This Is What Kentucky Looked Like 100 Years Ago... It May Surprise You

Kentucky is a beautiful place to live, and it has been for centuries. The trees and plants keep growing and only show their age when it comes to size, but other parts of our state have really changed. From growth to style, the Bluegrass State is consistently evolving, while maintaining the surrounding nature’s grace. Many of our little towns are all grown up now, and even some of the jails have increased in size.

Here are 10 photos of what Kentucky looked like 100 years ago:

Jimmy Emerson

This is what prisoners once stayed in over a century ago in Carrollton Kentucky. It was a small jail as was the area. They didn’t expect a lot of inmates, and comfort wasn’t a priority.

Jimmy Emerson

The old Johnson County jail was built in 1890 and still stands in Paintsville. It's primarily used as storage now.

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Brent Moore

This was the original Kentucky capital building built in 1830 and used until 1910. It was modeled after ancient Grecian architecture.

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W. Marsh

This beautiful home was the feature of an 800 acre estate created by Stephen Ormsby in Moorland. It was owned by the state until around 1987 when the surrounding property was sold into development.

Jimmy Emerson

These two buildings were built in 1920 and utilized for decades in Lynch County.

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Arwcheek

This was the Lexington home of Mary Belle Cheek Thomas as it looked around 1890.

Arwcheek

This 1880 image is the renowned Jacob’s Hall in Danville.

Ky archives

This is an engraving from 1874 via Richard Collins of a view from Main Street in Louisville. This gives a look back into history that many could not otherwise envision.

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Ky Photo File

This is the old Globe Warehouse in Shelbyville. Bales of tobacco lay ready on the floor for processing in 1910. This building was torn down in 2001.

Ky Photo File

This was once a Woodford County distillery in the late 1800s built by Col. E.H. Taylor junior.

Taking a look back at what Kentucky was can really be shocking, when we look at what we have become. Our evolution has been a long, hard road for those that paved it. Seeing some of the styles and beautiful architecture can be a real eye opener compared to what we see now. Which of the above is your favorite look back at the past?