February 12, 2025
Carnival preparations, 1957
Marking preparations for their Sunday School carnival, from left, Rosemary Young, Sandra Wilson, Phaon Lewis and Rosanna Young. The carnival sponsored by the First Baptist Church, at Short and Deweese streets, was held Sept. 25, 1957. The event featured a country store, a movie, a house of horror and a review. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Richmond and New Circle roads, 1973
Aerial view of the Richmond Road and New Circle Road intersection in January 1973. New Circle Road runs diagonally top to bottom. Lexington Mall is at the middle left of the photo. Click on the image for a closer look. Photo by John C. Wyatt | Staff
Keeneland fall meet, 1954
Mrs. K.T. Maxwell, center, discussed performance charts of Thoroughbreds with Mr. and Mrs. Clay Simpson of Lexington during Keeneland’s fall meet in October 1954. This fall’s meet opened Friday and runs through Oct. 28. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Fairchild C-82 Packets stop in Lexington, 1948
Five U.S. Army Airforce Fairchild C-82 Packets were lined up at Blue Grass Field in August 1948. Designed as a heavy-lift cargo aircraft, they flew in from Greenville, S.C., to pick up freight consigned by the Lexington Signal Depot to Eglin Field in Florida. These aircraft also were used in the Berlin Airlift, primarily to bring large disassembled vehicles into the city. This weekend, the Aviation Museum of Kentucky is hosting a C-54E Skymaster named The Spirit of Freedom, which also was used in the 1948-49 Berlin Airlift. Visitors can tour the aircraft 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Vanity license plate, 1980
Kathleen Stacy, owner of The Undie Box at Fayette Mall, with her vanity license plate on her 1979 Cadillac on June 10, 1980. Stacy said she takes a lot of kidding about the plates, but it does seem to be good for business. The Lexington Leader featured a story about people and their customized plates. Kentucky started issuing personalized tags three years earlier. Photo by Ron Garrison | Staff
Last time the Wildcats beat Alabama, 1997
Kentucky’s David Ginn (44) and Jermaine White (28) blocked Alabama’s Brian Cunningham’s field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter, and UK’s Anwar Stewart returned the ball for a touchdown at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 4, 1997. The game went to overtime, and Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Craig Yeast to beat Alabama, 40-34, giving UK its first win over the Crimson Tide in 75 years. It remains the last time Kentucky has beaten Alabama. Kentucky, 4-1 this season, plays Missouri on Saturday. Photo by Greg Perry
Lexington Center construction, 1976
Work on the new Lexington Civic Cener and Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Lexington on Oct. 3, 1976. In the foreground, what is now Triangle Park was a parking lot for the construction workers. Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
Train idled by railroad strike, 1946
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway’s George Washington was left standing in the Lexington Union Station yard in May 1946 as 250,000 railroad engineers and trainmen nationwide took part in the great strike wave of 1946. About 30 passengers were stranded. They stayed in the Pullman cars and ate in the dining car overnight before supervisory employees took over the controls and the train left the yard the morning of May 24. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Davis Bottom, 1979 and 2017
DeRoode Street as seen from the Versailles Road viaduct in March 1979. This area of the city, known as Davis Bottom, was one of the poorest neighborhoods in Lexington. About five years ago, the dilapidated homes were demolished and the rebuilding of new homes began. And last week, the new section of Oliver Lewis Way, running through the old neighborhood, was opened, connecting Versailles Road and South Broadway. Photo by Ron Garrison | Staff
Towers on the University of Kentucky campus are visible at the end of the Oliver Lewis Way corridor as seen from the Versailles Road viaduct. Oliver Lewis Way, which connects Newtown Pike to South Broadway, is at the far left. At right are the beginnings of an affordable-housing development to replace Davis Bottom and neighboring Irishtown, which before they were cleared in 2011 had been home to some of Lexington’s poorest residents dating to the Civil War. Photo by Tom Eblen | Staff
Kentucky running back Nate Northington at practice, 1967
University of Kentucky running back Nat Northington, then a sophomore, at practice on April 5, 1967. Sept. 30 is the 50th anniversary of the day Northington became the first black player to participate in a varsity game between two Southeastern Conference football teams when the Wildcats played Ole Miss. He will be an honorary captain and will be recognized during Saturday’s game. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
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Kentucky.com news feed
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