February 12, 2025
Lexington city hall, 1978
The Lexington city hall building on what was then called Walnut Street at Barr Street, Sept. 28, 1978. Today, Walnut is North Martin Luther King Boulevard. Originally a neo-classical building, it went through expansion and renovation in the 1960s. City government offices were there for more than 50 years until moving to the Lafayette Hotel building in 1984. The Lexington government is currently looking for a new city hall. Photo by David Perry | Staff
Phoenix Hotel, 1981
The Phoenix Hotel in downtown Lexington, at Main Street and Limestone, on June 22, 1981. The Phoenix was demolished in 1981 and 1982 by Wallace Wilkinson, who planned to use the site to build the World Coal Center skyscraper. It was never built, and the site eventually became the Park Plaza Apartments and Phoenix Park. Click here to see other images from our archives of the landmark hotel. Click on the image for a larger view. Photo by Ron Garrison | Staff
Last DC-3 out of Blue Grass Field, 1962
Bruce Sliker was the last passenger to board a regularly scheduled DC-3 operating through Lexington’s Blue Grass Field, March 14, 1962. Piedmont Airlines Flight 355 was traveling to Cincinnati. The DC-3’s served as the workhorse of civilian and military flying for more than two decades and Piedmont was replacing them with Martin 404s and the jet-prop F-27. Published March 15, 1962 in the Lexington Leader. Click here to see an image from our archives of the first jet flight out of Lexington in 1968. Herald-Leader archive photo
Jessamine County gambling raid, 1950
Kentucky state trooper Philip Cuzick, left, and Jessamine County Sheriff Arch Hager look over gambling devices and paraphernalia seized during an April 1950 raid of a Jessamine County roadhouse. Earl Devore and his wife, Pearl, the owners of the Detour Inn, were charged with permitting the operation of gambling devices. The roadhouse was eight miles southeast of Nicholasville on U.S. 68 (Harrodsburg Road). Confiscated were 25 to 30 punchboards and several types of small gaming machines, with a combined value of $2,000 to $3,000, Hager said. On April 5, the couple were fined $250 and court costs. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Commonwealth Stadium’s new goal posts, 1997
University of Kentucky employees installed one of two new goal posts at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 15, 1997. The two new posts replaced the ones that fans destroyed 11 days earlier while celebrating UK’s first win over Alabama in 75 years. Erected in three sections, each goal post took only about 15 minutes to assemble. The first section, the gooseneck, is planted 5 feet into the ground and stands 10 feet above the ground. The goal post’s crossbar, which straddles the gooseneck section, is 18 feet, 91/2 inches wide. Each upright end of the crossbar stands 30 feet high. The two goal posts cost about $4,300. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Mt. Sterling Court Day, 1983
A typical scene of the crowds and vendors in downtown Mt. Sterling during the annual Court Day on October 16, 1983. This year’s Court Day Festival starts today and runs through Monday. Always scheduled to run through the first Monday of October, it has taken place every year since 1794 drawing about 200,000 people to Mt. Sterling, the county seat of Montgomery County. The festival quickly became the annual trading day for the surrounding area an today features arts, crafts, food and music. Photo by Tom Woods II | Staff
Jockey Pat Day, 1981
Jockey Pat Day waits outside Keeneland’s jockey quarters, Oct. 25, 1981. Day, a crowd favorite, is the all-time leading rider at both Churchill Downs and Keeneland. During his 32-year career, he won 21.3 percent of his races. He retired in 2005 with career earnings of $297,912,019, second all time. He won the 1992 Kentucky Derby, riding Lil E. Tee to an upset win over 4-5 favorite Arazi, who was hailed as the second coming of Secretariat. Oct. 13 is Day’s 64th birthday. Photo by Ron Garrison | staff
Toyota Sienna minivan introduced, 1997
A new Toyota Sienna minivan rolled down the assembly line on Aug. 11, 1997, at the Toyota Manufacturing plant in Georgetown. The Sienna was introduced in 1997 and replaced the first-generation Previa van. Photo by M. A. Pember | Staff
Lexington family’s new TV set, 1950
The family of Dr. R.C. Choate gathered around a new television set in March 1950 at their home at 1600 Bon Air Drive in the Fairway neighborhood off Richmond Road. The photo ran in the March 19, 1950, Sunday Herald-Leader, saying the popularity of television has been on the rise in Lexington. From left, Dr. Choate, Paula, 6, Karen, 4, and Mrs. Choate. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Multiple lightning strikes, 1985
Multiple lightning strikes and a thunderstorm approached Lexington from the northeast about 2 am June 10, 1985. Photo by Tom Moran
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