Completed in 1873 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, Louisville City Hall stands at 601 West Jefferson Street. Completed in 1873 to house the Louisville city government, this building sits where the city’s civic life has long gathered — in what became Downtown Louisville, the center of the city’s civic district. Before the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County, the building was the seat of city government; today it primarily houses the offices and chambers of the Louisville Metro Council.
Nearby, the former Jefferson County Courthouse, now known as Louisville Metro Hall, is primarily home to the offices of the metro mayor of Louisville. This site was already the city’s civic center before City Hall was built: the first log courthouse was built across the street in 1784, and a brick courthouse stood on the site from 1811 to 1837. Prior to City Hall’s construction, city officials shared space with the courthouse, and the plan for this building was chosen by a design competition held in 1867, the winner receiving $500.
Notice the spot across the street where the log courthouse once stood, and Louisville Metro Hall close by.