Bell Court

Historic Lexington's Timeless Jewel

Retail Price: $69.95
Available through the Bell Court Neighborhood Association: https://bellcourt.square.site/

The story of the Bell Court neighborhood stretches back for as long as the United States has been a country. Visitors see the beautiful homes, the tree-lined streets, and the verdant parkland that comprise Bell Court. Thousands of people have lived in this enclave, and their stories have shaped the neighborhood that exists today.

Through the photography of Bob Willcutt and the narratives all written by Bell Court residents, the story of this historic district comes alive.

Available through the Bell Court Neighborhood Association: https://bellcourt.square.site/

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About The Author

Michael C. Griffin  Michael Griffin received a Ph.D. in history from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from the Darden School, University of Virginia. In history, Griffin co-authored a book on the prints of Vanity Fair magazine (English version) and several articles on Chinese and British history. He has taught history, accounting, and finance at four different universities. In finance, Griffin has held various financial management positions with three Fortune 500 companies. He was also the CFO for a privately held corporatio Learn More about Michael C. Griffin
About The Photographer

Bob Willcutt

Bob Willcutt has always had an interest and respect for all types of art, especially photography where being the photo editor of his high school paper taught him film techniques and developmental editing. He moved from Washington D.C. to Kentucky in 1966 to attend the University of Kentucky, earning a BA and MSW. Although he did photography, his main focus was on scholastic and musical pursuits.

When he started his own business in 1968 and expanded it in 1979, naming it Willcutt Guitars, he was attracted to the art as well as the musical aspect of guitars. In 1998 he created the website Willcutt Guitars.com and built it around high-quality photographs of the world’s most beautiful instruments.

Bob has published Feathers of Fayette—Wild Birds of Lexington, Kentucky in 2018; Henry Clay’s Ashland—A Pictorial Tribute to one of America’s Greatest Statesmen and His Lexington Estate in 2019; The Musical Instrument Collector, originally published in 1977, reprinted in 1978 and 2020; Waveland’s Treasures in 2021, which was awarded the Kentucky Historical Society’s Private Press Award and the Bluegrass Trust’s Clay Lancaster Heritage Education Award; Ward Hall—Kentucky’s Greek Revival Masterpiece in 2023; The Lex Luthier Articles in 2023; and Gratz Park—The Heart of Historic Lexington in 2025, which was also awarded the Bluegrass Trust’s Clay Lancaster Heritage Education Award.

His award-winning photographs have been published in American Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Kentucky Historical Society, Hopewell Museum, Kentucky Quilts and Quiltmakers, Memorial Coliseum, American Spirit, The Herald Leader, Tops in Lexington, The Southsider, Chevy Chaser, Jessamine Journal, Kentucky Living, Princeton University Press, and others.

“In Bell Court: Historic Lexington’s Timeless Jewel, Bob Willcutt and Michael Griffin have documented one of Lexington’s most picturesque and architecturally vibrant neighborhoods, laying out an important history of architectural development, urban planning and the transformation from sylvan farmland to city life. Bell Court’s story– from antebellum estate to suburb to downtown neighborhood – is important to understanding many of the issues Lexington grapples with today. But the authors have most of all captured the essence of a beautiful and historic yet dynamic place that we are privileged to call home.”

-—Linda Blackford, long time journalist in Lexington and currently the editor of the Kentucky Lantern

“With gorgeous photographs and well-researched copy, Bob Willcutt and Michael Griffin have put together a compelling book about Bell Court. This iconic neighborhood was one of Lexington’s first “modern” subdivisions. It surrounds a historic house on one of the city’s earliest land grants. Even today, Bell Court’s beautifully restored homes make it one of Lexington’s most desirable neighborhoods. This book does it justice.”

-—Tom Eblen, City Council member and former Lexington Herald-Leader managing editor and columnist

“This interesting and useful volume of work about Bell Court will reach a wide range of audiences. Being one of the first neighborhoods to be built outside of downtown Lexington along Richmond Road, it was the home of Henry Clay’s son James and features several homes by noted Lexington architect Major  omas Lewinski. Books such as this serve as catalysts for preservation and historical appreciation of these types of neighborhoods.”

-—Eric D. Brooks, Chief Curator at Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate

“Historic Bell Court, dating back to our early days, is one of our most beautiful and storied neighborhoods…. the members of the Bell Court Neighborhood Association, which has been active since 1962, work to revitalize and protect their neighborhood. This book is a testament to their love of Bell Court, its history, and its people.”

-—Linda Gorton, Mayor of Lexington


Book Details
Author: Michael C. Griffin
Illustrator:
Photographer: Bob Willcutt
Pages: 240 pages
Product Dimensions: 9" X 12"
ISBN: 978-1-965370-39-1
Cover Type: Hardcover
Case Quantity:
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