This timeline is a work in progress. As we discover pertinent information, we add it to the timeline, so check back every now and then to see what new item about Laurel County history we have added.
Laurel County
The abundance and beauty of laurel shrub in the area impressed the early pioneers so much that they named the county for it. Dr. Thomas Walker’s party, exploring for the Loyal Land Company of England, first came to the area in 1750.
Laurel County was the 80th county to be organized in Kentucky and was established by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly on December 12, 1825. It was formed from parts of Rockcastle, Clay, Knox, and Whitley counties. The act was to take effect on February 13, 1826. The actual operation of the county government began in March 1826.
Nine men were appointed as the first justices-of-the-peace for Laurel County in 1826. They were: Samuel McHargue, William Freeman, Jarvis Jackson, David Weaver, William Smith, James McNeil, John Pearl, Jacob Boyer, & James Wood. They assembled at Jarvis Jackson’s home on the first Monday of March in 1826.
After taking oath of office, they appointed Lot Pitman as County Court Clerk; William Stuart, James Elkins, John Elkins, and John Hood as Constables; and John Jackson as Jailer.
The following officers were appointed by the governor: Thomas Buford as Sheriff; Samuel S. Griffin as Coroner; James McNeil as Surveyor; and Thomas J. Buford as Attorney for the Commonwealth.
Father and son John and Jarvis Jackson gifted 25 acres of land to start the town of London. They stipulated that part of that land should be laid out in a public square and town lots.
The Jacksons also agreed to build–at their expense, and deed to the county–a courthouse and a jail, provided the proceeds from the sale of the town lots should revert to them. This proposition of the Jacksons was accepted and plans and specifications for a brick and stone courthouse and a white and red oak jail were drawn up.
Historic Timeline for Laurel County:
[NOTE: "Defeat" refers to a confrontation between white settlers traveling into Kentucky and Native Americans who roamed here, usually renegade bands whose main motive was theft of the horses, cattle and goods carried by the settlers. Often these renegade bands included white men who acted as spies or sometimes served as the leader of the renegades. If the settlers were the losers of the battle, the incident was labeled as a "defeat" and named for the person in charge of the group. Some dates are approximate.]
1779
John English Defeat
1780
April or May: five persons killed near Raccoon Springs. This is possibly the same incident known as Henderson’s Defeat.
1784
September: McClure’s Defeat
1786
October: McNitt Defeat at what is now Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park. This was the worst recorded defeat in Kentucky, with an estimated 24 persons killed of the 27 travelers in the group.
1788
February: Farris’ Defeat
1790
Bishop Francis Asbury, enroute to the first Methodist conference in Kentucky, held worship near the site of the current Camp Ground Methodist Church (about 7 miles south of London on Highway 229). The first church was made of logs. The present building was constructed in 1876.
1791
Julian’s Defeat
Jenkins Defeat
1793
Wood’s Blockhouse, the earliest permanent building in the wilderness, was built about 7 miles north of London at the crossroads of Skaggs Trace and Boone Trace.
March: Drake’s Defeat
March: Defeat of Thomas Ross, first postman (“post rider”) in Kentucky
April: McFarland’s Defeat
1793-94
Modrel’s Station, located near the crossing of Laurel River and Highway 229, offered safety for travelers until the danger of Native American attacks ended.
1796
The Wilderness (wagon) Road was built by Kentucky between Cumberland Gap and Crab Orchard. A principal highway, it promoted the settlement of Kentucky and the West. It operated as a toll road for about 80 years.
1804
Wilderness Road Inn was built by John Freeman on a Revolutionary War land grant (on Highway 229 about a half mile south of the current entrance to the Levi Jackson State Park). The tavern stood beside the historic Wilderness (wagon) Road. The building burned in 1962.
1817
A one-room schoolhouse was located next to Big Laurel River.
1825
December 12: The Kentucky Legislature passed an act creating a new county, to be named "Laurel," from portions of Knox, Clay and Whitley counties, to take effect on February 13, 1826.
1826
March: The Laurel County government was established.
London was established as the county seat of Laurel County.
The first Laurel County courthouse and jail were built.
1831
February 4: The first Post Office in the county was established at London. Branham Hill was the first Postmaster.
1840
The Laurel County Public School District was established.
