Sometimes when parking seems absolutely scarce you can still hit the jackpot. You’ll never know until you ask; plus asking permission goes a long way especially when they know that you’re a vlogger and that you’re going to bring positive attention to the community. And mind you I don’t give a pitch, but people see me from out of town with a camera at their event and they want to open the doors to the city. This is why I encourage all visitors to always ask whenever possible if they can park even in places that you would think you couldn’t. But as much as I want to tell you where I parked, I can’t because then everybody that reads this article is going to ask that person and knowing how hospitable they are, they’re probably going to say yes every single time.

That’s another thing, when you get into your travels, you want to keep certain gems to yourself. Maybe a place you can park, maybe a gas station that consistently sells gas cheaper, or maybe the 411 on a great food spot that is easy on the wallet but generous on the portions. The more you travel, the more helpful tips you’ll acquire. It’s up to you how much of them you share and how much of them you want others to find out for themselves. That’s not being mean, it’s just letting people evolve on their own. A big party of traveling and exploring, is starting from scratch and finding your own way.

“Exploring Kentucky is an absolute blast. Get to know the state where you live.” – Christian Duque

But let’s get back to the Festival of the Horse. As soon as I saw the Georgetown police cruiser parked in the middle of the street with the lights flashing, I knew that I was at the beginning of the eventl. As soon as I walked in, maybe all of 5-10 feet, I got hit with a dozen or so different scents.  There were food trucks preparing food and selling treats from basically all corners of the world. There was Greek cuisine, barbecue, Asian food, ice cream and every alcoholic beverage you could possibly imagine. Whether you wanted it straight, on the rocks, or made into a drink with pineapple wedges and umbrellas – everything was there for you, if you wanted it. They had face painting, bubble machines everywhere, and all sorts of goods and services available to the general public.

I don’t think anybody got bored – even for a moment – and of course who could forget the lovely young lady walking around on stilts. I almost had to ask her if she had a twin because I had seen her four or five times and I could swear they were all at different spots of the festival. I don’t know, maybe she has a doppelganger and doesn’t want anyone to know, but she really worked hard. Let me tell you walking on stilts is no cakewalk plus she had a great personality and I think it contributed to the overall sense of fun in the air at the Festival of the Horse. There were great people all around.

Law enforcement was also out in full force and extremely nice and hospitable. Sometimes police can be a little apprehensive of cameras and public photography, but not here.  City officials, law enforcement, and firefighters were all on their best game. They were very interactive with the public and at the same time very alert of all their surroundings. That is probably one of the most important duties that law enforcement are tasked with. They need to know how everything operates normally and then they need to watch like hawks for anything out of place. Because a lot of times if something is out of place, it’s worth checking out. And I have to say that me holding a camera and talking into it did not raise any suspicions. It shouldn’t, but sometimes it does. When it doesn’t, I feel the need to write about it because I feel that it’s very noteworthy. I feel that a city like Georgetown gets an enormous amount of attention on a day-to-day basis given the fact that it’s so beautiful and such a great place to visit. I think they are more accustomed to seeing cameras and people filming, than say smaller communities where that may be more of a novelty.

And one of the fringe benefits of visiting Georgetown during a festival like this is that you get to look at all the beautiful buildings, the architecture, and the choice of paints for the exteriors. When I say that Georgetown is a very artistic city – it most definitely is. There are so many things about it that you will love and I have to tell you, them closing down Main Street and having a festival on it like that was so cool. I very rarely get to appreciate the finer details of the architecture or the way the city is planned out, because if you do that while standing in the middle of the road – you’re going to get run over! The fact that they shut down half the city and everything went off without a hitch is a true compliment to how well-trained and prepared they are. They put a lot of thought into this and they executed it perfectly.

This was my very first Festival of the Horse, and it most definitely will not be my last. I hope to come back next year and see the horses showcased. This time I was simply passing through, but next time I’ll make a day of it. The event is exactly one week after World Fest in Louisville, which will make it easy for me to remember. Many of the food trucks that were at World Fest were all at the Festival of the Horse. But both of events were very different in that they each had their own character. I highly encourage folks to check out this great event. You’ll thank me for it.

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But wait, what’s the twist?

Well, this may come as a huge surprise to you but Sadieville is a railroad town. Everything seems to have a focus on railroads, trains, train cars and the like. Cincinnati is less than 60 miles north and although Lexington is far closer, Cincinnati’s influence is far stronger. Even the few minutes I was exploring the community, a huge train rolled by on the elevated track. In any other situation the noise of the train would have taken away from the video, but something about it just felt right. I saw plenty of cars, but not a soul walking outside. Granted, it was an early Saturday morning, maybe 9 or 10 AM, but just the same. The only sound in town was that train and it just seemed like any other normal day.

