Bell Court
Updated October 2026
Bell Court at a Glance
- Trash and recycling day
- Tuesday. Look up your address on the trash pickup map.
- Council district
- District 3, represented by Tom Eblen. Find your exact district by address.
- Zip code
- 40508
About Bell Court
Bell Court is one of Lexington's smallest and most historic neighborhoods, tucked just southeast of downtown and bounded by Boonesboro Avenue to the northeast, Walton Avenue to the southeast, East Main Street to the southwest, and Forest and Delmar Avenues to the northwest. The neighborhood covers about 49 acres (less than a tenth of a square mile) with about 385 residents in the 2020 Census and 157 buildings, nearly all of them homes. It is one of Lexington's most concentrated historic districts. Most of the district was built around the turn of the century, and the Bell Place Land Company sold lots there from 1906 to 1914. The neighborhood developed around the Bell House. The first house on the site was an 1846 Greek Revival home designed by Lexington architect Thomas Lewinski for David Sayre, later purchased by Henry Bell, whose name the neighborhood took. It burned around 1885 and was rebuilt, which is why the house standing today combines Greek Revival, Queen Anne and Romanesque elements. In 1940 Clara Bell Walsh and her mother announced they were giving the house and grounds to the city, and it now anchors a public city park within the neighborhood. Bell Court was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 8, 1980, and designated a Preserve America Community in January 2006. I hope you like peanuts and peanut butter because you're definitely going to get your money's worth of free smells living here. Bell Court is right next to the Jif Peanut Butter plant at 767 Winchester Road, just across the railroad tracks from the neighborhood's northeast edge and about a four to five minute drive from inside Bell Court, which happens to be the largest peanut butter production facility in the world. I can guarantee you'll smell it. I can smell the roasted peanuts way over on Newtown Pike. This isn't a bad thing. I like the smell. Bell Court has a long history of organized community advocacy. The Bell Court Neighborhood Association has existed in some form since the early 1960s and was incorporated as a Kentucky nonprofit in 1992. Probably the most famous example of the neighborhood association's work happened in the 1980s and 1990s, when residents organized against a proposed drive-thru window at the McDonald's at 473 East Main Street, near the old Herald-Leader building. McDonald's took its case to the Kentucky Supreme Court, which declined to review it in 1985. It tried again in 1987 and 1997, and eventually moved to Winchester Road. The building was later occupied by a Mexican restaurant, Cielito Lindo, which closed in 2011, and the building was demolished afterward. As of October 2026 the lot is still an empty grassy field. Bell Court's 157 buildings span several historic styles. The earliest structures show Greek Revival and Italianate influences. Most homes built around the turn of the 20th century are Queen Anne, some with Eastlake, Shingle or Romanesque details. Arts and Crafts, Colonial Revival and Dutch Colonial homes and bungalows appear throughout the neighborhood as well. Together, these styles give Bell Court one of the most architecturally diverse small footprints in Lexington.
What's Nearby
Bell Court's location sandwiches (pun) you in between two great areas of restaurants and businesses, both a short walking distance. On one side you have National Avenue, which has Minton's (a brunch powerhouse), Mirror Twin Brewing (a local craft beer brewery, you Mos Def need to try their beers), and Eppings on Eastside (a well-known upscale farm-to-table restaurant). You're also within walking distance to a farmers market on that side that's open Tuesdays and Thursdays, May through October, from 7 am until 4 pm or sellout. On the other side, the neighborhood is bordered by East Main Street, which connects you to downtown's restaurants, shops, and bars, like Carson's, Jeff Ruby's, V at The Vine, Tony's, Tapster, Lex Live, and many others. I highly recommend Bigg Blue Martini if you make it that far. It's about a 25-minute walk, or a short drive. Read about my favorite drinks there in my best things to do in Lexington guide. Bell Court also offers direct access to the Legacy Trail, a 12-mile paved trail, finished in October 2020, that runs from the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden to the Kentucky Horse Park. The trail entrance near Midland Avenue and Third Street is just outside the neighborhood. Town Branch Commons, another downtown trail system, is also walkable from Bell Court.
A walk through Bell Court
About 1.75 miles, about 35 minutes at a walking pace. Start at the Bell House and the public park around it, on Sayre Avenue in the middle of the neighborhood.
- The Bell House. First built in 1846 as a Greek Revival house the Lexington architect Thomas Lewinski designed for David Sayre. Henry Bell bought it later and the neighborhood took his name. It burned around 1885 and was rebuilt, and Clara Bell Walsh and her mother announced in 1940 that they were giving it to the city. The park around it is public.
- The empty lot at 473 East Main Street. Walk out Sayre Avenue to East Main. This grassy field is where the McDonald's stood that the neighborhood fought over a drive-thru window. The Kentucky Supreme Court declined to hear McDonald's case in 1985, the chain tried again in 1987 and 1997, and it eventually moved to Winchester Road. Cielito Lindo, the last tenant, closed in 2011 and the building came down afterward.
- Eppings on Eastside. Head east on Cramer Avenue to the far side of the neighborhood. Eppings is the farm-to-table end of the walk.
- Mirror Twin Brewing, 725 National Avenue. A short block on, and Minton's is along here too.
Come back west on Russell Avenue and Sayre Avenue to finish at the Bell House.
Annual Events
Bell Court sits across East Main from Woodland Park and a five-minute walk from where the downtown parades step off, so most of its events are borrowed from the park and the street.