1841 to around 1910
The Sublimity Springs Hotel Resort was in business.
1854
November: Deputy Sheriff William Harrison Reams, of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, became the first known Laurel County law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty when he was stabbed and died on Tuesday, November 21, 1854. Some sources give his death date as Friday, November 24, 1854.
1858
Laurel Seminary opened. The school temporarily closed and the building was used as a hospital during the Civil War. The Seminary operated as a common school, 1870-84; a private school, 1884-93; a common school, 1893-1906; then a public school. The original building was replaced in 1954.
1861-1865
African American churches were established in Laurel County: 1st church in town was on West 13th Street around the Civil War, then moved to a church on Short Street adjacent to the Mill Street Baptist Church. Mill Street Baptist Church is the current location of the African American Heritage Society.
1861
October 21: The Battle of Camp Wildcat; first engagement of regular troops in Kentucky; Union victory.
1862
August 17: The Battle of London; this week-long series of skirmishes ended in a Confederate victory.
1865
The Christian Church of London was established.
1866
London was incorporated as a city.
1867
The federal government established a National Cemetery on two acres of land in Laurel County, a few blocks from the courthouse in downtown London, on top of the hill at the west end of what is now 13th Street. Union Soldiers buried within an approximate fifty-mile radius of London were removed from their original burial plots and taken to the London National Cemetery for reburial.
1868
June and July: The remains of the Union soldiers buried in the London National Cemetery were removed and most were reburied at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Jessamine County, Kentucky, near Nicholasville.
1873
October 11: W.E. Word and J.H. Wilson first published The Mountain Echo newspaper in Barbourville, Kentucky (Knox County). The newspaper would move to London, Laurel County, less than two years later.
1875
June 4: The last issue of The Mountain Echo was published in Barbourville, and the operation moved to London.
1877
The Rising Star, a literary journal, was published in London by the London Literary Society.
1880
The Examiner newspaper was established in Laurel County.
The Youngster, a literary journal, was published in London.
1880-1894
Approximately 120 Swiss families moved to Laurel County and settled into two major centers, Bernstadt and East Bernstadt. This was Kentucky’s largest foreign colonization.
1881
Our Poet's Journal was first published in London.
1882
July 17: The Louisville & Nashville Railroad arrived in London.
November 26: The first passenger train left London, making her run from London to Whitley County. Captain Sweeney was the conductor. Several prominent Laurel County residents were on board.
1883
September 9: The Laurel County Fair was established at Camp Ground, 8 miles south of London.
1886
The second Laurel County Courthouse was completed.
May 4: Constable George Tedors of the Laurel County Constable’s Office was shot and killed.
The Leader newspaper was first published in London.
1888
The first regularly established banking institution in London, the First National Bank, was organized.
1891
October 10: A fire in downtown London destroyed the S. A. Lovelace Drug Company, the Watkins Brothers Grocery, and several apartments. The fire also destroyed issues of The Mountain Echo since its first publication and 30 years of the Daily Commercial Gazette.
December 18: A group of African Americans bought several acres of land near the intersection of US 25 and KY 80 with the intention of building a college. The college operated from 1902 to 1926 or 1927. The property later became the site of a state tuberculosis Hospital.
1893
January 12: A fire in downtown London destroyed the offices of J. L. Yaden and Company, U. S. Mail contractors, and Judge Boyd. The homes of H. C. Eversole and attorney E. K. Wilson were also destroyed, and the Jackson Hotel caught fire, but was saved by heroic efforts.
January 31: A fire in downtown London consumed two blocks of buildings on Main Street, including several businesses and the Methodist Church.
1894
March 11: The first building for the 1st Baptist Church of London was constructed at Long and 7th streets.
1896
May 11: The ground breaking for Sue Bennett Memorial School was held.
Parker Cemetery was established. The burying ground was later named Pine Grove Cemetery, and A.R. Dyche Memorial Park, the current name.
1897
Sue Bennett Memorial School opened. The school taught all grades and educated more than 11,000 students between 1897-1997. It operated as a county high school 1910-33; a normal school 1900-1910; became junior college, 1922. The name was changed to Sue Bennett College in 1930. The school closed in 1997.
November: The London Kentuckian, a twice-weekly Democratic newspaper, began publication in London. It was in publication until February 1901.
