Bourbon County’s current Courthouse is a magnificent work of art, and is said to be “The grandest of all Kentucky County Courthouses”. However, did you know Paris has had Three other courthouses before the one now? The first Courthouse here in Bourbon was constructed in 1786-1787, it was constructed when Bourbon County was still a part of Virginia. No photos or articles were found and little is known about the building. In 1799, 7 years after Kentucky became a state, the courthouse was reconstructed and redesigned by John and Thomas Metcalfe. Mr. Metcalfe was known for not only his skill at stone masonry but also for being the 10th governor of Kentucky. The Courthouse sadly was burnt down in 1872 by unknown arsonists. Bourbon County wasted no time and quickly built the third courthouse in 1873. The building was constructed in a French Renaissance style; it consisted of a 113-foot bell tower, built with brick and beautifully constructed iron cornices. No matter how big and beautiful the courthouse was, a fire occurred and the structure went into flames for an unknown reason, and couldn’t be controlled. The size of the courthouse was a huge disadvantage to the firemen due to ladders and water that couldn’t reach the second floor. Although they couldn’t control the fire they did have fireproof safes that contained documents. The next courthouse that was built is the one that is still here today. After 3 years of intense building and high designs, the courthouse was finally finished in 1905. The structure was designed by an architect born in Bowling Green Ky with the name of Frank P. Milburn. The design was a Beaux art style, which is a style of architecture most known in the 1830s in Paris, France. The current Bourbon County Courthouse is a beautiful sight to see and in 1974 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
