Metro Hall, Louisville

The Louisville Metro Hall, formerly the Jefferson County Courthouse or Louisville Courthouse, is the center of Louisville's government. Its construction began in 1837, and both the City of Louisville and Jefferson County governments started using it in 1842.

The architect, Gideon Shryock, intended for the courthouse to have a six-column Doric portico, a cupola, and additional porticos on the wings. The building would be completed by metopes and plain friezes as a full entablature, and engaged pilasters regularly sequenced. Shryock resigned from the project in 1842 which was finally completed in 1860 by Albert Fink, a bridge engineer, and Charles Stancliff in charge. Fink reduced the number of columns for the Doric portico, and did not build the additional porticos and cupola. When finally unveiled to the public, the Louisville Daily Journal dubbed the building as a "elephantine monstrosity".

Still, in 1972 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.