Chevy Chase

About Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase is one of Lexington's most historic neighborhoods, tucked into the southeastern part of the city and bordered by Cooper Drive to the south, Tates Creek Road to the west, Fontaine Road to the north, and Chinoe Road to the east. The neighborhood covers about a quarter square mile with around 1,000 homes, putting it on the smaller and more tightly knit end of Lexington's residential map. It borders the University of Kentucky campus and sits about two miles from downtown. Walking through Chevy Chase feels like a preserved era of time modernized by the energy of a college town. The streets are lined with bungalows, Cape Cods, and historic homes, mostly built between the 1920s and 1960s. Tree-lined sidewalks, mature landscaping, and a walkable commercial spine along Euclid Avenue give the neighborhood a character that's hard to find elsewhere in Lexington. The neighborhood has an interesting naming history. Despite what you might guess, Chevy Chase was not named after the actor. It was named by Henry Clay Simpson, a direct descendant of statesman Henry Clay, after a Maryland golf club he joined while working in Washington, D.C. in the 1920s. The land was originally part of Henry Clay's 600-acre Ashland estate before Simpson subdivided it.

What's Nearby

Euclid Avenue cuts right through Chevy Chase and serves as the main commercial spine of the neighborhood. If you live here, or plan to live here, you won't be far from a handful of historic restaurants, shops, and bars. After a long day, whether you've been revitalizing the historic home you just bought or just running errands, you'll find something on Euclid worth stopping in for. One of the more famous restaurants in the area is Charlie Brown's at 816 Euclid Avenue. It's been there for decades and is known for its dimly lit atmosphere, cozy couches and chairs, and walls lined with old books. Some have even found cash tucked between the pages. Locals will tell you Jim Varney used to hang out here. As one put it to me: "You'd walk in, and there he'd be." Chevy Chase Inn is another historic business, and if only the walls could talk. It's Lexington's oldest continuously operating bar, opened in 1933 right after the end of Prohibition. It first went by "The Blue Goose" before becoming the Chevy Chase Inn. Locals refer to it as CCI. Bourbon n' Toulouse has also been on Euclid for a long time, serving Cajun and Creole. A few blocks off Euclid, Romany Road has its own small commercial corridor anchored by A.P. Suggins Bar and Grill at 345 Romany Road. Suggins has been a Chevy Chase staple since 1984. Casual neighborhood spot, Kentucky comfort food. Locals recommend the Hot Brown, fried catfish, and chicken finger salads. The patio fills up during pleasant weather and UK games. Beyond Euclid and Romany, Chevy Chase is walkable to Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate (the former home of statesman Henry Clay), Woodland Park (home of the annual Woodland Art Fair), and The Arboretum at UK.

Annual Events

Chevy Chase hosts two notable annual events worth knowing about. The Chevy Chase Street Fair shuts down the 800 block of Euclid Avenue for a late-summer block party. Live music, vendors, street food, drinks, kids' activities. It's been running since the mid-2000s and draws large crowds from across Lexington. The Woodland Art Fair, held in nearby Woodland Park, is another walkable event from Chevy Chase. One of the larger art fairs in central Kentucky, held annually.

Highlights

• Lexington's most walkable neighborhood
• Borders University of Kentucky campus
• Historic 1920s-1960s homes
• Euclid Avenue commercial district
• Two miles from downtown Lexington