1900
The Mountain Democrat newspaper began publication in London.
1901
December 11: A fire destroyed the E. L. Faris Warehouse and the Odd Fellows Masonic Building in downtown London.
1903
The Camp Ground Telephone Company was incorporated. The company operated extensive long distant lines and several exchanges, including that at London.
March 21: Deputy Sheriff Bert Casteel, of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, was shot and killed.
1904
Pennington Infirmary opened in downtown London and later moved to the building that is now 1st National Bank on Main Street. Later a hospital was built on the hill on 9th Street and was appropriately named Pennington Hospital after Dr. H.B. Pennington, who started both the infirmary and the hospital.
The East Bernstadt Banking Company, a small state bank, was organized. In 1912, it became the First National Bank of East Bernstadt.
1905
The London Independent School System was established, holding classes in the building which had housed the Laurel Seminary. The property was deeded to the London School System that year.
The Laurel County Local newspaper began publication in London.
May: After a letter-writing campaign by Florence Campbell, a teacher at Sue Bennett Memorial School and devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in London, and instructions by 27th Judicial District Circuit Judge H.C. Faulkner, a Laurel County Grand Jury indicted Laurel County Judge Benjamin G. Reams and members of the Laurel County Fiscal Court for failure to keep the jail in good repair. This spurred the Fiscal Court to levy a twenty-five cents property tax and a fifty cents poll tax to pay for building a new jail.
June 5: Emanuel Smith, an African American, was appointed postmaster at Altamont, KY, in Laurel County. Congressman Don C. Edwards (Republican) made the appointment of Emanuel Smith to postmaster in Altamont. Democrats tried to stir up controversy over the fact that Representative Edwards had chosen an African American for postmaster over a widowed white woman.
1906
October 17: A disastrous fire in downtown London destroyed an entire block of buildings, including the F. B. Mason, grocery store; J. E. Phillips, saddlery shop; J. A. Gregory restaurant and grocery; Mrs. L. J. Williams, real estate office; Frank Wyatt, restaurant, store and rooming departments; John Jody, general store; A. C. Jody, general store, and the Methodist Episcopal Church, a handsome brick. These structures were all on Main street. Sublimity street was burned out on the west side to Broadway, including N. Watkins’s store, E. J. Ford’s office, James Hogan’s barber shop, C. C. Bowman’s barber shop and several other small stores.
1907
January 12: A fire in downtown London consumed one whole business block on Main and Broadway, and between Sixth and Seventh streets, including the Christian Church; J. Oakley, jewelry and general store, and building; Leander Bryant, residence and sample rooms; Miss Ollie Smith, stock of millinery and building; C. N. Scoville, general merchandise and building, and George Riley, residence and photograph studio.
June 13: Russell Dyche established The London Sentinel newspaper.
A new jail building was constructed at Broad and Fourth streets. The old jail, which was next to the courthouse at Main and what is now Fifth Street, was torn down in April 1908.
The Needle and Thread Club was established in London, Laurel County. During World War I, the members assisted in the Red Cross Sewing Room in London. The Needle and Thread Club became the Fortnight Club in 1936 and changed its focus from sewing to playing Bunco, a dice game popular at the time, and later to Boston Rook, a card game. During World War II, members again assisted the Red Cross Sewing Room. The club lasted until at least February 1962, when it celebrated its 55th anniversary.
1908
The brick building for First Christian Church of London was built at Main and 7th streets.
Russell Dyche purchased The Mountain Echo plant and the two papers, The Mountain Echo and The London Sentinel, became The Sentinel-Echo.
August: The Dramland Theatre, an early movie theatre, was established in the Wren Block in downtown London.
The London Democrat newspaper began publication in London.
October 14: Another big fire in London destroyed Rinehart's livery stable and the R. M. Jackson building, which housed the Kehr Brothers Drug Company, Eberlein and Company, Harper and Curry, A. J. Howard's cafe, and the Jackson Opera House.
1909
January 28: The Stillwell Hotel on Sublimity Street (now 5th Street) was destroyed by fire. So was the Methodist Episcopal Church (yet again), and the G. A. Settle residence. Several other buildings, including the London Sentinel office and the old Mountain Echo building, were damaged but not destroyed.
