The area at a glance
Spencer County sits southeast of Louisville, with Jefferson County to the northwest, Shelby County to the north, and Bullitt County to the west. It was formed in 1824. Taylorsville is the county’s only city and its county seat, and Taylorsville Lake sits just east of town. Smaller communities like Elk Creek, Mount Eden, and Waterford are spread around the county. Below is a short section on the town and on the lake.
Taylorsville
Where it is
Taylorsville is the county seat, in the middle of Spencer County. It was founded in 1799 on land owned by Richard Taylor, who gave the town its name, and it became a city in 1829.
Getting around
KY 44 and KY 55 are the main roads. KY 55 runs north to Shelbyville and I-64, KY 44 runs west to Mount Washington, and Taylorsville Road (KY 155) heads northwest toward Jeffersontown and Louisville.
Shopping and food
Main Street downtown has antique and gift shops and a few local restaurants, and the Main Street program has added benches, street lights, and new sidewalks. There is a grocery store near Industrial Road. For more shopping, there is a Walmart Supercenter in Shelbyville and a Kroger at Tyler Center in eastern Jefferson County.
Parks and outdoors
Ray Jewell Memorial Park on Ray Road has a walking track, fitness stations, and ball fields. Taylorsville Lake State Park is a short drive east.
The homes
The homes downtown are older, and the newer subdivisions around town, like Highview Estates, were mostly built from the 2000s on, on lots of about a fifth to a third of an acre. Farms and homes on several acres surround the town.
Taylorsville Lake
Where it is
Taylorsville Lake is a 3,050-acre lake just east of Taylorsville. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a dam on the Salt River to make it, starting in 1974, and the lake began filling in 1983. Taylorsville Lake State Park sits on part of its northern shore.
Getting around
KY 44 runs east from Taylorsville, and KY 248 leads from there to the state park.
Shopping and food
The lake side of the county is mostly homes, farms, and woods. For groceries and restaurants, Taylorsville is the closest town.
Parks and outdoors
Taylorsville Lake State Park covers about 1,625 acres, with 24 miles of trails for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking, plus a campground. The lake is known for fishing for bass, crappie, and bluegill, and it has boat ramps at Possum Ridge and Settlers Trace.
The homes
Most homes near the lake were built from the 1990s on, on lots of an acre or more, some in small subdivisions and some on several acres of their own.
Thinking about this part of town?
I am happy to show you around Spencer County or answer any questions about it. Let’s talk.