About the block  .  .  .

• The West Main Street block between between Limestone and Upper Streets underwent a transformation in the Post WWII period, as the trend in modern-         izing facades became popular.

• The buildings on this block were updated using modern materials and       designed in fashionable architectural styles such as modernism and     streamlined moderne.

• By 1949, this block became characterized as the most modern retail area in Lexington, anchored by stores like Woolworth’s, Graves Cox, Mangels, Millers, Fields, and Jane Lee.

• The Woolworth Building was demolished in 2004.  The Graves Cox building      had been previously torn down.

• Today, there are several established and successful businesses located in        the remaining historic buildings on this block of West Main Street.

• The existing commercial buildings on this block provide an urban scale to downtown and represent one of Lexington’s remaining historic shopping    districts.

The block of West Main Street between South Upper and South Limestone Streets represents a keystone in Lexington’s commercial and entertainment community. This block is one of the oldest commercial centers in Lexington and remains home to a number of thriving businesses. Following is a history of each parcel of the block from it’s earliest development to the present. Information about these parcels and the comm- ercial buildings located on them were derived from site files curated at the Kentucky Heritage Council (KHC), the Lexington-Fayette Urban County PVA (PVA), Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps as well as the Asa C. Chinn photographic and other collections housed at the University of Kentucky as well as a variety of other sources where noted.

The block of West Main Street bounded by South Upper and South Limestone streets     as seen in 2002 with current street numbers. All buildings extant with the exception of     the Woolworth's department store building (106 West Main Street).
Aerial photography by Department of Homeland Security and available through the Kentucky Geography Network.

The Sanborns

1886 Sanborn Map. Note Market building located in current Vine Street corridor. This building served as a central market building as well as auxiliary city offices and was demolished in the 1940's.
Scanned Sanborn Map courtesy of the Kentuckiana Digital Library.

1896 Sanborn Map. Only minor changes from 1886 map.
Scanned Sanborn Map courtesy of the Kentuckiana Digital Library.

1907 Sanborn Map. Only minor changes from 1886 and 1896 maps.
Scanned Sanborn Map courtesy of the Kentucky Historical Society, Online Resources.

100 West Main Street

This three-story brick building is currently home to Rite Aid pharmacy and has been   since Rite Aid purchased the building in 1977. (PVA) The front façade of the building     has been refaced several times throughout the 20th century virtually obliterating its 19th century Greek Revival appearance. Originally the building had a very handsome, plain Greek Revival four bay façade with flush stone or plank lintels and a paneled brick parapet. No visual reminders remain on the front façade. The eastern façade bordering Limestone Street retains much of its original appearance. (KHC)

At the turn of the 20th century this building was part of the clothing store of Louis and    Gus Straus. (KHC) In 1921, as evidenced from the Chinn photographs for the block, the     building was occupied by the Co-Operative Drug Company. Further research needs to    be completed to provide a more complete history of  this structure with specific regard to date of construction and businesses who have occupied this structure in the more than    a century and a half since its construction.

Corner of West Main and South Limestone Streets, ca. 1860. 100 West Main Street  located in right edge of photo.
Courtesy of theWilson Family Photographic Collection, ca. 1840-1959, University ofKentucky Special Collections.

100 West Main Street, ca. 1920, as seen from South Limestone Street.
Courtesy of theAsa C. Chinn Photographic Collection, University of   Kentucky Special Collections.

100 West Main Street, ca. 1920. Note Greek Revival facade.
Courtesy of the Asa C. Chinn Photographic Collection, University of Kentucky
Special Collections.

The the south side of West Main Street at its intersection with Limestone Street as seen   ca. 1930. Note "For Rent" sign on front facade of 100 West Main Street. Original photograph by the Lafayette Studios.
Courtesy of the University of Kentucky Special Collections, Selected Images of   Lexington, 1930-1950 Photographic Collection.

100 West Main Street as seen ca. 1940. Note number of businesses occupying first floor. Original photograph by the Lafayette Studios.
Courtesy of the University of Kentucky Special Collections, Selected Images of   Lexington, 1930-1950 Photographic Collection.

