Mount Sterling is a mid-sized community with a historic downtown
Open grassy fields and stables surround Mount Sterling, a semi-rural area in Montgomery County with a historic downtown and quiet residential areas. The downtown is a walkable central business district within a short drive of homes. “It’s grown from a small, unique little town into a modern, mid-sized Kentucky community,” says Brenda Murphy, a local Realtor with Murphy Realty Group, with around 40 years of experience. “People move here because they want to be close to Lexington but not live there. Our traffic is not horrendous. You don’t have trouble getting around, and people like that.”
Mount Sterling’s downtown and national chains on Kentucky Highway 686
Downtown is the area near Main Street in Mount Sterling’s central region. “In the last 10 years, we’ve totally restored our downtown area, and as we speak, they’re widening streets, putting in new sidewalks and streetlights,” Murphy says. “The old buildings maintain the façade, [so] they still look like they did in the 1800s, when they were built here. There are lots of hair stylists and all kinds of craft shops.” Locally owned shops include Southern Princess Children’s Boutique and Creative Twist, a yarn and craft studio. Downtown restaurants vary from Tomatoes & Flames, serving wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas and Italian fare, to Romero’s, a research and development-style kitchen with many organic food options.
A Kroger and Bealls are in a strip mall on Kentucky Highway 686. Gateway Plaza is a shopping center on KY-686 with a JCPenney, Harbor Freight and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. Various fast food restaurant chains are clustered around the intersection of KY-686 and U.S. Route 460.
From historic homes and renovation projects to ranch-style homes
Mount Sterling’s architectural landscape varies from early 1900s homes, such as Queen Annes, to post-2000 single-family homes that include New Traditionals, some with modern influence. “We have a historical section of town that has some beautiful old colonial homes, but generally it's ranch-style or colonial,” Murphy says. “People seem to take care of the homes very well, and we have a few builders, but nothing like what we really need. Most people really do revamp their homes. They remodel, and some renovate completely.” Depending on factors such as home size and condition, prices range from about $40,000 to $560,000.
Sports courts, an aquatic center and Easy Walker Park’s scenic path
Easy Walker Park has tennis courts, baseball fields and a playground. A paved path loops around the fields and travels to a pond where anglers can cast lines from the bank and pier. Botts Park has similar features in addition to a disc golf course and Becca’s Butterfly Garden. Pickleball courts, a skatepark and basketball courts fill The Mound, a park on Greenland Court. A dog park spans a green space on Sycamore Street. The Mt. Sterling-Montgomery County Aquatic Center was completed in 2020 and features a large slide, water cannons and dumping buckets. It is open during the summer, and guests must purchase a daily or a season pass to enter.
A trade day evolves into Kentucky’s longest-running festival
Downtown hosts Court Days for three days, beginning on the Friday preceding the third Monday in October. The festival was established in 1794, when the city was a trading center for part of Eastern Kentucky. People from all over the state would arrive to trade goods and meet, while the county government held court. Today, it is Kentucky’s longest-running festival and features various artisans and food vendors.
Attending Montgomery County Schools and transfer opportunities
The Montgomery County Schools district serves Mount Sterling and allows intra- and inter-district transfers. Many residences, including those in the historic downtown area, are zoned for Northview Elementary School. Niche gives Northview and J.B. McNabb Middle School B grades. Montgomery County High School earns a B-minus overall. The high school offers several Advanced Placement Programs, including calculus and biology.
A center industry with a local hospital and Interstate 64 access
Industrial parks branch off Indian Mound Drive, or “KY-686.” “We have [Mount Sterling Montgomery County Airport], but we accept jet traffic because we cater to the large companies we have here, like Nestlé,” Murphy says. Interstate 64 runs through Mount Sterling’s northern region, connecting the area to Lexington in about 40 miles. Blue Grass Airport is nearly a 45-mile drive. The CHI Saint Joseph Health hospital serves the area.