The drive into town is pretty scenic, with a pretty sharp turn that leads vehicles through an underpass unlike anything I’ve ever really seen before. It seems like there’s a good sidewalk leading into the underpass, but I don’t recall it getting you to the other side. And even if it does, I don’t know how pedestrian-friendly this entry into town is. Walk it, but becareful! There’s a little bit of the city on the other side, but the vast majority of the town is on one side.

Sadieville has a fire department that they’re very proud of. I’ve included its historic bell, located in the town center. I didn’t see any signs of a police department, but the city may in fact have one. Upon a closer look online, it seems that the City converted the old waste water treatment plant into the new police station. The source site states there’s both a public safety commissioner and a police chief.

While walking around town I stumbled across city hall as well. I found the building’s exterior to be very unique, as well as a mural down the opposite end of the street. I’ve included both shots in this article so you may say them as well. This small town was founded way back in 1880 and has been registered in the National Register of Historic Places by the Department of the Interior.

If you find yourself in the area, by all means stop by and check out Sadieville. It’s certainly a gem in Scott County. Also be sure to visit nearby Georgetown, the county seat. Georgetown has nothing to do with railroad, but it’s one of the Commonwealth’s most artistic cities. There you will find many breathtaking historic homes and a number of antique shops. Also, be sure to skip visiting Lexington, which is the heart of this region. Well, everywhere except Sadieville, because as we said earlier, Sadieville is a Cincinnati town deep in Kentucky.

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The reality of the matter is that countless rural Kentucky counties don’t have a single hotel. Some counties may have a B&B if even that but the idea of a full-fledged hotel is something that’s just not common.

In most cases, travelers might have to drive as much as 2-3 counties before finding accommodations that are a good value, clean, and convenient to their travel needs. This particular property looks to have had at least two dozen rooms – if not more – on two floors. The property itself is comprised of two main buildings and has a rather large open courtyard which may have had a volleyball court, maybe a pool, and/or may have simply allowed for multiple beach chairs for sunbathing and barbequing.

What’s even more interesting about the property is that it had an on-premises restaurant. As is this case with many hotels like this around the country the restaurant may have offered hotel guests a complimentary breakfast. This would get hotel guests in the door who might want to come back for lunch or dinner. That’s assuming the hotel and restaurant were owned by separate parties. If it was all owned by one owner then that’s even more interesting.

You have to figure that to put something like this together in a county that as of 2010 had 12,000 people requires a great deal of capital. It must have been a huge risk and endeavor to put something like this together.

Who knows when the hotel and/or restaurant got started? Did they start at the same time? Are their plans of relaunching it? Hopefully the buildings won’t be torn down. They look very well-built and sturdy. I’d imagine a savvy business investor could come in and do something really special here.

Thoughts?

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Sometimes they have a singer/guitarist who plays there. He’s very talented but a little too loud for my liking. The bar is pretty small with very high ceilings and the sound tends to bounce around the walls. If they turned the amps just a little lower it would be perfect, but I digress. Even though it’s way too loud I still go. The music is great and bars offering good live entertainment these days are few and far between.

The kitchen is amazing. I love the cheese fries, the portabella mushroom burger, the home fries and pretty much any appetizer they whip up. The kitchen crew is awesome – from meal prep to cooks. You can tell they really care and as a loyal patron I like that. The waitstaff – for the most part – is on point. On one occasion a new waitress was flirting with a bar patron the whole time we were there. She basically ignored us (and everyone else) and we couldn’t order drinks. That was pretty much our only less than favorable experience. Overall every time I’ve been there has been pretty good.

The best times, however, are when Judy and her husband are there. I don’t know his name but I know we’ve exchanged names a few times. Some gravitate more towards him and others more towards Judy. I like them both very much and without overlooking anyone else on staff, this couple and how they tend bar and treat customers, is why I love the New Castle Tavern. When I see them together I’m happy to be there. When they’re not there the service is usually not as good. It’s not as bad as that one waitress who totally ignored us when she tended bar but it’s definitely night and day from when Judy and her husband are there.

For the longest I thought this couple owned the bar, but come to find out they’re employees like everyone else. The owner has been in a few times when we’ve been there and nothing against him but he’s never approached us, let alone said hello. I know he’s seen me in there at least a half dozen times but I guess he doesn’t care. Maybe I’m overthinking it. The reality of the matter is that Judy and her hubs do such a fantastic job that pretty much everyone else pales in comparison in my eyes. They have natural people skills and they make sure everyone feels like they’re acknowledged. No one is ignored and everyone feels like they belong. You can’t train that. You either have it or you don’t. The couple has it; the owner doesn’t.