100 West Main Street as seen in 1979. Note modification of facade.
Courtesy of the Kentucky Heritage Council site files (Fa-LDT 96).

100 West Main Street as seen today. Post 1979 facade visible.
Photography by Janie-Rice Brother.

152 West Main Street
This early twentieth century brick commercial building currently houses the Mad Hatter   hat shop. The construction of this two-story building has been attributed to the Isaac   Adler family, who owned the property from 1909 until 1943. The building is constructed with a glazed buff colored brick exterior, and features a cast iron molded cornice just below the parapet roof. The large, recessed storefront comprises the entire first floor of the building and a ribbon of four single-over-single-light windows occupies the upper  level of the façade. The building originally served as the fine stationary printer and outlet, McClure & Bronston. Between 1912 and 1913, the Olympia Candy Company took residence in the building. Then, from 1914 to 1921, Abe Felsenthal and Siegfried Bing’s ladies furnishings were sold there. The building later served as another candy store, a women’s clothing store, and a shoe store.

152 West Main Street as seen in 1979.
Courtesy of the Kentucky Heritage Council site files (Fa-LDT 105).

152 West Main Street as seen today.
Photography by Janie-Rice Brother.

156 West Main Street
This three-and-one-half-story brick neo-classical commercial building is the current  home of The Dame, a music venue and bar. Architect Herman L. Rowe, who designed several other Lexington buildings, designed the building sometime in the early 1900s. Originally designed as a double building, it has since been combined into one unit. According to the KHC Historic Resources Inventory form, the building’s façade has     been stripped of much of its neo-classical ornamentation over the years, but retains its molded cornice lines, located just below the parapet roof as well as between the first   and second stories. A cartouche, which has some remnants of its original lion’s head design, is situated at the center of the upper level of the façade. Ribbons of triple  windows compose the symmetrical façade, which has brick detailing delineating the  area surrounding the windows. This symmetrical design, with its incorporation of a    triple window pattern, reflects a strong Chicago School design influence. The store-   front, which occupies the street level portion of the façade, has a recessed central entry, flanked by plated glass windows. William Harting, a prominent jeweler, malt brewer,     and a former president of the City National Bank, originally owned the property on which the building is situated. The property remained in the Harting family until 1954. The building has served as the location of a number of Lexington businesses, including    Fred Fugazzi’s popular confectionary, restaurant, and ice cream parlor during the late nineteenth century. Hughes & Co., also a confectionary, was the first tenant of the  building. Beginning in 1916, the Lexington Utilities Company, the Traction & Terminal Company, and the City Ice Company all held offices in the building. The S.S. Kresge Department Store was located in the building from 1925 until 1952. Since then, a women’s clothing store and a men’s clothing store also occupied the building.

156 West Main Street as seen in 1979.
Courtesy of the Kentucky Heritage Council site files (Fa-LDT 106).

116-122 South Upper Street as seen today.

Photography by Janie-Rice Brother.

164 West Main Street

This two-story, Art Deco style building currently houses Buster’s, a bar and pool hall. Constructed during the 1920s or 1930s, this building has a streamlined-influenced façade, with glazed ceramic panels covering the upper portions above the storefront.    The light-colored glazed ceramic panels feature vertical fluting. The west elevation of     the building, which faces South Upper Street, is clad with a blonde brick exterior. The   building extends south along South Upper Street, terminating at a narrow alley on the        north end of “Morton’s Row.” The building at one time served as a drug store and as     the Lexington Chamber of Commerce. Previous buildings occupying this geograph-   ically important location  (at the corner of Main and Upper and facing the courthouse) reportedly included a three-story Italianate commercial building and a probable two or three-story, gable-roof Federal or Greek Revival building during the early to mid- nineteenth century. Businesses at this location included Robert Fraser’s watchmaker  and silversmith shop during the early nineteenth century; King & Worthington, a book   and stationary store, located here during the turn of the century; the Union Bank & Trust Company located here in 1906; and a tailor’s shop, located here during the 1920s.

