23 years ago, the Fayette Co. courthouse opened to rave reviews and more room for lawyers
Editor’s Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the city’s history - some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange.
Jan. 11, 2002: Court workers start their day in a new Fayette County Courthouse – the sixth one in the county.
The new courthouse on North Limestone, which serves as the court complex for Fayette County, was built to give the court system more space and updated security. The courthouse it replaced, on West Main Street, became the Lexington History Museum and now serves as a visitors’ center, restaurant and bar space and offices.
The previous courthouse, the city’s fifth, was built in 1898 after the one before it caught fire. By some accounts, the fourth courthouse was destroyed on May 14, 1897, while a group of fifth grade students were taking a final exam. The historic courthouse stayed open until 2012 when it was closed for lead abatement.
It was re-opened in 2018 after a major renovation. Construction crews uncovered carvings under the century of soot and grime covering the limestone interior, a buried cistern and a hidden tunnel to the jail two blocks away. The renovation cost nearly $32 million and took nearly four years to complete.
This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
