Paris, Kentucky
Paris is a city of 10,160 people in Bourbon County, Kentucky, founded in 1775.
Why visit Paris
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 13 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Bourbon County Courthouse, Downtown Paris Historic District, Stoner Creek and Bourbon County Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Paris
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Paris
Paris is a home rule–class city in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and the county seat. It lies 18 miles (29 km) northeast of Lexington on the Stoner Fork of the Licking River. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2020, it had a population of 10,171.
From the Wikipedia article Paris, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Farmer's Market Store
Farm and orchard · 1.2 mi
Misc. gifts, candy, fresh produce and meat.
Museums and landmarks10
Bourbon County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Courthouse in Kentucky, United States
Downtown Paris Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in Paris, Kentucky
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Paris Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Cemetery in Paris, Kentucky
Paris Courthouse Square Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic district in Kentucky, United States
Thomas Kennedy House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
House in Bourbon County, Kentucky
Cooper's Run Rural Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Paris Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Houston Oaks Golf Course
Golf course · 2.0 mi
555 Houston Oaks Drive, Paris
07:30-15:00
Restaurants and cafes13
Perico's Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.3 mi
4221 Lexington Road, Paris
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-23:00
Clay's Downtown Restaurant
Restaurant · Steak, Seafood · 1.3 mi
730 Main Street, Paris
Thyme Cafe and Catering
Diner · American · 1.4 mi
509 Main Street, Paris
1 more on the map.
History
Joseph Houston settled a station in the area in 1776, but was forced to relocate due to prior land grants. In 1786, Lawrence Protzman purchased the area of present-day Paris from its owners, platted 250 acres (100 ha) for a town, and offered land for public buildings in exchange for the Virginia legislature making the settlement the seat of the newly formed Bourbon County. In 1789, the town was formally established as Hopewell after Hopewell, New Jersey, his hometown. The next year, it was renamed Paris after the French capital to match its county and honor the French assistance during the American Revolution.
Among the early settlers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries were French refugees who had fled the excesses of their own revolution. One Frenchman was noted in a 19th-century state history as having come from Calcutta, via Bengal, before settling as a schoolteacher in Paris, Kentucky.
The post office was briefly known as Bourbontown or Bourbonton in the early 19th century, but there is no evidence that this name was ever formally applied to the town itself. It was incorporated as Paris in 1839 and again in 1890.
African American students attended Paris Colored High School. Paris is the "sister city" of Lamotte-Beuvron in France.
From the History section of Paris, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship2
Cooper's Run Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare3
Map of Paris
54 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 23°F | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 25°F | 3.5 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 32°F | 4.5 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 41°F | 4.6 in |
| May | 76°F | 52°F | 5.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 61°F | 4.5 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 65°F | 4.8 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 63°F | 3.1 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 55°F | 3.5 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 43°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 33°F | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 27°F | 4.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cynthiana (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Bourbon County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2024-11-26: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-04-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-28: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- North Middletown 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Lexington-Fayette 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Georgetown 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- Nicholasville 27 mi southwest, about 43 min by car
- Frankfort 32 mi west, about 52 min by car
- Lawrenceburg 36 mi west, about 58 min by car
- Berea 42 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Danville 47 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Alexandria 53 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Independence 54 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Parisstreet, Spiritrock4u at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Paris Cemetery gatehouse, Nyttend, Public domain
- Paris Cemetery gatehouse (7x5), Drdpw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- James Wright House, Paris, Nyttend, Public domain
- Paris, KY (933154703), Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0
- Paris rail depot, Nyttend, Public domain
- Paris, Kentucky 3 (934086180), Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0
- Duncan Tavern — Paris, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Paris courthouse square, Nyttend, Public domain
- Duncan and Vine, Paris, Nyttend, Public domain
- Courthouse Square Buildings — Paris, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bourbon County Courthouse — Paris, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tandy Allen House — Paris, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bourbon County Confederate Monument, Bedford at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Justice Robert Trimble gravesite 03, Drdpw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Justice Robert Trimble gravesite 02, Drdpw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Justice Robert Trimble gravesite 4x3, Drdpw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Justice Robert Trimble gravesite 04, Drdpw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Justice Robert Trimble gravesite 7x5, Drdpw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Justice Robert Trimble gravesite 01, Drdpw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ParadiseCafe, User:Spiritrock4u, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ghostzapper (41354864155), Erin Aiken from Lexington, Ky, CC BY 2.0
- Eades Tavern, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS048-E-28528 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-14714 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Bourbon county, kentucky courthouse, W.marsh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- James Kiser House site, Nyttend, Public domain
- Allen-Alexander House from southwest, Nyttend, Public domain
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