The Fayette County courthouse, shown in August 1960, with a Y-shaped stairwell that led to offices and courtrooms on the second and third floors. In 1960-1961, the interior of the courthouse was extensively renovated to create more courtrooms and offices. The interior Y stairs were removed and the dome was closed off. The courthouse, Fayette County’s fifth, was built between July 1898 and Feb. 1, 1900. It was designed in Richardson Romanesque style as a three-story stone masonry building, and it had a dome, a clock and a cupola with a weather vane. The last trial was held in the courthouse in 2002, and in 2003, the Lexington History Center opened. In 2012, the courthouse was closed to the public after lead paint and asbestos were found in the upper floors. Proposals are now under consideration to restore the courthouse to its original design. This photo was published in the Lexington Herald-Leader on Aug. 28, 1960.