February 24, 2025
Neighborhood cleanup, 1971
City Commissioner Harry Sykes, center, joined officials of Micro-City Government in a neighborhood cleanup on East Third Street on July 14 1971. Front, from left: Sandra Young, Vincent Caise, Sykes, Pat Tribble and James Clayborne. At rear from left: James Johnson and Linda Parr. The young man at far right was not identified.
Union Station, 1956
On May 9, 1956, the day this photo was published, it was announced that the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. was moving out of Lexington’s Union Station. On May 9, 1957, the last passenger train (the George Washington) departed from the station. Union Station was closed because of high operating overhead and low passenger travel. It had opened with great fanfare on Aug. 4, 1907, with the arrival of C&O passenger train No. 24. A crowd estimated at 3,000 met the train. The terminal fronted Main Street, just west of Walnut Street, which has been renamed Martin Luther King Boulevard. The exterior was built with red and yellow brick, and green and red glass. The lobby was in the center rotunda, which was 50 by 80 feet, with a central dome 50 feet high. The lobby had a Roman arch ceiling and six oak waiting benches. In March 1960, the building was demolished.
Streaker on UK campus, 1974
A masked streaker evoked a reaction from University of Kentucky students on March 5, 1974, as he ran across the patio on central campus in an apparent protest to the UK Board of Trustees, which was meeting at the Patterson Office Tower. The trustees were unaware of the incident. The high point of streaking’s pop culture significance was in 1974, when thousands of streaks took place around the world, including at that year’s Academy Awards. Photo by E. Martin Jessee | Staff
Pat Boone and Shirley Jones during filming of ‘April Love,’ 1957
The movie April Love was filmed in Lexington in 1957. Stars Pat Boone, left and Shirley Jones, right, were photographed withDorothy (Dedee) and Carol Leet of Lexington. Published in the Lexington Leader on June 17, 1957.
Victorian Square building collapse, 1984
On the morning of June 18, 1984, construction workers noticed cracks appearing on the exterior of the old H.H. Leet furniture store during renovation for Victorian Square. Within minutes, loud popping and cracking preceded a collapse of two-thirds of building at West Main Street and North Broadway. Donald Webb, a principal in Victorian Square Associates and the Webb Companies, was optimistic that the building would be rebuilt. Photo by Ron Garrison | Staff
Downtown street scene, 1947
The southeast corner of Limestone and Main Street in 1947. This corner is now occupied by Phoenix Park. The photo was taken for a story about increased congestion that was expected as a result of an ordinance passed by city commissioners that would allow the Lexington Railway System to erect a change-making and information booth there. Published in the Lexington Leader on May 8 1947.
Sidewalk work, 1987
From left, Paul Dunn, Tony Coffey and Freddie McCollum, employees of Lexington contractor Jason Tate Jr., worked to finish concrete work on a new sidewalk on East Main Street on Aug. 19, 1987. Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
UK Basketball seniors, 1949
Four senior members of the University of Kentucky championship basketball team and the student manager, Humzey Yessin, before their final appearance in Alumni Gymnasium on Feb. 26, 1949. From left, Alex Groza, Cliff Barker, Yessin, Ralph Beard and Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones. UK defeated Vanderbilt, 70-37. Jones died Sunday at age 88.
John Y. Brown Jr. in golf tournament, 1948
John Y. Brown Jr. putted in darkness while his opponent, John Williams, held a flashlight and the flag during the Lexington City Golf Tournament on Aug. 19, 1948. In the background above the flag is Brown’s father, John Y. Brown Sr., wearing a white suit and hat. The senior Brown was an attorney and politician, serving one term in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1933 to 1935. His son was governor of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983. At the time of this picture, the younger Brown was a student at Kentucky Military Institute.
Moonlight madness sale, 1984
When shoppers in McAlpin’s at Lexington Mall hollered for more clothes at discount prices of $1 and $2 during a moonlight madness sale on April 10, 1984, Lolene Dawkins came to the rescue. She would take clothes from another table and throw them over the heads of unsuspecting shoppers. Photo by Steven R. Nickerson | Herald-Leader staff
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Kentucky.com news feed
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