Historic Kentucky Courthouse ‘Slides’ to a New Location [VIDEO]

When I was driving home Tuesday evening, I approached a portion of U.S. 231/New Hartford Road that shrinks from a four-lane to a two-lane in front of College View Middle School.

Heading toward me, traveling northbound, was a cadre of what looked like several emergency vehicles, but with yellow flashing lights. They were all there to warn oncoming traffic of a semi carrying an ENORMOUS bulldozer. I actually had to stop before heading into the two-lane portion of the road; I wouldn't have been able to navigate with Truckzilla heading my way.

THE HISTORIC OLDHAM COUNTY COURTHOUSE

And then I saw what was happening in Oldham County, Kentucky Wednesday afternoon and thought, "Oh well, that big bulldozer was NOTHING compared to what crews had to do in La Grange." After all, that dozer was huge but it didn't weigh 820 TONS. (Some sources list the courthouse's weight at 900 tons.)

The fate of the historic 150-year-old building--the second-oldest courthouse in Kentucky--was cause for some concern among the county residents, as plans had gone forward to build a NEW courthouse in La Grange due to the presence of decay in parts of the structure.

'SLIDING' THE COURTHOUSE TO A NEW LOCATION

But instead of the wrecking ball, the county utilized whatever equipment is required to SLIDE something of that size to its new home, which isn't very far from its original location at all. Still, it could only be moved a few inches every 15 minutes. This aerial footage gives you an idea of what workers were doing Wednesday.

And a time-lapse video, courtesy of WBKO-Bowling Green, shows you how it happened. But don't blink.

THE HISTORY OF THE OLDHAM COUNTY COURTHOUSE

The old courthouse being moved is actually NOT the original courthouse, just as La Grange is not the original seat of Oldham County. That would be Westport, and, according to Courthouse.co, the first Oldham County courthouse was a wooden building that still stands today as Westport Methodist Church.

The historic 5,200 square foot historic portion of the courthouse will become part of the new 47,000-plus square foot building.