Farms surround Eminence, a small city with a country vibe
Eminence is a rural city on the outskirts of the Bluegrass Region in north-central Kentucky. Farms surround many residential communities, some with new home construction. “There’s one little part of it that’s city. That’s where the commerce of Eminence is, where the post office, hardware stores and a few strong vendors and suppliers like furniture, floor and paint stores are,” says Colleen Walker, a broker with eXp Realty Luxury with over two decades of experience. “You have your country [feel] and you get to have your city at the same time.”
Minimal Traditionals to multi-story homes built after 2000
Minimal Traditional homes from the 1930s are common in the area, with a price range of about $40,000 to $200,000. Some of these older homes are investment properties that may require fixing up. Traditional multi-story homes were built around the same period. These houses and multi-story New Traditional homes constructed after 2000 share a price range of about $220,000 to $400,000. Ranch-style homes in the area are priced similarly, ranging from nearly $190,000 to $440,000. Many properties span at least a quarter of an acre. “It’s just an easy place to live, and everybody is close enough to be neighborly, but far enough away that you get your privacy,” Walker says.
Grabbing meals on Main Street and shopping local
Several locally owned businesses are on Main Street, including Johnson & Company Flooring and Some Where in Tyme Antiques. Nearby dining options include Ricketts Family Restaurant, which serves American fare in a warmly lit dining room with an exposed brick wall. National restaurant chains, including Snappy Tomato Pizza and McDonald’s, are also on Main Street. Save A Lot is located near Elm Street.
A splash pad, athletic facilities and agriculture-based events
Coach “D” Park has basketball and tennis courts, a playground and picnic pavilions. Its splash pad is open seasonally and features arches of varying heights that spray water. Jim Green Walking Trail runs about a mile from Zelcova Drive to King Street, alongside Broadway, a local thoroughfare. Harry Hill Park is about a 4-mile drive from the area and includes a 9-hole disc golf course, baseball fields and the Moore-Prewitt Ag Arena. The agriculture facility hosts livestock auctions. About a mile from the park’s arena, the Henry County Fairgrounds holds the Henry County Harvest Showcase on a Saturday in late July. Festival entertainment includes a petting farm, a farmers market and a tractor show.
Festivals celebrating medieval times and highland culture
The Kentucky Highland Renaissance Festival is held in an open field near Elm Street from the end of May through mid-July. Visitors must purchase an event ticket to access booths with artisan vendors and theatrical performances such as sword fights. Many attendees dress up in medieval and fantasy costumes. During a September weekend, the field hosts the Central Kentucky Celtic Festival and Highland Games. Event features include an armored combat show, archery and live music.
Education in Eminence Independent Schools includes vocational programs
The Eminence Independent Schools district covers the area and includes Eminence Elementary School, which Niche grades a C. Eminence High School scores a B and educates grades 6 through 12. It offers vocational education programs such as e-marketing, which ninth through 12th-grade students can take.
Highways to New Castle, Louisville and the nearby hospital
Kentucky Highway 55 connects the area to Henry County’s county seat, New Castle, about 5 miles north. KY-55 also leads to the University of Louisville Health Shelbyville Hospital, nearly 15 miles south. In the area’s central region, Kentucky Highway 22 runs west and east through Eminence, tying the area to Louisville in about a 40-mile drive. The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is approximately 45 miles away and only has nonstop flights to cities nationwide.