Historical Marker

Jefferson County Courthouse

Historical marker location:
Louisville, Kentucky
( Sixth & Jefferson Sts., Louisville)

Designed by Gideon Shryock in the Greek Revival style. Construction began ca. 1837, and building first used by city and county, 1842. Completed in 1860 by Albert Fink and Charles Stancliff, it housed legislature briefly during Civil War. Structure renovated by Brinton Davis after 1905 fire. Seven U.S. Presidents have spoken here. On National Register of Historic Places, 1972.

Reverse
City and County Named - Louisville, at the Falls of the Ohio, was founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark. Site first served as a military outpost; the city which developed was named for Louis XVI. Kentucky Co., Virginia, was divided in 1780 into Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln counties. Jefferson County was named for Governor Thomas Jefferson, who signed the first town charter of Louisville.