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The fall colors are magnificent in Kentucky, but no matter the season you will find Kentucky a welcoming place to visit. Winchester has that special small town feeling,
come share it with us.
Downtown Winchester is a historian’s delight, with one of the few towns in Kentucky with a high side to our main street. There are charming shops, restaurants, and the recently opened Bluegrass Museum. |
| The “House on Belmont” has three lovely guestrooms set in the Historic Dr. Johnson House (built in 1872). The house has been extensively renovated and modern conveniences installed, luxuries such as indoor plumbing and electric lighting abound (central heat and air too!). Each room is beautifully appointed with a private bathroom. Check out time is 11:00 AM and check in between 3:00 PM and 7:00PM (a later check in can be easily arraigned with advance notice). We think you will feel as at home as we do!
Enjoy your vacation at your own leisurely pace with a stay at Central Kentucky's newest Bed and Breakfast. The House on Belmont is now open for guests. We are situated just 20 minutes southeast of Lexington Kentucky, The "Horse capital of the World". There are lots to do and see in Kentucky. See nature at its finest with our beautiful country roads and state Parks. Historic Winchester offers the visitor quick access to Lexington without the big city hassle. Quaint Antique and Gift shops dot our main street (One of Kentucky's few remaining downtown's with a high-sided main street) as well as several restaurants, a Quilt Shop and the home of the Bluegrass Museum .
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| Springtime |
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| Living Room |
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| Breakfast at Belmont |
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| Enjoy our beautiful guestrooms. Just click on the picture for a complete description. |
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| Sharlotte's Room |
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| The “House on Belmont”, also known as the Dr. Benjamin Franklin Johnson Home was built in 1872 by a prominent Winchester physician. From all reports Dr. Johnson was a well-respected doctor in the art of tonsillectomy. Dr. Johnson, in a move to escape city taxes built the “House on Belmont” just outside the then city limits. He lived in the house with his wife and two daughters until the city grew and encroached again on his pocketbook. As the city limits were extended and he built another house just outside the city limits, which has since been lost to progress.
The original house was approximately 4000 square foot with gas lighting (evidence of the original fixtures can be found in the attic) the ground floor included a library formal living room, dining room and kitchen. The upstairs included three bedrooms with a large open landing. There are two original balconies, one on the landing midway up the main staircase and one in the attic. The front of the house was originally the same ornate style with arches and spindles we speculate that there was a balcony above the front porch with access from the upstairs hallway. The current pillars are thought to be a 1940’s renovation. |
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| Francesca's Room |
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| Rebecca's Room |
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| Living Room |
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| Entry |
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| Parlor |
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"Our Story"
How you say did two California kids come to central Kentucky? During our 35 years of marriage we have lived in 10 different places, including Phoenix, Arizona, -Whittier, California, -Clovis, New Mexico, -Wichita Falls, Kansas, -Phoenix, Arizona (again), -Amersfoort, Holland, -Bossier City, Louisiana, -Tulsa, Oklahoma, -Anaheim and Tustin, California. While living in Europe we discovered the world of “Bed and Breakfast” vacations. It has been something we have talked about over the years and as life continued to get more and more complicated in we decided it was time to simplify our life. Pete saw a PBS special on the State of Kentucky’s Eagle Nesting Project and an idea began to form. The country looked beautiful and a change seemed in order. Well if we were going anyway why not look around for retirement property. There was this pretty property in Berea (the craft capital of the USA) 23 acres and a house and a barn at a bargain price. We began to look at established B&B’s for sale and found several interesting properties. Was Kentucky the right place, was the big question. I began to research the weather and cost of living. I wanted a moderate climate in an area we could enjoy the changes of season and we needed a place were the cost of living was more reasonable than California. There were four serious prospects in Kentucky listed on the Internet for sale. The land values and cost of utilities in Kentucky were some of the lowest in the country. The eagles nest in January the worst weather of the year (Why not see what the worst Kentucky had to offer (weather-wise) before any life altering decisions were made?) So we booked the trip and made plans to look at B&B’s in Bowling Green, Murray, Lafayette, Danville and Versailles and to see the eagles nest in January of 2002. We landed in Nashville and started our circle through Kentucky, to make a long story a bit shorter none of the B&B’s were what we wanted and the land in Berea was nice but the house was a mess. I picked up a copy of a For Sale by Owner magazine at a restaurant on highway 75 at the 627 exit there was what sounded like a great house in a little town called Winchester. “Where” Pete asked is Winchester? Boy, this still is a long story! I answered it’s about ten miles up the road past the Daniel Boone State Park. Daniel Boone that sounded interesting. We drove into town; saw the sign to turn left for the library. Libraries are downtown, right? Wrong, not in Winchester! But back to that short story theory, we made the turn saw the house we looked at each other and said should we call. Why not what would it hurt? Another long story shortened; we closed escrow on our California house in March of 2002 and the “House on Belmont” on April Fools Day 2002. We moved to Winchester full time in September of 2002 and have begun an extensive renovation project that continues today. The most valuable lesson we have learned is with an old house you will never be done.
It has taken longer than we thought but it has been a labor of love. We have never lost sight of the end of the journey, there have been times when both our patience and spirit have been sorely tried, but we love Winchester. We have opened our place to well behaved pets and children. Our dog Joe adopted us December of 2004 and has enriched our lives. Our guests find him a welcome addition to our hard working staff. We have not regretted our decision to take control (or as least as much as the fates will let us) of our lives, we look forward to many guests and years of listening to stories far more interesting than ours. |
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