Workers placed a new ceiling in the circuit court room of the Fayette County courthouse on Sept. 8, 1949. This was the first in a series of proposed improvements for the judicial chambers. The new ceiling was designed to give better acoustics and had a level surface instead of the ornate ceiling. The last trial was held in the courthouse in 2002, and the Lexington History Center opened in 2003. In 2012, the courthouse was closed because lead paint and asbestos were found in the upper floors. Restoration of the building is currently underway. Published in the Lexington Herald on Sept. 9, 1949. Herald-Leader Archive Photo