From what I’ve heard, the bartending couple that are the heart and soul of the New Castle Tavern have quit. Why? I have no clue. From what I’ve heard, the kitchen has closed since they quit. I can’t say I’m surprised

Judy ran that place – literally – and her absence will not go unnoticed. I don’t know what she was getting paid, I don’t know if she was ever offered a % or the chance to have any kind of stake in the business. If I was the owner I would do anything to have kept them. The fact is he needs them a lot more than they need him. That said, maybe he sees them only as hired hands, as being easily replaceable. Or maybe he treated them wonderfully and they moved on for other reasons. Who knows? There’s no reason to jump the gun and vilify the owner, but this couple wouldn’t have just quit. They loved the tavern and they loved being there.

They will not be easily replaceable; hopefully, the owner knows that. I guess only time will tell though. This couple put their blood, sweat, and tears into this bar. That’s not something new hires are likely to do.

This business was exceeding all expectations. They were very much on a roll. Let’s see what happens now. I wish the tavern nothing but the best, but the bartending/managing couple that won over everyone’s hearts throughout Henry County and beyond will most definitely be missed. The same goes for the kitchen staff. Once you take the soul of out a neighborhood bar, what do you really have left?

Like I said, you can get a cold Budweiser anywhere. Hell, you can drink your Bud at home if need be. People go to a bar because they feel at home. I travel 25 miles from Louisville because of the vibe. Without Judy & her husband that vibe is gone.

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With regards to the community everything is very orderly. When I was there I didn’t see a lot of locals out and about. I’m not sure how many people actually live in downtown proper, though. It seems this downtown area is primarily reserved for the legal sector and possibly dining. I didn’t see many stores, markets, or really anything that would draw everyday foot traffic. I also didn’t see any sort of police presence. There were some motorcyclists who came through, as well as the random car passing by, but that was about it. That said I believe I was there on a Sunday morning so I would imagine traffic would be very light. Perhaps it’s far busier during the week.

Although Mount Vernon has a number of churches, my guess is that they’re not centrally located. Granted my walk consisted of the main part of downtown only, but I didn’t see many. Churches are a great way to drive up traffic – especially on weekends when folks have free time. I’m sure there’s plenty of organizations throughout Rockcastle County that probably hold events in Mount Vernon but I didn’t see anything like that on my visit. Other cities like Bardstown and Winchester will have banners, posters, and even murals about upcoming events. I didn’t see any of that here.

Each city/county does it there own way – that’s why we have 120 of them in Kentucky! It would be nice if Mount Vernon had more of the inviting feel than what I experienced. To be frank, it seemed like a bit of a ghost town.

One major issue I found relates to neglect. The whole point of Exploring Kentucky is to explore. My goal isn’t to throw shade at any community. My goal is to observe, document, and bring back what I’ve found to the Sights Sounds Flavors community. If I can offer up some constructive criticism, however, I don’t think that’s negative by any means. Who knows maybe someone from Mount Vernon’s city council or Rockcastle County leadership will see this and take action. You never know and sometimes things don’t get done until people speak up.

Ok, so about the neglect. Let’s start with the water tower. It’s rusted out and looks awful. I get that Mount Vernon was founded in 1810 and has a lot of history but I highly doubt that water tower is 210 years old. It looks old and neglected – probably not because its caretakers are preserving its historic significance but because they don’t want to either restore it or replace it. In a city where the vast majority of buildings are two-stories high, that water tower is an eye-grabber. The problem is it looks terrible.

The second major issue I found with Mount Vernon was the number of empty properties along the main thoroughfare. Many of the empty building were literally falling apart. Many of these buildings look very old and probably have rich histories. Sadly, the walls were crumbling, windows were broken, and in some cases doors were missing. Much of this falls on private owners who may not have a problem having derelict properties; however, the City of Mount Vernon and/or Rockcastle County should step in.

When empty buildings are neglected to the degree that walls are crumbling, windows are broken, and anyone can get in (from vermin to children) that’s a major issue. Further, who’s going to want to rent or buy a property in that kind of shape? And what can be said about the existing shops and existing residents who are forced to live around that? This area has tons of promise, but it’s going to take direct action from elected officials to turn this beautiful city around.

If I know local papers and media the way I do, they’d never write a story quite like this. Small towns are known for polite conversation and a sort of stay-in-your-own-lane kind of mindset. No one wants to rock the apple cart or overstep sensibilities, but when you have entire downtown city blocks in a city as beautiful as this, something needs to be done.

Anyways, I enjoyed my visit to Mount Vernon and hope my two cents make their way to someone in government who can show Mount Vernon some much needed TLC. This isn’t something citizens can fix. This is one of those times that only government, with government’s power, needs to step in and lay down the law. Whether they fine irresponsible owners into keep up their properties or they restore these buildings out of their own pocket is entirely up to them.

Let’s see if anything is done..

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