National Register of Historic Places

Downtown Commercial District

Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Listed
August 24, 1983
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
83000559

About this property

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.

Location

Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
38.04765, -84.49690

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Downtown Commercial District

This page lists Downtown Commercial District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Warfield, Dr. Walter, Building
Industrial
0 mi
Randall Building Bogaert's Jewelry Store
Industrial
0 mi
Smith, Mitchell Baker, Company Building
Industrial
0 mi
Higgins Block
Civil War
0.1 mi
Fayette National Bank (Boundary Increase)
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Morgan's Raid on Lexington, Kentucky (Sep 1862)
1862Civil War
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Downtown Commercial District listed on the National Register?

Downtown Commercial District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Downtown Commercial District?

Downtown Commercial District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Downtown Commercial District?

The period of significance for Downtown Commercial District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Downtown Commercial District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Downtown Commercial District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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