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Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky. It’s the home of the world’s greatest horse race, famous baseball bats, and the birthplace of the Greatest, Muhammad Ali (1942-2016).
Introduction to Louisville
Louisville is one of the oldest cities west of the Appalachians. It was founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark (1752-1818) and is named for King Louis XVI of France, and quickly became an important port along the Ohio River. It was incorporated as a city in 1828.
Although Kentucky was a Union state during the Civil War, Confederate politics dominated Louisville after the war. There was a veil of segregation and racial discrimination that lasted until the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, even without the passage of Jim Crow laws.
The first ever Kentucky Derby taking place on May 17, 1875, catapulting Louisville to the center of the horse racing world. The city was almost completely destroyed when a tornado ripped through town on March 27, 1890.
Louisville was an important manufacturing center during World War II, with production of the C-46 Commando cargo plane and other aircraft. An exodus to the suburbs followed in the 1960s and 70s, causing a sharp decline in the downtown area. A revitalization program started in the 1990s, and there has since been growth in residential areas, tourism, and shopping, as well as the addition of sports complexes, entertainment venues, and museums.
Personally, I’ve stopped in Louisville three times. Two times were to break up drives to Nashville and another was to visit my friend Tyra who lives and works there. I’d love to go back and explore more of what the city has to offer.
Getting to Louisville
Louisville is convenient to get to by car and plane
Driving to Louisville
Louisville is a fairly easy drive from most of the Southeast, Midwest, and East Coast. If you’re driving in from the north down I-65, there’s a bridge over the Ohio River between Indiana and Kentucky. This bridge has a toll and requires an E-Z Pass. If you don’t have one, you’ll have to pay by mail. We avoided the toll by programming our navigation system to bypass the bridge and cross another one.
Louisville International Airport
Louisville International Airport (SDF) is one of the busiest cargo airports in the entire world, but there are also direct passenger flights from several major cities in the US.
Getting Around Louisville
Since I always had a car when visiting, I’ve never used public transportation. However, the downtown area is easy to get around on foot.
Where to Stay in Louisville
I’ve only stayed overnight once in Louisville.
Courtyard Louisville East
We stayed at the Courtyard Louisville East. The only reason we stayed there was because my friend Tyra lived nearby. It’s not convenient to visit downtown from there.
Where to Eat in Louisville
For food, Louisville has some good places to eat. Whether you’re looking for barbecue, comfort food, or gourmet restaurants, you’ll be satisfied.
Main Eatery
On my very first trip through town in 2006, I stopped at the Main Eatery in the West Main District. It’s been around since 2000 and has become a Louisville staple. My sandwich was delicious and everything is reasonably priced. I would like to try it again on a future visit.
HammerHeads
My friend Tyra took us to HammerHeads, which is located off the beaten path in the Germantown neighborhood. Tyra described it as “southern hipster cuisine”. As soon as we walked in it felt like it was a gourmet restaurant disguised as a dive bar. You can’t miss it with the giant shark above the entrance.
After a 15 minute wait, we were taken to our table. We started off sharing an order of mac and cheese balls, which were amazing. I would’ve been happy with them as the main course.
For the main course, I had a pulled pork sandwich and Marisol had the BBQ lamb ribs. Both were delicious. We were completely satisfied with the experience, and the price was more than reasonable with drinks and tip.
Safai
After dinner at HammerHeads, we took a ride to Safai, which serves high-quality gourmet organic coffee. In addition to excellent coffees and teas, they serve crepes and sweets. Safai is located in the Highlands area.
Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen
Finally, I stopped with some friends at Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen in the West Main District. They offer fried chicken, sandwiches, tacos, and some great drinks from the bar. There’s also live music at times.
We all shared Canadian bourbon maple bacon which was incredible as well as the el jefe nachos. Everyone had a sandwich for their main course. About half of us had the big pig, which is a delicious pulled pork sandwich.
West Main District
My time in downtown Louisville has only been a few hours spent in the West Main District. I was on my way down to Nashville with my friend Manoli for a convention and we decided to break up the drive.
The West Main District is centered on West Main Street. There are several historic buildings along the street, occupied by businesses and restaurants. West Main Street is also known as Museum Row because many museums are located along the street. The Muhammad Ali Center had just opened a year before my first visit in 2006. The Frazier History Museum, the Kentucky Science Center, and a couple of art museums are also located there. I look forward to seeing them on my next trip to Louisville.
Louisville Slugger Museum
The highlight of our stop was the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. As baseball fans, we wanted to learn about the famous bat, in production since the 1880s.
The building hits you right off the bat (pun intended). A 120-foot replica of Babe Ruth’s 34-inch Louisville Slugger bat rest on the building in front of the entrance. It’s the world’s largest baseball bat and weighs 68,000 lbs.
Next door, Kentucky Mirror & Plate Glass joins in the fun with an image of a huge baseball breaking a window on the side of their building. Shards of glass are even depicted flying off the window. Inside, a huge baseball glove sculpted out of Kentucky limestone is on display. It weighs 17 tons and is titled Play Ball.
Factory Tours
Tours of the factory and museum admission are US$23 for adults, US$22 for seniors over 60, US$15 for kids age 6-12, and free for kids under 6 (as of September 2024), and you can purchase tickets online in advance. It’s a great value for everything you get to see and do. During the factory tour, you get to see the entire bat making process. At the end of the tour, we were given a souvenir mini Louisville Slugger bat.
