On the one-year anniversary of the catastrophic tornado outbreak in western Kentucky, residents, local officials and Gov. Andy Beshear gathered at Graves County High School for a memorial service to honor the 81 Kentuckians – 24 who were Graves County residents – killed in the storm.
But residents didn’t need the solemn event to remind them of what happened in the overnight hours of Dec. 10-11, 2021. They see the lasting impact of the devastating EF-4 tornado every day.
“There’s still a mile-wide gap that you can drive through and see buildings that are gone, empty lots, homes that are gone,” said Graves County Judge/Executive Jesse Perry.
Perry, who has served as county judge since 2015 and was a county commissioner before that, said that his job changed when the tornado leveled Graves County and Mayfield, and priorities instantly shifted.
“I didn’t realize the humanity side of government,” Perry said. “The mayor and anyone in local government, our jobs changed, because it’s now about rebuilding lives and helping focus on the future of Graves County.”
The fiscal court, sheriff, county clerk, property valuation administrator and other offices had been housed in the historic courthouse that was erected in 1888. An application to the National Register of Historic Place described the Graves County courthouse as “one of the oldest and most architecturally impressive courthouses in western Kentucky. The courthouse with its lofty clock tower serves as a symbol for Mayfield and Graves County.”
The tornado damaged the courthouse beyond repair, along with the county jail and an old American Legion building the county used for storage. Across western Kentucky, the storms resulted in 137 insurance claims for county-owned buildings and property covered by KACo, totaling around $27.6 million.
Graves County officials worked with KACo claims agent Ben Barnes along with Peel & Holland, KACo’s partner agency, to quickly identify temporary space and get government operations back up and running. The fiscal court and other county offices are now in a strip mall on the south side of Mayfield.
“Being able to communicate our needs back and forth and helping us with the transition to this building, they were a big help,” Perry said.
A commercial plaza, however, doesn’t have the historical charm of a 19th century court square.
“It’s not the courthouse. It’s not home. You know, I loved our old building.” Perry said.
The temporary setup does have its advantages, though. There is more available parking, and visitors don’t have to contend with several flights of stairs. Perry said those modern conveniences have been part of the discussion on how to rebuild the courthouse so it will meet not just current needs but also serve the community for another 50 to 100 years.
Architects have conducted a needs assessment, and the county has selected Codell Construction to manage the project. Perry estimates the new facility will entail around 40,000 square feet. A particular design style has not been decided, but Perry said the new building will have a nod to the past, including a replica of the old clock tower. The county’s contractor, Youngblood Excavating & Contracting, allowed for some architectural and historical items to be removed from the courthouse for preservation prior to its demolition in September.
“It's our community’s building. It’s not one person’s, it’s Graves County’s,” Perry said.
Perry hopes renderings are available for review and discussion in January.
“This [building] is an anchor,” he said. “This is the centerpiece for our county, and we want it to be something that people are proud of.”
