Lexington history: How an iconic UK building burned down and was rebuilt

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.

For more than 100 years, the University of Kentucky’s administration building stood on the university’s campus.

Soldiers from both World Wars trained on its lawns. Presidents campaigned at its doors. Student activists protested there.

And on May 15, 2001, it was destroyed by a fire.

Built in 1880, the four-story Main Building housed university administration and classrooms for UK, including the president’s office, conference rooms and a visitor’s center. Dedicated on Feb. 15, 1882, it was the only remaining building from when the school was originally State College.

At the time, securing funding for the building had been difficult, so State College President James Patterson pledged his entire personal wealth as collateral to see the $81,000 project completed.

The original Main Building featured a cupola with a clock and a captain’s walk, but the cupola shrunk as the years went on and eventually, the roof took on a gabled appearance. In 1918, the campus post office and bookstore were located in the basement of the building, and a cafeteria was added as well, but those were eventually relocated.

The building originally housed the college armory, classrooms used by the Commandant of Cadets, a shop, a natural history museum, two laboratories, several academic departments and a small chapel.

In 1948, it was renamed the Administration Building.

On May 15, 2001, the building was undergoing renovations when a soldering torch being used on the copper cornice started a fire. The fire destroyed the roof and severely damaged the rest of the building, gutting the upper two floors and flooding the lower floors.

“It’s been the heart of the University of Kentucky,” President Charles Wethington said at the time. “At one point it was the University of Kentucky.”

Shortly after the fire, the Board of Trusteesgave the approval to rebuild at a cost of $17.4 million. When completed, the building had grown from its original 30,700 square feet to more than 43,000 square feet with four floors and two balconies overlooking Patterson Plaza.

The building reopened on Oct. 25, 2004. Today, it’s home to several offices, including UK President Eli Capilouto’s.

Have a question or story idea related to Lexington’s 250-year history? Let us know at 250LexKy@gmail.com.