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Woodford County · Early commonwealth · 1792

Versailles Takes Shape

On June 23, 1792—weeks after Kentucky’s statehood—the legislature seated Woodford County’s courts on about 80–100 acres owned by the infant Hezekiah Briscoe.

His guardian, Marquis Calmes, named the town for Versailles, France, in honor of Lafayette, a family friend. The Bluegrass county seat still pronounces it vər-SAYLZ.

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Published . Last revised .

Chicago

Snowden, Shannon. "Versailles Takes Shape." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 12, 2026. Last revised October 26, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/versailles-takes-shape/.

MLA

Snowden, Shannon. "Versailles Takes Shape." Kentucky History Drive, published 12 Sept. 2026, last revised 26 Oct. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/versailles-takes-shape/.

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