December 3: The cornerstone was laid for the Federal Building. The building was completed at a cost of $82,294.00
1910
1st Methodist Church of London was built.
January 30: The Laurel County School Board entered into a contractual agreement with Sue Bennett Memorial School to conduct public high school classes. The first public high school students were enrolled the contract classes in September.
The London Post Office moved from the Catching Building to the newly constructed Federal Building on South Main Street.
October 3: Constable Henry Lee, of the Laurel County Constable’s Office, who was shot and killed.
November 1: The "greatest fire" in the history of London destroyed the Catching Building, which covered the entire block of Main Street opposite the courthouse between what are now Fourth and Fifth Streets. The building was occupied by numerous businesses, including: The Catching Hotel; First National Bank; the United States Post Office; the United States Clerks and Commissioners offices; the United States Army Recruiting Station; Western Union Telegraph office; East Tennessee Telephone office; Joe Johnson's Barber Shop; S. Saliwansky's general store; John Jody's general store; D. S. Woodward's grocery; A. J. Howard's grocery; John G. Herbert's grocery and restaurant; Mrs. W. J. Pearl's millinery store; the London City Clerk's office; Attorneys Sam C. Hardin, George G. Brock, H. C. Clay, R. A. Dyche, G. A. Young, George C. Moore, B. F. Johnson, W. L. Brown, and G. I. Rader; E. A. Chilton; Dr. J. P. Green's dental office; Dr. G. S. Brock, Dr. J. P. Green, and Dr. H. V. Pennington's offices; the London Pharmacy; and A. S. Sizemore's photograph studio. The telegraph and electric lights were put out of commission for a time, and the telephone service was badly crippled. All the records of the United States courts were burned, the town records were destroyed, and over half the Circuit Court papers were in the various attorneys offices.
1911
June: Pritchards Hall, in East Bernstadt, showed a motion picture every night, which was well attended.
August: The Eversole Movie Theatre was showing motion pictures in London. The silent films were accompanied by live piano music.
1912
London National Guard was established. (The organization, not the building.)
The London Independent School System added high school classes.
The Grand Movie Theatre was established in London. It operated until 1913.
1913
The Majestic Movie Theatre was established in London. It operated until 1914.
1915
London Christian Church women started organizing Laurel County’s first public library.
The Rex Movie Theatre opened in London. It operated until 1916.
1916
March 1: The first rural mail route out of London was established. It went out Sublimity Road to Skate, and then across the Whitley Road below Bonham, up to the new Whitley Road to Henri Jordi’s place, thence by Old Union to the end of the pike, and by the pike back to London. The distance of the route was 24.3 miles.
1917
The first class graduated from the London High School. There were five graduates.
The Princess Movie Theatre began showing films in London. It operated until 1920.
July: Former Sue Bennett music teacher, Florence Campbell, established the London Conservatory of Music in downtown London. It was affiliated with the Louisville Conservatory of Music, and all credits students earned at the London school transferred to the Louisville school. The London Conservatory operated until August 1918.
September: The Red Cross Sewing Room opened in London. They sewed garments, bandages and other items needed for the soldiers serving during World War I.
December 29: Deputy Sheriff Robert B. Eversole, of the Laurel County Sheriff's Department, who was shot and killed.
1920
January 5: The Monday Night Musical Club was established.
The Laurel County Library Association was organized.
A second Majestic Movie Theatre opened in London and operated until 1921.
1922
August: The London Fire Department was organized.
The Majestic Theatre became the Laurel Movie Theatre and operated until 1926.
March: C. C. Zimmerman established a bus service which ran between London and Corbin.
May: James Bond established bus service between London and East Bernstadt.
The Laurel County Sun newspaper began publication in London, and remained in publication until 1926.
1923
January 23: The second building for the 1st Baptist Church was built at Main and Third Streets.
June: W. H. Reed opened a motion picture theatre at Lily.
Hazel Green School opened.
A high school was opened at Keavy, but due to a number of factors, including transportation difficulties, the school was unable to sustain its high school status for very long.
1924
Hazel Green School began, teaching grades 1-10.
Keavy School began instruction of grades 1-10.
March: The 1923-1924 London High School boys’ basketball team took part in the University of Kentucky’s annual state High School tournament. The team closed a record season with a defeat of 27 to 28 by Winchester High in the State Tournament at Lexington.
