Just south of Lexington, Jessamine County is known for horse farms, rolling countryside, the Kentucky River Palisades, and communities such as Nicholasville and Wilmore. One remarkable piece of local history is First Vineyard, established in 1799 and recognized as the first commercial vineyard in the United States. The population of Jessamine County is about 57,000.
Nicholasville is the county seat of Jessamine County and offers a mix of growing neighborhoods, local businesses, farmland, and easy access to Lexington. The town was laid out in 1798 and named for George Nicholas, who helped shape Kentucky’s first constitution and served as the Commonwealth’s first attorney general. Kentucky Historical Society. The population of Jessamine County is about 57,000.