When an old, historic building gets demolished, it kind of takes a little piece of our hearts. One of Hopkinsville’s oldest buildings, that seems like time forgot, will soon become a vacant lot. The Phoenix building will be demolished in the next coming weeks.
It’s been an eyesore in the recent years but the history is just as rich as any other building in Hopkinsville. Christian County Historian William T. Turner said the Phoenix Building was originally a hotel. It was constructed in the early 1800s. It was seriously damaged by fire in 1923.
The building’s long life has seen many events. The building’s longevity is due to several historic events. Union soldiers attending a ball at the hotel one evening in 1864 were forced to dash out when they heard Confederates were advancing on Hopkinsville from Bowling Green. A battle followed east of town near Western State Hospital.
According to William T. Turner, the building continued being a hotel until the early 1900s. Then, the Phoenix was converted to office and retail spaces. After that, Commercial Bank had its offices in the building from about 1908 to 1912, then it was bought out by Planters Bank. After that, the Phoenix was home to many businesses like Cassidy’s Kiddie Corner, a child’s clothing store on the main floor for several years. Cassidy’s Kiddie Corner was followed by the Gold Gallery, a jewelry store. In the 1990s and later, it was a popular site for political headquarters during elections. The last tenant in the building was attorney Ken Humphries.
Imagine seeing all the history that the Phoenix building has seen! If the walls and bricks could talk!
(Video courtesy of American Travel and Entertainment)