1925
U.S. Highway 25 was completed through London.
July: The Laurel County Public Library was made "free" for the first time since it was founded as a circulating library in 1915. Until July 1925, a paid membership was required to borrow books from the library.
1926
Hazel Green School added grades 11 and 12 and became Hazel Green High School.
The Laurel Movie Theatre became the Southland Movie Theatre. It operated in London until it was destroyed by fire in 1951.
1927
March: The 1926-27 London High School boys’ basketball team won the Class A championship at the Ninth Annual State High School Basketball Tournament held at Lexington on March 17-18, 1927. This sent the team to the National Tournament in Chicago, Illinois. The London team lost their quarter-final game, but returned home to a rousing welcome by local fans.
1928
The Black Bus Line was established by Oliver Hansford Black. The business began with bus service between London and Corbin, later adding service from London to Manchester in 1930.
1929
Lily School began as a junior high school.
March: The Southland Theatre in downtown London became the first theatre in Eastern Kentucky to show “talkies,” motion pictures with sound that included “singing and talking motion pictures. Vaudeville on the screen. You hear what you see.”
1930
Bush School consolidated with Brock and Lake to offer grades 1-10, holding classes in the old Brock School building. The WPA began construction on a new building for the school that year.
1931
July 1: The Laurel County Health Department opened.
1932
Bush School was upgraded to include grades 11 and 12 to become Bush High School, and moved into the building constructed by the WPA.
Lily School graduated its first class.
October 22: Franklin D. Roosevelt, governor of New York and Democratic candidate for president of the United States, paid a visit to London when his train stopped at the depot in East London.
November 16: Laurel County dedicated its first library building on East Fourth Street.
1934
October: The Tuesday Music Club was established in London. This club was a precursor of the Woman's Club of London, which was London's oldest service club.
1935-1937
A twelve-room London School building was constructed by the WPA at the current site of the Laurel County Board of Education on North Main Street.
1936-1937
An eight-room East Bernstadt School building was constructed by the WPA.
1936
The WPA constructed 50,580 square feet of sidewalks in London, most of which are still in use today.
June 3: Three convicts who escaped from the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort on May 12 held up a Laurel County taxi driver, stealing his vehicle and stranding him miles from the nearest telephone. The trio were members of a group of five escapees who led law enforcement officers on a wild chase through Central and Eastern Kentucky. The trio were captured on June 11 in Ashland, Kentucky. A fourth escapee was captured on August 2 in Manchester, and the fifth was arrested in Missouri in early October.
August 3: Sheriff Fred B. Mason, of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, who was shot and killed.
1937
November 20: The Woman's Club of London was formed from what had been the Tuesday Music Club. There were 60 charter members, including the 30 Music Club members.
September 1: The Black Bus Line expanded their service to run between London and Hyden twice a day.
1938
The Weekly News newspaper began publication in London.
1938-1941
Lily High School was constructed by the WPA.
1938-1941
London City Hall and Fire Station were constructed by the WPA. London City Hall was in what is now the Sheriff’s Office building and the Fire Station was in the basement of that building.
1939-1940
London’s African American High School was constructed on Mill Street across from West 14th Street.
1938-1939
Hazel Green School and Gym were constructed by the WPA, replacing the old building.
1940
April 25: Constable Elmer Doane, of the Laurel County Constable's Office, who was shot and killed.
1941
The Black Brothers Bus Line bought out the Parks Bus Lines and Hatcher Bus Lines, which were in service in Richmond, Kentucky, and Black Brothers moved their headquarters from London to Richmond.
1942
Laurel County celebrated Kentucky’s Sesquicentennial (150 years).
1946
July 19: Governor Simeon Willis placed the cornerstone of the state Tuberculosis Hospital in London.
1947
The Community Movie Theatre opened at East Bernstadt and operated uneil 1948.
1948
The Reda Movie Theatre opened in downtown London and operated until the early 1970s.
1948-1949
The State Police Post was built in London at a cost of $31,893.00.
1950
Colony and Keavy Elementary Schools were built; these were identical buildings.
A high school was again established at Keavy when it was consolidated with Oakland, Locust Grove, Holly Grove, Oak Ridge and Storms.