Museum
Next, we had free time to wander through the museum. (Note: the museum has made some renovations and improvements since my visit. Some things in this entry may not be available anymore. I’ll visit again and update when I have a chance.) The museum features exhibits on how the bat has been used throughout the history of baseball. We ended up having a little too much fun with the mannequins.
Another highlight is the Signature Wall, which features the signature of every professional baseball player who signed a contract with Louisville Slugger. A special section commemorates players and managers elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Other attractions include: a collection of famous bats used by some of the greatest baseball players in history; a batting cage and pitching simulation; and Hold a Piece of History, which gives you the chance to hold a bat used by a legendary player. When Manoli and I visited, not all of these attractions were available, but we were able to see bats used by our Chicago White Sox in their 2005 World Series run. We also got to see the pink bat used by Ken Griffey Jr. on Mother’s Day in 2006.
Fort Nelson Park
At the corner of 7th and Main is Fort Nelson Park. Fort Nelson was built on the spot in response to attacks by Native Americans and the threat of British attacks. A historical marker commemorates the establishment of the town of Louisville in 1780 and the construction of the fort in 1782. It was named for Thomas Nelson Jr. (1738-1789), the governor of Virginia.
Happy Birthday Historical Marker
In front of a parking lot just west of 9th Street, a historical marker pays homage to the Happy Birthday song. Happy Birthday to You was created by two sisters, Patty (1868-1946) and Mildred Hill (1859-1916), after changing the lyrics of a song they originally published in 1893 (Good Morning to All). Both are buried at Cave Hill Cemetery.
St. James-Belgravia Historic District
Louisville boasts the largest collection of Victorian homes in the United States, and the best place to see them is at St. James-Belgravia Historic District. My friend Tyra once lived in the area, and when we visited her in Louisville, she took Marisol and me to see it.
The St. James-Belgravia Historic District consists of St. James Court and Belgravia Court. St. James Court was developed in the late 1880s as a then-modern urban planning initiative to have houses face a green pedestrian mall rather than a street. Belgravia Court, which intersects the southern end of St. James Court, has no street access and contains homes inspired by Belgravia in London.
There are several beautiful Victorian mansions lining the street, many of them restored while others are works in progress. Some of these homes have been turned into bed and breakfasts while others have been split up into apartments or condos. You can spend a nice half hour strolling down the street enjoying the homes. In the center of the street is a fountain and a sculpture of a lamplighter.
In addition to the homes, the St. James Court Art Show is held annually on the first weekend of October. Booths featuring works of art by hundreds of artists as well as food stands line the street. Admission is free (as of September 2024).
Pink Palace
There are two important mansions in the area. First is the Pink Palace, at the corner of St. James and Belgravia Courts. It was built in 1891 as a gentleman’s club and casino for residents of the court.
Conrad-Caldwell House
On the northern end of the street is the Conrad-Caldwell House, a Richardsonian Romanesque mansion. It was built between 1893 and 1895 for Theophilus Conrad, a tannery owner, and had several innovations of the time, such as indoor plumbing and electric lighting. After his death in 1905, it was sold to William Caldwell, a wooden and steel tank manufacturer.
In 1947, the local Presbyterian church purchased the mansion and turned it into a home for elderly women. It has been a museum since 1987 and has been restored to the Edwardian Era, with original furnishings, family artifacts, and period pieces from 1900 to 1910. Self-guided tours are US$15 for adults, US$13 for seniors over 60, US$11 for kids age 5-18 and college students, and free for kids under 5 (as of September 2024). Guided tours are US$20 for adults, US$18 for seniors over 60, US$15 for kids age 5-18 and college students, and free for kids under 5 (as of September 2024). Tours run Thursday through Sunday. Check the official website for tour times.
Central Park
Central Park lies at the northern end of the court. It’s a 17 acre public park that opened in 1872. It’s famous for holding the annual Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, presenting free performances every summer. The first Shakespeare play performed in the park was As You Like It in 1895.
Cave Hill Cemetery
Cave Hill Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Louisville dating back to 1848. Several beautiful graves are found throughout the cemetery, and it’s a scenic place to drive through.
Muhammad Ali
The most famous person buried at Cave Hill is boxing champion Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was interred on June 10, 2016. It’s the most visited grave in the cemetery, attracting thousands of people each year. A painted green line from the Grinstead Drive entrance leads you directly to the grave.
The grave is in a large plot personally selected by Ali. There’s a headstone with an unmarked quote attributed to the legendary boxer:
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room in heaven.”
The grave itself features another quote by Ali, in which he explained how he would like to be remembered:
“He took a few cups of love. He took one tablespoon of patience. One teaspoon of generosity. One pint of kindness. He took one quart of laughter. One pinch of concern. And then, he mixed willingness with happiness. He added lots of faith and he stirred it up well. Then he spread it over the span of a lifetime and he served to each and every person he met.”
Colonel Sanders
The second most famous person buried in Cave Hill Cemetery is Colonel Harland Sanders (1890-1980), the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. His grave is easy to find as well, but by following the yellow line from the Grinstead Drive entrance. The Colonel’s grave features a bust sculpted by his daughter, Margaret. He’s buried with his wife, Claudia.
Frito-Lay Magician
A few steps away is Harry Leon Collins (1920-1985), better known as the Frito-Lay Magician. He featured in several commercials for the Frito-Lay company.
Samantha Ann McDonald
There are many interesting graves to be found in the cemetery, including that of Samantha Ann McDonald, who rode her tricycle into the family swimming pool and drowned in 2006. Her tombstone depicts Jesus smiling and holding a swing for the little girl.