View of Main Street showing courthouse lawn and buildings at the corner of South Upper and Main Streets. The predecessor to the current building at 164 West Main Street is visible in upper, center of photo.
Courtesy of the C. Frank Dunn Photographis Collection, University of Kentucky Special Collections.

Photograph showing the construction of the current building at 164 West Main Street, ca. 1930.
Courtesy of the Selected Images of Lexington Collection, 1930-1950, University of Kentucky Special Collections.

164 West Main Street as seen today.
Photography by Janie-Rice Brother.

116-122 South Upper Street
These two buildings, north of and adjacent to Joe Rosenberg’s Pawn Shop, complete   the northern section of the historic “Morton’s Row,” and currently serve as the home of Mia’s bar and restaurant. These late Federal, two-story brick buildings, like 126 South Upper, feature gable roofs, which are eave oriented. In general, earlier commercial buildings were most often constructed with gable roofs, which were later supplanted       by commercial buildings with flat parapet roofs. The early construction date of these buildings, in 1826, is still evident in the intact form of the buildings and some remaining façade features. The buildings have undergone some alterations, with the earliest of these occurring in 1912. The facades are now comprised of street level storefronts       and early to mid-twentieth century windows at the upper levels. The property ownership   of Morton’s Row was split between Lord Morton’s heirs after his death in 1836, making these two buildings’ ownership history distinct from that of 126 S. Upper. The buildings were purchased in 1862 by a prosperous hemp producer, W.W. Bruce. Further research is needed to complete the ownership history of this portion of “Morton’s Row,” which remains a significant part of Lexington’s early downtown commercial history.

116-122 South Upper Street, ca. 1920.
Courtesy of the Asa C. Chinn Photographic Collection, University of Kentucky
Special Collections.

116-122 South Upper Street as seen in 1979. Note removal of second story bay    windows, post-1920.
Courtesy of the Kentucky Heritage Council site files (Fa-LDT 191).

116-122 South Upper Street as seen today.
Photography by Janie-Rice Brother.

126-128 South Upper Street
Currently home to Joe Rosenberg's Pawn Broker and Loans, this building and the row    of adjacent buildings (116-126) represent some of the most historic extant commercial buildings in downtown Lexington. This and the adjacent buildings were known histori- cally as "Morton's Row". The corner building at 126 South Upper Street was erected around 1826 and continues to be one of the most recognized and historically intact commercial buildings downtown.

The 2 1/2 story, Flemish-bond brick building has four bays on the Upper Street side      and seven bays on the southern, Vine Street (formerly Water Street) facade. The easternmost two bays on the south facade have been replaced by glass block, likely during the 1952 renovation. Overall the building is characterized by the impressive pediment on the Upper Street facade. This pediment is defined by an emphatic cornice along the roofline and a continuous base setting it apart from the adjacent structures    that make up "Morton's Row". These cornices enclose a semi-circular lunette with radiating voussoirs and 2 vertical dividers that remain intact to this day. Significant   interior changes were made during a 1949 renovation removing much of the 19th-   century interior. However, the firm still continues to use three hand-painted turn-of- the-century safes manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. Other changes made during the various renovations of the mid-twentieth century include the replacement of the original windows as seen in the Chinn photos with replacement sashes and the removal of a corner, canted entrance on the southwest corner of the building and its replacement with a solid glass storefront and the addition of two recessed entrances facing Upper Street. Generally, the structure retains much of its original character.

