Blue Grass Field’s terminal in March 1968 was redecorated to make room for a service counter for Allegheny Airlines. Allegheny was the fourth airline with service to Lexington; the others were Delta, Eastern and Piedmont. To make ticket counter space for Allegheny, a snack bar was eliminated and the Hertz Rent-A-Car counter was moved. Displays in the terminal were moved to provide additional seating for waiting passengers. In this image, there are 13 visible ashtrays — some located next to the rows of chairs, and others at each counter. Click on the image for a closer look. Allegheny offered nonstop service to Pittsburgh and Nashville from Lexington. 1968 was a milestone year in Lexington’s airport history. Work was completed on extending runway 4-22 from 5,500 feet to 6,500 feet to usher in the jet age. And a new 60-foot reinforced concrete control tower, complete with a seven-foot radar structure, was built to handle jet service and the airport’s ever-growing traffic load. The first jet flight out of Lexington was on March 31, 1968. Allegheny was in business until 1979. It was a forerunner of US Airways, which later merged into American Airlines. Published in the March 3, 1969, Sunday Herald-Leader. Herald-Leader File Photo

The restaurant at Blue Grass Field was remodeled in March 1968, along with other parts of the terminal building. A new snack bar was built in this area because its original space was needed for the airport’s fourth airline, Allegheny. Published in the March 3, 1969, Sunday Herald-Leader. Herald-Leader File Photo