Downtown Commercial District (Lexington, Kentucky)


The Downtown Commercial District in Lexington, Kentucky, includes 70 contributing properties, some dating from the early 19th century. Most sites are commercial buildings, but the district also features a courthouse, two monuments, a camel sculpture, a drinking fountain, and a clock. Various architectural styles are represented, including Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Victorian, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque, Beaux Arts, and Modern. Architects include Gideon Shryock, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, H.L. Rowe, Frankel & Curtis, and McKim, Mead & White. Also included within the district are 17 noncontributing properties. The Downtown Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Lexington's street grid was platted beginning in 1780, and the Downtown Commercial District is contained within the oldest part of the city. The district is roughly bounded by Church St, N Limestone St, E Short St, E Main St, W Main St, and N Mill St.

Contributing properties

Some buildings in the district were constructed after fires in 1875 and in 1917 destroyed previous buildings, and other historic buildings were destroyed by urban renewal. This list of contributing properties includes the street group and where available the name, year, address, architect, and style of each building.
Cheapside
Church Street
North Limestone Street
East Main Street
West Main Street
North Mill Street
West Short Street
North Upper Street