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I am a Kentuckian by birth, loved the study of Kentucky history and geography, graduated from the University of Kentucky, and remained a Kentucky resident all the rest of my life. The term "inner" Bluegrass is simply a term that has come to mean Fayette, Woodford, Jessamine, southern Scott and Bourbon, and western Clark Counties. The Bluegrass Plateau geologically is much larger, but the area's listed are where most of the "horse farms" are with their rolling topography. Looking at most maps; Mercer, Anderson, Madison, Garrard, and Boyle Counties would be added as part of the Bluegrass region.
IMO, Lexington is prettier as far as the horse farms and the rolling green fields with all of the fencing and such, but Louisville has the best historic and downtown areas. It is quite beautiful in some areas. Depends on what you prefer, rural beauty or old architecture and that sort of historical feel. They are both great cities, but very different. I will say the first time I was in Lexington I could not believe we had something so gorgeous in this state. It really looks like a painting and not like anything most people ever get to see. Just amazing.
I've been told that inner usually refers to Lexington, Paris, Georgetown, Versailles, Nicholasville, Winchester...while the towns a bit further out such as Carlisle, Cynthiana, Berea, Danville, Standford, Richmond, Harrodsburg, Frankfort, etc are generally considered in the outer Bluegrass.
As a native Kentuckian at 59 I'm thinking of returning home. Having lived in the southwest desert many years, I've loved every minute away from the drizzle of interminable winter days, snow-slogged shoes, wet-kneed britches, and picture window views of the grey-sky world that never seemed to bear a ray of warmth that would invite me outside my insular retreat. The sterile, cramped flats of my UK days were much more a reality than apple blossoms on Rose Lane. And, the same can be colored in summer hues... filled with humidity, inversion layers, and cars that became ovens in minutes on a lot.
Views of Fayette fields in spring and Ohio River sunsets in summer don't bear any of the above in mind as they attempt to serenade me home in this thread.
The Bluegrass is always compared to England, but never is contrasted with the greater amount of the same topography there, nor the trains that whisk you through the likes of Devon and Sussex making them all the more pleasing to the eye, the accessiblity on foot of English towns, nor the manicured villages that contrast much more positively aganist the trash, toy. and car-strewn potluck buildings and yards, and the "Ahh, what-it-was-in-its-glory-days" look that can't be zoned out of Kentucky towns as it is in Merry Olde.
When you can bottle the scenery and sell it instead of imagining the great outdoors as tangible to human reality, then it's time to compare Lexington and Louisville. There is much more to bring one back to Kentucky than that... one thing that calls me is the people who live there. Salt of the earth comes to mind for some reason... yes, I'm way beyond the polo-shirted cliquishness that was the University of Kentucky Lexington I experienced.
It just depends on whether you want to live in a more urban city (Louisville) or overgrown town/conglomerate of suburbs and really small neighborhoods (Lexington) that will dictate what you think is truly "pretty."
As a native Kentuckian at 59 I'm thinking of returning home. Having lived in the southwest desert many years, I've loved every minute away from the drizzle of interminable winter days, snow-slogged shoes, wet-kneed britches, and picture window views of the grey-sky world that never seemed to bear a ray of warmth that would invite me outside my insular retreat. The sterile, cramped flats of my UK days were much more a reality than apple blossoms on Rose Lane. And, the same can be colored in summer hues... filled with humidity, inversion layers, and cars that became ovens in minutes on a lot.
Views of Fayette fields in spring and Ohio River sunsets in summer don't bear any of the above in mind as they attempt to serenade me home in this thread.
The Bluegrass is always compared to England, but never is contrasted with the greater amount of the same topography there, nor the trains that whisk you through the likes of Devon and Sussex making them all the more pleasing to the eye, the accessiblity on foot of English towns, nor the manicured villages that contrast much more positively aganist the trash, toy. and car-strewn potluck buildings and yards, and the "Ahh, what-it-was-in-its-glory-days" look that can't be zoned out of Kentucky towns as it is in Merry Olde.
When you can bottle the scenery and sell it instead of imagining the great outdoors as tangible to human reality, then it's time to compare Lexington and Louisville. There is much more to bring one back to Kentucky than that... one thing that calls me is the people who live there. Salt of the earth comes to mind for some reason... yes, I'm way beyond the polo-shirted cliquishness that was the University of Kentucky Lexington I experienced.
I don't understand your post. You are returning because...? Did you like Kentucky?
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Lexington has some really nice historic areas, but they just aren't as big or dense as the ones in Louisville. It's really odd how the best architecture in both cities is not on the 'good' side of town. North Lexington is stereotypically high crime (by L'ton standards ) by has much more Victorian area mansions than SouthLex. Other than Bell Court and two blocks btw UK & Downtown SouthLex is pretty bland as far as old neighborhoods
Here is Hampton Court, which I had never heard of. It looks like something you'd find in Old Louisville
http://static4.bareka.com/photos/medium/8484375.jpg (broken link)
Kentucky's greatest value lies in its people not its places. Those people have a beautiful, honest rhythm that is timeless. If I were to go back it would be because of my Kentucky family, here and gone, who had, and have, those traits. Facility of its use in old age is also a plus.
Louisville to me is the unknown and filled with potential; Lexington is the known and previously disappointing. I would pick Louisville because it would be an adventure and from my little contact with Louisville, the beauty of the two are comparable in every way that I can see.
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The Great Return
) by has much more Victorian area mansions than SouthLex. Other than Bell Court and two blocks btw UK & Downtown SouthLex is pretty bland as far as old neighborhoods
