March 14, 2025
Cincinnati Reds’ Eric Davis, 1986
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Eric Davis (No. 44) was congratulated by teammates after hitting a three-run home run off Steve Carlton in the second inning of the opening-day game on April 7, 1986, at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. The Reds won the game, 7-4, and went on to finish second in the National League’s West Division, 10 games behind Houston. Davis, who was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2005, was a two-time All-Star and a three-time Gold Glove winner. Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
3-D movie at the Strand Theatre, 1953
The Strand Theatre in Lexington drew record crowds in February 1953 for the world’s first full-length, full-color 3-D movie, Bwana Devil. The theater, at 153 East Main Street, opened in 1915 and closed in 1973. The building was demolished in 1979, and the Lion Building is there now. Bob Erd, who began working at the Strand at age 15, was the projectionist the entire time the theater was open. He died shortly after the Strand closed. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Nicholasville Road and Man o’ War Boulevard, 1997
Aerial picture looking west at the intersection of Nicholasville Road (left to right across the picture) and Man o’ War Boulevard (on the left side running top to bottom) on July 23, 1997. On the far right side is the part of Fayette Mall that was McAlpin’s (now Dillard’s), and the field to the left of it is the South Farm property that now holds a Wal-Mart and a Lowe’s. At lower left is Fritz Farm, site of The Summitt, the 60-acre shopping and residential center that opened in April 2017. Click on the image for a closer look. Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
Bryan Station High School graduation, 1981
Felix Weathers adjusted Darlene Thornton’s cap just before the processional for Bryan Station High School’s graduation on May 30, 1981, at Rupp Arena. Bryan Station, Henry Clay and Paul Laurence Dunbar high schools celebrated the 2015 graduating class on May 30. Photo by David Perry | Staff
Lafayette High School graduation, 1984
Anthony Lister celebrated his high school diploma as he made his way down the steps on the way back to his seat during Lafayette High School’s graduation ceremony on May 25, 1984, at Rupp Arena. Lafayette and Tates Creek high schools celebrated the 2015 graduating class on May 29. Photo by Ron Garrison | Staff
Downtown Lexington, 1974
Aerial picture of downtown Lexington, looking from the east, October 1974. At the top, just above the Fayette County Courthouse, is early construction of Rupp Arena. Click on the image for a closer look and click here to see another image of Rupp Arena construction three months later. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Firefighter water break, 1986
Lexington firefighter Billy Morgan took a water break on May 6, 1986, while fighting a fire at a tobacco warehouse on Virginia Avenue. Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
Mr. Smiley license plate, 2002
The Mr. Smiley license plate, unveiled by Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton on Dec. 27, 2002, was met with discontent and ridicule for the less than two years it was in service. Drivers found ways to distort Mr. Smiley’s visage, including drawing a mustache on it, or covering it with a frowning-face sticker or duct tape. State police said that was OK, as long as the letters and numbers on plates weren’t obscured. Despite widespread criticism of Mr. Smiley, some groups benefited from his unpopularity. Sales of specialty plates skyrocketed in 2003, even though drivers had to pay more for them. Beginning Jan. 1, 2005, the sunshine plates were replaced by the “Unbridled Spirit” tags currently being used. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
High Street viaduct, 1981
Looking west from downtown, construction of the new High Street (U.S. 60) viaduct in Lexington neared completion on Feb. 3, 1981. At left is the old two-lane road and at right is the new four-lane road that eventually turns into Versailles Road. Photo by E. Martin Jessee | Staff
Wheeler Pharmacy’s lunch counter, 1985
The breakfast crowd at Wheeler Pharmacy, 336 Romany Road in Lexington, Oct. 8, 1985. A gathering spot since it opened in 1958, the drugstore serves breakfast and lunch. It has a faithful contingent of morning coffee drinkers who settle the affairs of the world. Other regulars include UK basketball coaches Jon Calipari and Matthew Mitchell. The lunch counter was installed by owner Buddy Wheeler as a place where people could have coffee while waiting for their prescriptions. “At first we featured cold sandwiches and ice cream treats,” he said in a 2002 interview. Thanks to its popularity, “We expanded in 1965 and doubled the size and added a grill.” Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
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Kentucky.com news feed
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