When I was in graduate school, I wrote a very bad paper about the changes wrought on one block of East Main Street. Every time I walk past what was once known as the “Ben Snyder Block,” I cringe at the memory of my poor research skills, lack of engagement with the assignment, and procrastination that resulted in a deplorable product. * That being said, downtown Lexington has changed a great deal since that time (as have I), and one building on that stretch of Main Street always causes me to smile despite the shame of my past scholarly failures. As one of the very few Art Deco buildings in Lexington, the gleaming facade of the Lexington Laundry Company building should make even the grimmest of souls crack a grin.
Second story of the Lexington Laundry Company Building.
Even if you aren’t a fan of the glazed tile exterior and stylized floral ornament that highlights the windows and the cornice of the second story facade – the survival of this building is a cause for celebration.
My callow graduate school self chose this block of downtown Lexington because of the unlikely survival of a handful of historic commercial buildings – the Fayette Cigar Store, the Laundry building, and two other commercial buildings, in the middle of the block (now part of the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center).
Here you can see three of the four buildings in the middle of the block that escaped demolition. Image from the NRHP files.
I photographed the buildings in the block, both new and old, but I don’t think I ever talked to anyone who remembered the demolition of the Ben Snyder Department Store. I failed to look at Sanborn maps or consult the historic survey forms completed for the buildings on the block in 1979.
A view of the block in question from a historic Sanborn map.
As hard as it is for me to believe now, I didn’t even know what a Sanborn map was at the time! (Some of my graduate school professors were excellent, even brilliant, and did introduce us to archival sources and how to conduct research. It was up to the student as to how much of that information was absorbed…)
A 1944 view of downtown Lexington; the Ben Snyder block is on the right. Image from the Herald-Leader Archive Photo Collection, https://kyphotoarchive.com/2019/04/08/downtown-lexington-1944/
Although the Lexington Steam Lauundry Company was on East Main Street by 1902, the iconic building I so admire wasn’t constructed until around 1930. At that time, it became the office of the company, which was founded in 1889 by Isaac Newton Williams, a native of Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The actual laundry was located in a building behind this one, stretching north to Short Street.
The building today.
Around World War II, the Art Deco building became part of the Embry’s Department Store.
A circa 1983 photograph of the Ben Snyder building. Image from the NRHP files.
Thankfully, the Lexington Laundry Company building was saved, and is enjoying a renewed lease on life as part of the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center. Although its preservation was a long time in coming, the adaptive reuse of this architectural gem was much more successful than my graduate school paper.
*In my defense, I did work full-time while completing graduate school. But I think that project led to what can now sometimes be described as my “obsessive” research tendencies… I mean, I write this blog for pleasure and make no money from it!
Ms. Brother GA. Were you aware that there was a steam bath in the basement of this building where men could go and take a steam bath? The steam was provided by the boilers of course. That area was closed off many years ago and I think you hadda kinda know someone to get in. If you know more details I would love to hear about them. I enjoy your posts! Best, Rob McGoodwin.
I may be mistaken but wasn’t the Art Deco building at one time Shackleton’s Music store. The picture of it above with the awning kind of reminds me of Shackleton’s.
When we were children, we would come to town to shop, like for Chriatmas. Sometimes we got a room at the Lafayette to rest and eat and then head home late with our treasures
Ms. Brother,
Thanks so much for the time and effort you manage to spend on your blog. I typically engage few such online communications, but enjoy your obviously caring investment in the story telling that architecture can offer.
I have additional comments and questions, if it is possible to email more directly, please let know. I would like to explore information about Frank Richard Dalton, a stone contractor in Lexington in the early 1900s.
I too am so glad this building was saved. I always say a prayer of thanks when I drive by it!
Janie-Rice. I forwarded your column to my friend Florence Gatten in Greensboro, North Carolina. Her husband Bob was a member of the family that owned the laundry. She said he worked extra hard one summer on the unair-conditioned second floor of the laundry to earn money for an engagement ring for her. Apparently the family thought he would get a business degree from college and return to Lexington to run the laundry but he had other plans for his life.
Oh goodness! Do you know if they have any interior photos of the building?
I’m fairly certain the laundry building windows are featured in the preservation brief # 13 for steel window
No apologies needed. I hope you continue it even though it’s without pay as I’ve known for a long time. I should comment more often. It’s on of my favorite blogs!
Thank you!
Thanks for another interesting article. I love the personal perspective in your writing. We all have things we regret in our graduate school past.
Amazingly, I have noticed the beautiful Laundry Building, I think through the library windows, if that is possible.
Who would have guess your paper got more valuable as it got older as great documentation, Sure hope you’ve made copies and put in various archives.
Also seems to represent a time when businesses thought the quality of architecture projected the quality of their businesses — pre-Golden Arches