Versailles, Kentucky

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Versailles, Kentucky
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Versailles Municipal Building


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Versailles, Kentucky


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Kentucky
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Woodford
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 7.3
area_land_km2 = 7.3
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 2.8
area_land_sq_mi = 2.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 7511
population_density_km2 = 1030.4
population_density_sq_mi = 2668.7

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 272
elevation_ft = 892
latd = 38 |latm = 3 |lats = 17 |latNS = N
longd = 84 |longm = 43 |longs = 51 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 40383, 40384, 40386
area_code = 859
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 21-79482
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0506028
website =
footnotes =

Versailles is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States and is a suburb of Lexington. The population was 7,511 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County.GR|6 The city's name is pronounced differently from the French city of the same name: Audio-IPA|Versailles.wav|/vɚˈseɪlz/ ("ver-sails").

History

Versailles was founded on June 23, 1792, on land of eighty acres owned by Hezekiah Briscoe, at the time only a child. His guardian, Major Marquis Calmes, named the town after Versailles, France, in honor of General Lafayette, a family friend. The city was officially incorporated on February 13, 1837. It was briefly occupied during the Civil War by Confederate and Union forces.

The area is home to Ashford Stud, an important part of the Coolmore Stud international Thoroughbred horse breeding operation. The area is also home to Labrot & Graham Distillery, makers of Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Most of the small town scenes in the movie Elizabethtown (film) were filmed here. Versailles was also the setting of the movie .

Geography

Versailles is located at coor dms|38|3|17|N|84|43|51|W|city (38.054651, -84.730909).GR|1 According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,668.7 people per square mile (1,032.0/km²). There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of 1,183.2/sq mi (457.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.34% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.29% of the population.

There were 3,160 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,052, and the median income for a family was $41,567. Males had a median income of $31,056 versus $24,488 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,489. About 11.1% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

* Henry Ward, Former ky commissioner of highways and commissioner of state parks
* Happy Chandler, Governor of Kentucky and Commissioner of Baseball
* Deacon The Villain, Producer-Emcee
* Edward Platt, "The Chief", "Get Smart"
* William S. Farish, Ambassador & Lanes End Farm
* Martha Layne Collins, Governor
* Brereton Jones, Governor
* William Shatner, Actor & Saddlebred Owner
* Kenny Troutt, Excel Communications & Winstar Farm
* Ben Chandler, Ky Atty Gen, U.S. Congressman

External links

* [http://www.versaillesky.com Official site]