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Kentucky Mid-Century Modern Buildings (page 2)

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Brown Barrel
Frankfort, KY
The Brown Barrel restaurant has occupied this building since 2024. It housed Gibby's restaurant before that. I don't know what was here originally. This appears to be an older building with the barrel vault canopies added to the front in probably the 1960s. [map]

Franklin County Court Additions
Frankfort, KY
The Franklin County Court Additions appear to be from the 1960s. [map]

Breathitt County Courthouse
Jackson, KY
The Breathitt County Courthouse was designed by Bayless, Clotfelter, & Johnson and built from 1962-1963. [map]

Eastland Bowling Lanes
Lexington, KY
The Eastland Bowling Lanes was designed by Johnson Romanowitz Architects, now known as JRA Architects and built in 1959. The firm also designed the Southland Lanes in Lexington a year later. The Eastland Bowling Lanes closed in 2017 and has been vacant since then. [map]

Gardenside Plaza Bus Shelter
Lexington, KY
The Gardenside Plaza Bus Shelter was built in 1959 as Lexington's first covered bus stop. During restoration in 2015, the glass mosaic by Guy Kemper was added. For more, see this website. [map]

More Lexington:
Coca-Cola bottling plant
Paul Miller Ford

Morehead State University
Morehead, KY
W. H. Cartmell Hall Mignon Tower East Mignon Hall
Morehead State University was established in 1887 as the Morehead Normal School. It became Morehead State University in 1966. W. H. Cartmell Hall was built in 1969. The are plans to demolish the building in 2028. The Mignon Tower, a women's dormitory, was built in 1967. East Mignon Hall was built in 1965. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Gabe's Tower Inn [gone]
Owensboro, KY
Gabe's Tower Inn was built in 1963. The 13-story building was a big deal at the time for Owensboro. Originally, the building's panels were pastel colors. In the 1980s, the building housed a Best Western and, in the 1990s, it was known as the Tower Motor Inn. A few other names later, and the hotel closed for good in 2001. It was demolished in 2020.

A statue of the hotel's owner, Gabe Fiorella, once stood in front of Gabe's Restaurant which opened in 1959. It has been moved to a mini storage business. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

former J&W Liquor
Paducah, KY
The J&W Liquor building was built in 1969. There were originally freestanding letters on the roof spelling out "Liquor." The letters were gone by 2015 but their poles remain. The building has housed several businesses in recent years but is currently vacant. For more, see this website. [map]

Taylor Made Barber Shop [gone]
Paducah, KY
The Taylor Made Barber Shop was housed in a structure like this one in Millers Creek, NC. I believe this building was installed here in the 1970s. This photo is from 2010. The building was still there in 2012 but, by 2018, it was gone.

Mini-Mo Motel
Paducah, KY
The Mini-Mo Motel now houses the Mini-Mo Apartments. This larger dome might have housed the motel office. The smaller dome was used for utilities. [map]

Fire Department
Shelbyville, KY
This Fire Department was built in 1960. [map]

former Stuckey's
Upton, KY
The Stuckey's gas and convenience store had opened by 1969. The building has housed a Lion's Den adult store since at least 2008. For more, see this website. [map]

I-64 Rest Area
Winchester, KY
This I-64 Rest Area was designed in 1962 and built in 1964. There were four rest areas built with this design. This building is the only one that survives. [map]