most scenic. Pack a picnic and enjoy the view at Great Crossing Park, a true piece of Georgetown history.
This tiny greenspace with shade, picnic shelters, walking and nature trails and boat ramp is on an ancient migratory path the Native Americans called Alant-I-wamiowee, or buffalo path, for the great buffalo herds traversing the land in search of a salt lick. The buffalo and salt licks have vanished, but the park is still a great place to kick back and while away a few lazy hours.
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