Jessamine

Formed December 14, 1798 (29^th county)

Jessamine County (52,987), Nicholasville (31,104)

A classic working clock towered Victorian courthouse for Jessamine County was built in 1878.  It is sited on Maple Street between Main and 1^st streets.  United States Highway 27 Business is Main Street in the town.  The county was organized on December 14, 1798 from Fayette County as the 29^th county with Nicholasville as the only county seat.  The red/brown brick courthouse was designed by Thomas Boyd.  The county is named for the jasmine flower.  Kentucky Attorney General George Nicholas is the county seat namesake.  He is also the source name for Nicholas County. 

Jessamine County government consists of a sheriff, County Judge Executive, and 6 Magistrates.  Two Circuit Court Judges, Two District Court Judges, and One Family Court Judge serve Jessamine and Garrard counties.  The county is in central Kentucky directly south of Lexington, Kentucky.  The county center is in Nicholasville 1.3 miles North-Northeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Fayette, Madison, Garrard, Mercer, and Woodford counties. 

The area of the county is 173 square miles.  It is 113 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 18 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 306.3 persons per square mile making it 7 out of 120 in the state.  Jessamine County has 70.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 27 crosses the county north to south from Fayette County to Garrard County.  United States Highway 68 goes north to southwest from Fayette County to Mercer County.  The county is shaped like a raindrop.  Nicholasville is located slightly west of center in the county.  Nicholasville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 58.7% of the county population.  This county is in the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.