The Reda Drive-in Movie Theatre opened just north of London on U. S. Highway 25.
1951
January 31: The London Tuberculosis Hospital admitted its first patients, and it reached a capacity of 100 patients by May.
St. Andrews Catholic School was established.
April: A fire in London destroyed the Karr Building at Main and Seventh Streets, taking with it the Southland Theatre, Barton's Jewel Box, The Grill restaurant, Henson's clothing store, London Wallpaper and Paint Company and several apartments.
Colony Elementary School was built.
October: Jimmy Minnix, former co-operator of the Southland Theatre, began construction on a drive-in theatre at Lily which would accommodate 300 vehicles.
1953
The Laurel County Public Library hired its first professional librarian and obtained its first bookmobile.
October 1: The first Piedmont Airlines flight took place from the new London-Corbin Airport.
1954
June 19: The decision was made to build London Elementary School; this school was razed in 2005 after the current building was completed.
1958
December 9: The Laurel County Courthouse was destroyed by fire.
1961
The third Laurel County Courthouse was completed.
Keavy Elementary School was built.
The London Post Office moved from the Federal Building on South Main Street in downtown London to its present location on Highway 192 in South London near Interstate 75 Exit 39.
1962
Johnson Elementary School was built.
1968
November 30: The Black Bus Line ceased operations and closed the business.
1969
December 4: Interstate 75 opened.
February: The London Independent School Board voted to merge their school system with the Laurel County School System. The merger was scheduled to become effective on June 30, 1970, to coincide with the opening of the new Laurel County Senior High School.
1970
Fall: Laurel County High School began classes. The county high school consolidated the county's four high schools - Bush, Hazel Green, Lily and London - into one central high school located in London. The former high schools were reorganized to the 6-3 system following the consolidation.
October: Construction began on Carnaby Square Shopping Center on South Main Street in London. Winn-Dixie, Scott Family Center, Begley Drug Company, Burger Queen, a one-hour dry cleaners, and other business were slated to occupy the center upon its completion. The shopping center was constructed on land leased from Mr. and Mrs. Martin Dyche.
1974
April 3-4: One of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history, and the most violent tornado outbreak ever recorded, with 30 violent (F4 or F5 rated) tornadoes confirmed, impacted Laurel County. At last three, and possibly four, tornadoes struck Laurel County. One tornado flattened 2,600 acres of timber along the Laurel-Rockcastle county line. Numerous buildings were damaged or destroyed, but no fatalities were reported in Laurel County.
1977
Laurel County Middle School opened. The school consolidated all the middle schools from Laurel County.
1983
Cold Hill Elementary School was built.
1988
North Laurel Middle School was built, and the Laurel County Middle School became South Laurel Middle School.
1991
North Laurel High School was built, and Laurel County Senior High School became South Laurel High School.
1994
Hunter Hills Elementary School was built.
1997
A new Bush Elementary School was built and the school moved from the 1930s building on Marydell Road to the new facility on East Highway 80, approximately five miles to the west of the original site.
2003
The Laurel County Public Library opened a new 25,000 square foot building on Highway 192 in London.
2007
Wyan-Pine Grove Elementary School was built.
2016
The Laurel County Public Library completed a 16,000 square foot expansion which made possible additional book stacks, a children’s area that nearly doubled in size, a gallery/exhibit area, and an expanded local history room, and a multipurpose auditorium area for offering large-scale programs such as musical and theater performances, art shows, movie screenings, and summer reading activities.
2022
October 30: London Police Officer Logan K. Medlock, of the London City Police Department, was killed when a drunk driver struck his patrol car.
2025
April: The Laurel Grocery Company, which had operated in London since 1922, closed its doors and went out of business.
May 16: A deadly EF4 tornado tore through the southern side of London and Laurel County, destroying homes, neighborhoods, churches and businesses, including damage at the London-Corbin Airport, the Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park and the Laurel County Fairgrounds. The tornado was on the ground for 90 minutes and tracked for 60 miles. In all, 19 people were killed, including 17 in London, one person in rural Pulaski County, and one woman in Russell County; at least 108 others were injured as reported from the CHI St. Joseph Hospital in London
August 8: The Laurel County Sheriff's Department moved from its location at 203 South Broad Street in downtown London to 1380 East Highway 192 in London.