Versailles

Firmantown is a neighborhood in Versailles, a small city of about 10,000 people 12 miles west of Lexington. Its greatest pride is its school district, which Niche considers the best in the Lexington area, and people here like that it’s a small town where everyone knows everyone. It’s centrally located between employment hubs like Lexington and Frankfort, but many residents work in Versailles, which many believe makes it a better-connected community. Like many residents, the City of Versailles’ City Clerk and Treasurer Elizabeth Reynolds has lived here her whole life. “We have only one middle school and one high school, so that keeps the community small,” she says. “A lot of people have lived here their whole lives, so they know each other’s kids and parents and all that, and everybody turns out for the Friday night football games. The support they show is something you don’t find in a lot of bigger cities or small towns that have a lot of people who commute. It’s different here.” Firmantown residents can dine in downtown Versailles at local restaurants like Vallozzi’s, an upscale Italian spot; Rolling Oven Taproom, a brick-oven pizzeria serving craft beer and wine; and Ricardo’s Grill & Pub, a tavern serving American fare in its dining room and on its patio. Highway 60 has additional local spots like Mexican restaurant Mi Pueblito and the local brewery Versailles Brewing Company alongside a Kroger and chains like Taco Bell, Chipotle and Wendy’s. Residents can shop downtown at boutiques like Green Street Gifts & Antiques and Bluegrass Stitches & Crafts or head 12 miles east into Lexington to shop at major retailers. Firmantown has ranch-style, split-level and farmhouse-style single-family homes. Most belong to subdivisions and offer proximity to Versailles’ city center. The average home value in Firmantown is marginally higher than the average for the Lexington metro area – about $10,000 more. Typically, homes in Firmantown list for $100,000 to $425,000. The market here moves quickly, with homes selling after an average of 20 days, less than half the national average of 44. Despite its fast-paced real estate market, Versailles has not experienced significant growth in recent history. “We’ve had very controlled growth,” Reynolds says. “For example, the graduating high school class has around 300 students, and that’s remained the same for probably the last 20 years - it’s been between 250 and 300. It’s grown some, but nothing drastic.” Henry Witten Park is an expansive green space in the neighborhood with trees, a basketball court and playgrounds for kids. Three miles south, Huntertown Community Interpretive Park tells the tale of Huntertown, a post-Civil War African American hamlet. The nearly 40-acre park features walking trails, historical exhibits and native plants maintained by the University of Kentucky, volunteers and the local government. Four miles west, Fallen Springs Center is Versailles’ rec center, offering fitness classes, youth and adult sports leagues and summer camps. Seven miles east, the famous racetrack Keeneland is open to the public to view the horses’ morning workouts every day of the year and hosts a racing season each fall and spring. Woodford County Public Schools ranks as the best school district in the Lexington area on Niche. “A lot of people move here for the schools,” says Gary Jones with the Versailles City Council. “They are known for having excellent programs, and the kids get a great education.” Reynolds echoes this sentiment: “We’re known for our public school system. A lot of people are very involved.” Students in Firmantown start at the A-minus-rated Simmons Elementary School before continuing to the A-minus-rated Woodford County Middle School and B-plus-rated Woodford County High School, the district’s only middle and high schools. On the Kentucky Department of Education’s School Report Card for 2022-2023, Woodford County Public Schools performed above the state average for elementary school progress on English language proficiency; middle school reading, mathematics and science; and high school graduation rate and postsecondary readiness. “We have a lot of community events that are extremely well attended,” Reynolds says. She highlights the city’s annual Fourth of July event, which starts with bounce houses, food trucks and a DJ in the afternoon, followed by a fireworks show at night. “The fireworks show is paid for by the city and county, which are big on making everything free to the public,” she says. In the fall, the city comes together for the Woodford Spooktacular, an annual Halloween event with trick-or-treating in downtown Versailles followed by a parade. “The signature event for the city is at Christmas,” she says. “We try to make it like a Hallmark Christmas. We have iceless ice skating, bounce houses, food vendors, hot chocolate trucks, smores stations with fire pits and a small-town Christmas parade with Santa at the end.” She adds that community groups like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and dance teams often have floats in the parade, allowing many residents to participate. “Pretty much the whole community comes out,” she says. “The big draw is that KSU in Frankfort, which is one town over, has an awesome marching band that performs every year.” Firmantown is a car-dependent community 12 miles west of Lexington. “We’re 20 minutes from Lexington, probably an hour from Louisville and 12 or 13 minutes from the Blue Grass Airport,” Reynolds says. “Some people commute to Lexington, and we have a lot of state employees who work from home or commute to Frankfort, which is 15 minutes away.” Despite its central location between larger employment hubs, Versailles offers plenty of work opportunities. “We have a lot of industry here,” Reynolds says. “There are several large factories, and of course, the schools and the governmental offices. We also have the Woodford Reserve Distillery and Castle and Key Distillery.” Reynolds notes that Versailles’ employment opportunities give it a sense of community that’s harder to find in towns where everyone commutes. With the Bluegrass Community Hospital in Versailles, Firmantown residents live less than 3 miles from a medical center. Firmantown has a 2 out of 10 CAP Index crime score, below the national average of 4.