Springfield in Washington County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

E. Gregory Goatley Law Office

Historic Lot #2

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 4, 2018

1. E. Gregory Goatley Law Office Marker and Benchmark

Inscription. When building lots were first surveyed for Springfield’s downtown, this location was much sought after because of its proximity to the courthouse. William Pile had a storehouse here in 1797, and John Lancaster owned the lot in 1813. Prior to 1876, the lot was purchased by local entrepreneurs and life-long business partners, Hugh and Anthony McElroy. The McElroy brothers built a frame building on Lot #2 known as “Temperance Hall”. When a state law was passed in 1877 requiring all counties to provide fire proof vaults for the storage of vital records, the Temperance Hall was razed and the current brick building was built. After construction, Anthony McElroy deeded the lot and new building to the Washington County Fiscal Court on March 12, 1879 for use as the County Clerk and Circuit Clerk offices until the Courthouse Annex was built in 1939. The two-foot thick walls housing the vault are still evident in the building’s interior.

On May 24, 1940 the building was sold at “public outcry” (Auction) to Katherine Spalding on behalf of her brothers – dentists Dr. Joseph Lea Spalding and Dr. Leonard

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Marion Spalding. Drs. Len and Joe Spalding operated their dental practice on the second floor for many years. Farm Bureau, Federal Land Bank, Washington County Cooperative and Modern Beauty Shop occupied the first floor of the building during the 1940’s – 1980.

In 1981, Attorney John W. Kelly and his wife, Tillie Kelly, purchased the building. John’s nephew, Dan Kelly, joined his uncle, and they practiced law here until the elder Kelly’s death in 2000. State Senator Dan Kelly, and his wife, Darlene purchased the property in 2001. Sen. Kelly continued to practice law here until November 2009 when he became Circuit Judge. The Kellys sold the building in December 2009 to L. Gregory and Margaret McElroy Goatley, and the building continues to serve as a law office. (Margaret is the great-great-great-granddaughter of the building’s original owner, Anthony McElroy.

This property is listed on Kentucky’s Register of Historic Buildings.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical date for this entry is March 12, 1879.

Location. 37° 41.132′ N, 85° 13.32′ W. Marker is in Springfield, Kentucky,

E. Gregory Goatley Law Office Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 4, 2018

2. E. Gregory Goatley Law Office Marker

Marker can be seen at the lower left-hand corner of brick building.

in Washington County. It is on Lincoln Park Road, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Springfield KY 40069, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s The Knobs.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Busy Day In Springfield (within shouting distance of this marker); Lincoln Homestead (within shouting distance of this marker); World War I Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Korean War Marker (within shouting distance of this marker); War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Lincoln - Hanks (within shouting distance of this marker); Felix Grundy (1777 - 1840) (within shouting distance of this marker); The Lincoln Legacy (within shouting distance of this marker).

U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Benchmark image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 4, 2018

3. U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Benchmark

Touch for a list and map of all markers in Springfield.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 14, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 568 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 17, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 2, 3. submitted on August 14, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.