William Morton, known locally as "Lord Morton", due to his aristocratic tendencies constructed the building at 126 South Upper Street in 1826 as home to one of his many business ventures. In 1787 he operated a "general trading store" on Main Street and   also had interests in a drug store, tannery, and the first bank in Lexington. Morton is generally regarded as one of the first and most prosporous merchants in Lexington and his philanthropic ways are well recorded. A small alleyway abutting 116 South Upper Street connected "Morton's Row" to his main store on Main Street. This small walkway is visible to the rear of Buster's and adjacent to Mia's Restaraunt. William Morton died in 1836 and as part of the settlement of his estate, his various properties were dispersed  over the next 15 years, including his grand home at the corner of North Upper Street and East Fifth Street on the outskirts of Lexington.  The 1838 city directory listed a wholesale and retail grocery store at 126 South Upper Street. This grocery was still listed as being under the proprietorship of William Morton despite his recent death. Joseph Bruen, a  local pioneer iron founder, was also listed at this address shortly following the construction of the building. In 1849 the building at 126-128 South Upper Street was    sold to Larkin C. and Thomas G. Randall. Further deed research and searches of the Lexington city directories need to be completed to further detail the use of this building following 1849. In 1929 the Rosenberg brothers whose father, Joseph, had immigrated  to Lexington from Lithuania, purchesed the building. Since 1929 the building has served as the Rosenberg family's pawn and brokerage shop. Around 1952, the Rosenberg  family acquired the adjacent structures comprising "Morton's Row" and over time have acquired much of the block on which these buildings stand.

128 South Upper Street, ca. 1920, as seen from South Upper Street.
Courtesy of the Asa C. Chinn Photographic Collection, University of Kentucky
Special Collections.

128 South Upper Street as seen in 1979. Note extensive 1952 renovation to ground     floor storefront.
Courtesy of the Kentucky Heritage Council site files (Fa-LDT 190).

128 South Upper Street as seen today. 1952 renovations and Vine Street (formerly    Water Street) pedestrian mall visible to right of photo.
Photography by Janie-Rice Brother.

119 South Limestone Street

This three-story brick building at the corner of South Limestone and West Vine Streets     is currently home to the Triple Crown Lounge. Known historically by a number of names reflective of different businesses (Robinson "European" Hotel Dining Room, New  Navarre Cafe, Mooney & Klair's Saloon, and Levas' Restaraunt to name a few) the appearance of the building remains little changed from the time of its original  construction sometime before 1890. The only visible external changes include the removal of the ground floor storefront windows and main entrance as well as the cast  iron column under the corner oriel. These elements may still be contained within the   brick infill on the first story.

The structure with its 2nd and 3rd story oriels and parapets and distinctive raised     panels and entablatures is a landmark on this corner especially with its isolation following the demolition of the Woolworth Department Store building in 2004 and the subsequent construction of surface parking lots in the empty parcel.

The history of this parcel is long and fairly well documented. The row between Vine     (then Water) and Main Streets was known as "Pindell's Row" throughout the mid-nineteenth century and consisted of a row of storefronts erected ca. 1826-1836.   Many of these storefronts survived into the twentieth century but none remain today.       The corner lot where this structure stands today was deeded to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Fayette County in 1863 to help support the Eastern State Lunatic Asylum. The Commonwealth of Kentucky retained ownership of the parcel until 1955 when it     was sold to the Levas family who owned the property until 1996 when it was sold to the current owner.

When the structure was erected ca. 1890 it was home to Robinson's "European" Hotel Dining Room as well as a meat market belonging to Eugene Buchigaani. By 1899, the business located on this corner was known as the New Navarre and "furnished men's rooms, wines, liquors, cigars" and likely furnished accomodations and services for travelling salesmen and other's departing and arriving from the nearby railway depots. The Navarre had been established in 1894 on nearby East Main Street by Charles    "Riley" Grannan who used a portion of his gambling fortune to start the business. By  1902 the building housed Mooney & Klair's Saloon. In 1908 the business was known once again as the Navarre Buffet, although under the name of a different proprietor. The building remained a saloon until prohibition at which point it became a series of restaraunts under the propietorship and later ownership of the Levas family. It is of interest to note that this building is similar to that at the corner of Cheapside and West
Short Street. Both may be attributable to the same unknown architect.

119 South Limestone Street, ca. 1920, as seen from South Limestone Street.
Courtesy of the Asa C. Chinn Photographic Collection, University of Kentucky
Special Collections.

119 South Limestone Street as seen in 1979.
Courtesy of the Kentucky Heritage Council site files (Fa-LDT 61).

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