Oldham County dedicates renovated judicial center after years‑long preservation project

Oldham County formally dedicated its renovated judicial center in LaGrange on April 30, 2026, celebrating a multi‑year effort to preserve the county’s historic courthouse while adding four courtrooms, modern security and accessibility upgrades.

Judge Executive David Bogle, who opened the ceremony, said the project development board first convened in December 2018 and met regularly through design and construction. “You heard that right. It's the Oldham County Judicial Center,” Bogle said, framing the project as a balance of historic continuity and modern needs.

The renovation preserved the skeleton of the original 1838 courthouse and incorporated it into a larger complex. Bogle credited Edwards Moving and Rigging of Shelbyville with relocating the historic centerpiece in 2023 and said wings were added to accommodate courtrooms, offices, elevators, secure detention space, jury rooms and public restrooms. He also identified Stan Clark as the county chief financial officer who managed a $42.5 million bond issue that financed the project; operating costs were described as covered by the state government.

Speakers at the event repeatedly emphasized preservation. Chief Circuit Judge Jerry Crosby said the decision to renovate rather than rebuild reflected a community choice to keep the courthouse in the downtown square and to honor the building’s role as a civic landmark. “A courthouse or judicial center is more than just a collection of brick and mortar,” Crosby said, calling the structure “the center of the community.”

Chief Justice Deborah Lambert of the Kentucky Supreme Court delivered the keynote remarks, congratulating local leaders and citizens. Lambert noted the project encountered price escalation, material delays and pandemic‑era setbacks but praised the combined efforts that brought the renovation to completion. She highlighted upgrades that the judicial branch values: improved court security, modern data and video infrastructure, and improved access for people with disabilities.

Organizers also recognized design and construction partners, naming Sherman Carter Barnhart as architects and Weir Constructors (appearing as Wear/Wear Construction in remarks) among firms that executed the work. The program acknowledged preservation consultants, local donors and long‑serving members of the project development board and fiscal court who oversaw the project over seven-plus years.

The building contains local historical elements and public art: speakers pointed out a mural by local artist Demetrius Booker and a bicentennial time capsule installed on the second floor that organizers intend to remain sealed for two centuries (the transcript reads the reopening year as “224”; the intended long time horizon was emphasized). Chief Justice Lambert and others also noted the 1.6 million‑pound historic centerpiece was moved twice during the process.

After prayers, a high school choir performance and a sequence of guest remarks, officials conducted an unpracticed ribbon cutting; attendees were invited to tour the public areas of the new facility, passing through metal detectors as required for security. The ceremony closed with a benediction and public tours of the judicial center.

Organizers said the judicial center is intended to serve Oldham County for generations, preserving the county’s history while accommodating contemporary court operations.