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We like to think Jessamine County is Napa Valley Kentucky-style. There is a deep history of winemaking in the state—from the fertile soil to the stemmed glass, our local vintners’ craft award-winning wines. Visit the first commercialized vineyard ever licensed in the United States, aptly named First Vineyard. Tour the grounds of Chrisman Mill Vineyard and sample their excellent Kentucky-crafted vintages and distilled spirits, or make an appointment to tour the grounds of 1922 House Vineyards & Winery who produce specialty dry red wines. In vino veritas!

If you are a history buff, definitely make a point to walk in the footsteps of thousands who fled a life of slavery and found safety within the walls of Camp Nelson National Monument. During the Civil War, Camp Nelson began its life as a Union supply depot. Eventually, it became a symbol of freedom to the enslaved African-Americans in the region. It was the third-largest enlistment center for African American troops, securing freedom for both them and their refugee families. In 2018, the National Parks Service declared the site a National Monument, securing its legacy for generations to come. Explore the museum and view the found objects—bottles, buttons, tools, and more—that local archaeologists unearthed on the grounds.

What’s a visit to Kentucky without seeing some horses? Take a tour of Taylor Made Farms and earn a stamp in your Visit Horse Country passport! See these towering Thoroughbreds up close and give them a pat on the nose! The comprehensive tour of the farm, attend a VIP Stallion parade, complete with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails! Visit the young hopefuls that have just hit the ground, and the yearlings, mares, and stallions that sustain Taylor Made’s winning legacy here in the Bluegrass state. 

1922 House Vineyards & Winery

1922 House Vineyards & Winery

1922 House is the newest winery to join the ranks of the fine tradition of Kentucky vineyards. Brian and Karla Young continue their family’s history of agriculture and distilling by turning Kentucky-grown grapes into specialty wines and crafting their own small-batch...

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Asbury Theological Seminary

Asbury Theological Seminary

In 1923, Henry Clay Morrison began Asbury Theological Seminary with a class of three students. He fashioned a seal for the seminary, which reads “The Whole Bible for the Whole World.” When Morrison founded Asbury Theological Seminary, his mission was “to prepare and...

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Asbury University Equine Center

Asbury University Equine Center

The Asbury Equine Center spreads across 343 acres of land overlooking the Kentucky Palisades. Riding trails and pastures, two outdoor and one indoor arena, horse and hay barns—this facility has an essential purpose in the community and among its students. The Asbury...

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Blue Grass Sportsman’s League

Blue Grass Sportsman’s League

Established in 1945, the Blue Grass Sportsmen’s League is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and the environment, hunter education, wildlife, and habitat restoration, and youth education in sportsmanship. As the most significant sporting league in...

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Camp Nelson National Cemetery

Camp Nelson National Cemetery

In 1866, the United States government designated approximately eight acres here to establish a cemetery. Camp Nelson played a vital role in supplying the U.S. army with wagons, ambulances, artillery and supplies, had a 700-bed hospital on site to care for the sick and...

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Camp Nelson National Monument

Camp Nelson National Monument

As the 3rd largest African-American enlistment center, Camp Nelson played a pivotal role in the lives of enslaved Americans in this region, and ultimately helped turn the tide to end slavery once and for all in the United States. Of the 180,000 African-American men...

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First Vineyard Winery

First Vineyard Winery

In 1994, Tom Beall and his business partner, Bobbye Carpenter, found the perfect spot in Jessamine County for a weekend getaway retreat. Eight years later, they not only discovered the history behind the property but original vineyard terraces and the foundation of a...

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Harry C. Miller Lock Collection

Harry C. Miller Lock Collection

Harry Miller was the son of a master locksmith. He proved locksmithing was in his veins after cracking a burglar-proof safe at the White House, whose combination died with the only person who knew the combination. As a result, Miller found himself teaching “the...

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High Bridge

High Bridge

The Lexington and Danville Railroad Company began construction of High Bridge in the early 1850s. It was initially designed by John Roebling as a suspension bridge. Roebling was the very same man who designed the famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Met with hard...

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Jessamine County Old-Time Radio Troupe

Jessamine County Old-Time Radio Troupe

The Jessamine County Old Time Radio Troupe recreates old-time radio shows from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, broadcast live in front of a studio audience at the KCAL Theater in downtown Nicholasville. K-C-A-L are the fictitious call letters of the radio station that...

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Kentucky Equine Adoption Center

Kentucky Equine Adoption Center

The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center (KyEAC) is the largest all-breed equine rescue in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Nestled on 72 acres in the rolling hills of Jessamine County, KyEAC is the home and training ground for approximately 50 equines at all stages of...

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Springhouse Gardens

Springhouse Gardens

Owners Richard and Debbie Weber began to grow their nursery and garden design center in 1995 on an old, neglected tobacco farm. They discovered a natural spring bubbling out of the ground and decided to take a chance on this property. Since then, Springhouse Gardens...

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Taylor Made Horse Farm

Taylor Made Horse Farm

Let Taylor Made be the inaugural stamp on your Horse Country passport! It might seem unusual that a real-deal Thoroughbred farm like this one would open its doors to the public. Still, for 45 years, the Taylor family encourages horse owners, prospective consignors,...

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Valley View Ferry

Valley View Ferry

Hop a ride on the Valley View Ferry, the oldest year-round ferry service in the United States, and the last one remaining on the Kentucky River. The ferry was founded in 1785, seven years before Kentucky officially became a state in 1792. With its old-timey...

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Wilmore Railside Museum

Wilmore Railside Museum

Tour a Southern Railway bayside caboose number X365! Inside the 1950s-era exhibit is an extensive collection of local artifacts, photos, and more. Learn about the early settlers who made their homes in the Wilmore-High Bridge area in the late 1700s, and about the...

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  • Asbury Theological Seminary 204 North Lexington Avenue, Wilmore 800-227-2879
  • Camp Nelson National Cemetery 6980 Old Danville Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-885-5727
  • Camp Nelson National Monument 6614 Old Danville Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-881-5716
  • Harry C. Miller Lock Collection 1014 South Main Street, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-887-9633
  • Valley View Ferry Kentucky River Mile 157.9 at Valley View, Nicholasville, KY 40356
  • Springhouse Gardens 185 Catnip Hill Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-224-1417
  • Wilmore Railroad Museum Rice Street, Wilmore, KY 40390 859-858-4411
  • 1922 Winery 3155 Keene Road Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-321-3533
  • Chrisman Mill Vineyards 2385 Chrisman Mill Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-881-5007
  • First Vineyard Winery 5800 Sugar Creek Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-885-9359
  • Asbury University Equine Center Shanty Hill Lane, Wilmore, KY 40390 859-858-3511
  • Blue Grass Sportsman’s League 2500 Handy’s Bend Road, Wilmore 859-858-4060
  • Shadow Run Farm 7175 Harrodsburg Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-881-9588
  • Taylor Made Horse Farm 2765 Union Mill Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 859-885-3345

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