February 24, 2025
Lexington dining guide, 1976
A dining and entertainment guide for Lexington, published in the Oct. 3, 1976, Herald-Leader. Some of the popular places were The Springs, Blue Boar, The Zebra Lounge and Roger’s Restaurant. Dining establishments shown here that exist today include Alfalfa’s and Merrick Inn. Click on the image for a closer look.
UK football’s Fran Curci, Warren Bryant, 1976
University of Kentucky football coach Fran Curci looked on with his star, Warren Bryant, as the Wildcats opened their spring practice on March 6, 1976. Bryant, an offensive tackle, became a cornerstone of Kentucky’s 1976 SEC co-championship team. But the Cats were not crowned co-champions until 1978, when Mississippi State was forced to forfeit all its games from 1976 because of an ineligible player. It is the most recent SEC football championship for UK. Bryant went on to be the sixth overall pick in the 1977 NFL Draft by Atlanta. The 6-foot-6, 273-pound Florida native went on to play 164 games in the NFL, starting 93 of them. During Bryant’s time in Atlanta (he also played five games with the Raiders), the Falcons made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history (1978). Photo by E. Martin Jessee | Staff
Henry Clay football team, 1946
The starting lineup of the 1946 Henry Clay Blue Devils football team. Front row, from left: Gibson Downing, Ed Fox, Nick Kafoglis, Al Smith, Joe Papania, Bill Dunn and Mickey Regan. Back row, from left: Stokes Cleland, Guy Weeks, Bill Harding and Jim Hibbard. The team would go on to win the Central Kentucky Conference championship, winning all five of their games in the 20-team league. The 2016 team faces Bryan Station on Friday, Oct. 21, looking to avoid going winless against city opponents. Published in the Lexington Herald on Sept. 20, 1946. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Vietnam War protest, 1970
About 100 University of Kentucky students joined the Lexington Peace Council for a silent demonstration on April 15, 1970, in front of the Fayette County Courthouse to protest the Vietnam War. Click here to see other photos from our archives of Vietnam War protests in Lexington. Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
UK students watch presidential debate, 1976
University of Kentucky students watched the first of three debates between President Gerald Ford and former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter on Sept. 23, 1976, on television in the UK Student Center. Most observers called the debate a draw. It was the first presidential debate since 1960, when Vice President Richard M. Nixon and U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts squared off. Two more presidential debates were held in 1976. Carter, the Democrat, who was relatively unknown, went on to defeat Ford in the 1976 general election. Wednesday night marks the third and final debate between former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and businessman Donald Trump. Click on the image for an enlarged view. Photo by David Perry | Staff
Humana building construction, 1983
Construction of Humana’s headquarters in downtown Louisville, Nov. 17, 1983. The 27-story skyscraper opened in June 1985, boasting 588,400 square feet of space. The $60 million building is double-tiered, with floors eight through 27 set back 60 feet from the northern edge of the loggia. The 24th-floor roof garden overlooking Main Street offers a stunning view of the Ohio River. Photo by Christy Porter | Staff
The north and east facades of the Humana building are dominated by columns, 7 feet square, forming a public loggia on Main Street and a shopping arcade along Fifth Street, which opens into the lobby and mezzanine. The seven-story entrance loggia surrounds a 50-foot fountain and is topped by a 1,200-square-foot triangular skylight. The columns are sheathed in 2-inch-thick granite slabs from Finland, with pink the dominant color. Photo by Christy Porter | Staff
Lawrence Welk, first concert in Rupp Arena, 1976
The first concert in Rupp Arena featured Lawrence Welk and his orchestra and was attended by about 20,000 fans on Oct. 17, 1976, a Sunday afternoon. Adolph Rupp, the legendary basketball coach, and his family were in attendance. Welk, then 73, had been friends with Rupp for many years. Click on the photos above and below for an enlarged view. Click here to see a gallery of images celebrating Rupp Arena’s 40th anniversary.
Lawrence Welk led his orchestra at Rupp Arena on Oc. 17, 1976. Welk, told the crowd that former Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp had promised him a chance to play at the opening of his new home. He thanked Rupp and gave him a baton as a memento.
101 feet of dollar bills for church fund drive, 1948
William Nash Payne was photographed wrapped in 101 feet of dollar bills as he moved toward his goal of 5,280 feet as his part of the Epworth Methodist church’s building fund in August 1948. So far Nash had collected $203. A mile amounts to $10,000. Published in the Lexington Herald on Aug. 19, 1948. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Michael Jordan at Rupp Arena, 1991
University of Kentucky Athletics Director C.M. Newton talked with NBA star Michael Jordan in Rupp Arena after the Chicago Bulls’ practice before their exhibition game on Oct. 15, 1991. A crowd of 20,775, more than double the largest to see a pro game in Lexington, saw Jordan score 20 points in his 22 minutes during the 98-83 win over the Seattle SuperSonics. For all the promise of flying jams and unreal moves to the basket, the moment crystallized on two Jordan free throws (of all things). With 6:04 remaining in the third quarter, Jordan stepped to the line. Flash bulbs accompanied each free throw. A strobe-like effect befitting a rock concert prompted a smiling Jordan to back away from the line. The first for Rupp was old news for Jordan. “I’ve done it quite a few times,” he said of the blinding free throws. “It’s not new to me. But everybody got a kick out of it.” The crowd got two patented Jordan dunks — a fast-break stuff early in the first quarter and a leaning right-handed slam in the third. That season, Jordan would lead the Bulls to their second of three consecutive NBA titles. Photo by David Perry |Staff
Many fans in attendance of the Bull’s-Supersonics game on Oct. 15, 1991, proclaimed their reverence to star Michael Jordan with their clothing. Many fans wore Jordan’s No. 23 jersey, and some even painted their faces. One fan’s mother explained: “Scott has one Jordan shirt for every day of the week.” Some fans waited two hours hoping to get Jordan’s autograph as he entered the arena. Photo by Jennifer Podis | Staff
Pete Rose at Keeneland, 1976
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Pete Rose, left, watched the races at Keeneland on Oct. 13, 1976. Rose, relaxing before the World Series, attended the races with a high school pal, Joe Kaiser (with binoculars), and shared a box with sportscaster Tom Hammond, rear, and University of Kentucky basketball player Rick Robey. The Reds had won the National League Playoff Series against Philadelphia the day before. The defending champion Reds would face the New York Yankees in the World Series, sweeping the series to become the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. Photo by David Perry | Staff
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