Main Street parades step off at Midland Avenue
St. Patrick's (March, 1 pm), Fourth of July (noon), Halloween and Thriller (late October, evening)
Parades form at Main St and Midland Ave, a five-minute walk from the neighborhood, and run west to Mill St
Three downtown parades a year start at the neighborhood's front door. The holiday parade is an evening parade this year, Sunday, December 6 at 5 pm, and its route is not posted yet. See our Christmas lights guide.
Event detailsWest Sixth Beer Garden pop-ups at Woodland Park
Four Thursdays a year, 4 to 8 pm (2026 ran Apr 23, May 14, Jun 11, Sep 17)
Woodland Park, 601 E. High St
Food trucks, live music, and West Sixth on tap in the park. Free to walk in.
Event detailsLexington Farmers Market, Tuesday and Thursday market
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 am to 4 pm or sellout, May through October
747 National Ave (the Warehouse Block), off Walton Ave
The market's weekday stand, about a five-minute walk from the neighborhood's southeast edge.
Event detailsFrom the Front Porch concert series
One Saturday a month, June through September, 6 to 8 pm (2026 ran Jun 27, Jul 25, Aug 29, Sep 26)
Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden, 577 E. Third St
Outdoor jazz with food trucks, a few minutes' walk up Midland from the neighborhood's edge. Free.
Event detailsShakespeare in the Park
Two weekends in mid-July (2026 ran Jul 10 to 12 and 16 to 19; show at 8 pm)
Woodland Park, 601 E. High St
Free outdoor Shakespeare with live music before the show, food vendors, and beer.
Event detailsBallet Under the Stars
Late July into the first weekend of August, five nights (2026 ran Jul 29 to Aug 2; curtain 9 pm)
Woodland Park, 601 E. High St
Professional and youth ballet on an outdoor stage; bring a blanket. $9 at the gate.
Event detailsWoodland Art Fair
Third weekend of August (2026 ran Aug 15 to 16)
Woodland Park, 601 E. High St
About 200 artists and more than 70,000 visitors, a four-minute walk across East Main. Free, and 2026 was the 50th fair.
Event detailsLexington Roots & Heritage Festival
Second weekend of September (2026 ran Sep 11 to 13)
Elm Tree Lane, East End, about a ten-minute walk
The East End's heritage festival and parade, running since 1989.
Event details
Dates are the most recent published as of September 2026; check the organizer before you go.
Highlights
- National Register Historic District since 1980
- Preserve America Community
- 157 buildings, nearly all of them homes
- Walking distance to downtown Lexington
- Access to Legacy Trail
Amenities
Cost of Living
Bell Court has only 157 buildings, so a handful of sales a year set the market, and no listing site tracks Bell Court on its own. As of October 14, 2026, Redfin's Bell Court area mixes in downtown condos. You're close to everything here, so you'll rarely have to drive anywhere.
Schools
Bell Court children attend Ashland Elementary School (at 195 N. Ashland Avenue, a few blocks east of the neighborhood), Lexington Middle School (350 N Limestone), and Henry Clay High School. Ashland Elementary is one of three schools hosting the district's Gifted and Talented Accelerated Program (GTAP) for grades 4 and 5. Henry Clay High School features specialized tracks including the Liberal Arts Academy for gifted students and the only Army JROTC on the district's magnet list. Note: FCPS now zones Bell Court to Lexington Middle School at 350 N Limestone, the former Lexington Traditional Magnet School, renamed, and now both the zoned middle school for Bell Court and a districtwide Visual and Performing Arts magnet hub. Every one of the 267 city address points inside the neighborhood association boundary is zoned for Ashland Elementary, Lexington Middle School and Henry Clay High School, and the FCPS SchoolSite Locator agreed on the address we checked there. You can check any address with our Lexington school zone lookup, which also shows whether the elementary assignment changes in fall 2027. School attendance zones are set by address and can change with rezoning, so look up your exact schools with the FCPS SchoolSite Locator.
Bell Court FAQ
Where is Bell Court?
Immediately southeast of downtown Lexington, bounded by Boonesboro Avenue to the northeast, Walton Avenue to the southeast, East Main Street to the southwest, and Forest and Delmar Avenues to the northwest. It covers about 49 acres, less than a tenth of a square mile.
What zip code is Bell Court in Lexington, KY?
40508.
How did Bell Court get its name?
From the Bell House, first built in 1846 as a Greek Revival home the Lexington architect Thomas Lewinski designed for David Sayre. Henry Bell later bought it and the neighborhood took his name. The house burned around 1885 and was rebuilt. In 1940 Clara Bell Walsh and her mother announced they were giving it to the city, and it anchors a public park inside the neighborhood today.
Is Bell Court a historic district?
Yes. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 8, 1980, and designated a Preserve America Community in January 2006. The district has 157 buildings, nearly all of them homes, on about 49 acres.
Why does Bell Court smell like peanut butter?
The Jif plant at 767 Winchester Road sits just across the railroad tracks from the neighborhood's northeast edge, about a four to five minute drive from inside Bell Court, and is the largest peanut butter production facility in the world. The roasted peanut smell carries a long way, well past the neighborhood itself.
Which schools serve Bell Court?
Ashland Elementary School, Lexington Middle School and Henry Clay High School. FCPS lists Lexington Middle School at 350 N Limestone, the former Lexington Traditional Magnet School, renamed, and now both the zoned middle school for Bell Court and a districtwide Visual and Performing Arts magnet hub, and all 267 city address points inside the neighborhood association boundary are zoned there.