Barbaro Memorial - Churchill Downs Museum

Barbaro won the 2006 Kentucky Derby by 6 1/2 lengths but then shattered at the Preakness. His struggle was the focus of national attention.

This bronze statue of Barbara and jockey Edgar Prado by local artist Alexa King was dedicated in 2009 in front of the Churchill Downs Museum. Barbaro's ashes are interred beneath the memorial.

What makes this statue unusual is the way Barbaro appears to be midair with all four feet off the ground. The 1500 pound sculpture is attached to the horizontal bronze rail.

Lincoln Memorial - Louisville Waterfront Park

The Lincoln Memorial at Waterfront Park features a 12′ statue of Lincoln seated on a rock and looking out over the river. The statue was created by Louisville artist Ed Hamilton and dedicated June 4, 2009 remembering the bicentennial of his birth. The memorial site, designed by world-renowned landscape architects Hargreaves Associates, is a tree-canopied landscape with an amphitheater that faces the river and provides a frame for the sculptural pieces. The face of the granite amphitheater seating is engraved with four famous Lincoln quotes, and the site is planted with a variety of trees, including several that were Lincoln favorites.

Heigold House facade - Louisville, KY

text of the historic marker:
Christian Heigold, a German immigrant and stonecutter, came to Louisville sometime prior to 1850, and in 1857 he built his home at 264 Marion Street in an area known as the Point.

This was a period of unrest and attacks on Irish and German immigrants, not long after the infamous Bloody Monday incident in 1855. In order to prove his patriotism and loyalty to America, he carved inscriptions and busts of American notables into the facade of the house. Among the incised mottos is one reading, "Hail to the City of Louisville." Heigold died shortly after the facade was completed in 1865, and his son Charles lived there until his death in 1925.

The Heigold house was one of only a few structures on the Point to survive the Great Flood of 1937, and the only one still inhabitable. The house survived until 1953 when the city purchased the property in order to expand the city dump.

Mayor Charles Farnsley saved the facade of the house from demolition by moving it to Thruston Park on River Road between Adams and Ohio streets. In June of 2007, the facade was moved to the entrance of historic Frankfort Avenue.

For more info: louisvilleky.com/louisville-uncovered-presents-the-heigol...



"Hail to Buchanan, now and forever"

World's Largest Bourbon Bottle

Located on the west side of Louisville, which would be considered a bad neighborhood, is the Old Forester Bourbon factory. The company that makes it is Brown-Forman Corp. and atop their building is their vintage water tower which has been made to look like their signature brand. This tower was in the news lately as this new design was unveiled in Sept. 2012 to reflect the change in the packaging. See the old version here:
www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/10624

Burial Place of Zachary Taylor - Louisville, KY

At the time of President Zachary Taylor's death 1850, he was temporarily buried in Washington DC. A few months later, his body was moved here to the family cemetery near Louisville which was then part of the ground's for their home, Springfield. In the 1920's, the cemetery was enlarged, becoming a National Cemetery, and the presidents remains were moved a few feet to this mausoleum in 1926. it has a limestone exterior with a granite base with a marble interior. The entire cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1991, this place made the news as the body was exhumed to see if he had been poisoned.

Downtown Louisville at Night

Across the Ohio River, in Clarksville, Indiana, there's a lovely little spot that's a perfect place to sit on a park bench and get a good look at the skyline.

On the left, you can see the rather new KFC Yum! Center. The Aegon Center is the tallest with the illuminated dome up top. The Galt House is in front of it. The E.ON U.S. Center is the one on the left with the green light on top. Next to that are the two Waterfront Plaza towers.

Louisville, KY's Firefighter Memorial

This statue from 1995 is in a small public park in downtown Louisville across from the Jefferson County Courthouse. The statue depicts a firefighter who has rescued a baby to the delight of an older sister.



Also of note on this statue is two etched reliefs, one depicting modern firefighters in action stopping the building fire, and the other depicts a vintage scene. Also on the statue is the name of every Louisville firefighter who has fallen in the line of duty.

Twig and Leaf neon sign

A restaurant sign in Louisville, KY along Bardstown Rd. (US 31E) "Tops in food"

Schuhmann's Click Clinic old sign

Schuhman's was a camera store that operated in downtown Louisville for several decades until 2001. When they vacated the property, they left behind two of their neon signs.

I don't know if the sign dates back to when the store opened in 1946, and I also don't know if the style of camera depicted in the image dates back that far. Someday, I need to get me one of these collapsing bellows cameras.

today, the property is a strip club. The sign on the side of the building seen here remains unchanged. However, the sign at the entrance has been redesigned with the club's name in neon.

Louisville and Nashville Railroad Office Building Neon Sign

The Louisville and Nashville Railroad Office Building is an historic building located in downtown Louisville, KY where it was once the headquarters of the important area railroad.

The structure is eleven stories tall. The first three stories are made of stonework of rusticated ashlar, with capital-topped pilasters in a series. Floors four to ten have ashlar pilasters framing a finish of red brick. Windows of the building are done in series of three. The attic is 1.5 stories tall, and features the distinctive initials of L&N. It was designed by W. H. Courtenay, the chief architect of the Railroad, in a Beaux Arts style; one of the largest commercial buildings in that architectural style still standing.

The original Louisville and Nashville Railroad offices in Louisville were at Second and Main in Louisville, by the entrance of present-day George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge. By 1890, it had become obvious that the building was too overcrowded. It was decided that the office building should be located next to Louisville's Union Station. Construction began in 1902, but its completion was delayed until January 1907, due to difficulties with organized labor in a 1905 steel workers strike. Its total cost was $650,000. It was large enough that after decades of separation, all of the main administrative staff could be in the same building. In the 1970s, about 2,000 L&N employees worked in the building. After L&N was purchased by CSX nearly all of the jobs were moved from Louisville to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1980. In 1984, the state of Kentucky spent $15 million to purchase and renovate the property, retaining the L&N name and neon lights on its upper stories.

Trumpeter Swan

Seen at a lake at the zoo in Louisville KY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumpeter_Swan

Aldabra Giant Tortoise - Louisville Zoo

This Tortoise is native to Aldabra Island in Seychelles. They are one of the longest living species on Earth (perhaps over 200 years) but we don't know for certain since they outlive their human observers. The typical male weighs 550 pounds

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldabra_giant_tortoise

Falls of the Ohio Park and Bridge

The Falls at the "Falls of the Ohio" were a long series of rapids caused by rock outcroppings which caused the river elevation to drop 26 feet over a couple of miles. This made the Ohio rather unmanageable for river traffic. In 1830 a lock and dam was built in the area so that river traffic could navigate the river. Over the years, the lock and dam have gone through modernization and improvements.

As a result, the falls don't fall any more as they are mostly underwater. Instead, there is now calm waters and an area that can be enjoyed as a state park. Large areas of rock bed are exposed and extensive fossil research is done. It's also a great place for viewing various wildlife.

Also in the picture is the Falls of the Ohio River Bridge, with downtown Louisville as a backdrop. The bridge was originally built in 1870 to be used by Louisville & Nashville and Jefferson, Madison & Indianapolis Railroad. In 1919, the bridge had to be reconstructed and reopened in 1920. It is wide enough for two tracks but only one is in use today. Today, the bridge is owned by Louisville and Indiana Railroad. The largest span is on the KY side, which is 644 feet long and is a lift bridge. the entire bridge is 5218 ft. long.

Louisville Zoo Lioness

This is why they invented nice telephoto lenses - so you can take a photo like this without having to hop the fence into their habitat! This African Lion is at the Louisville Zoo.

Woolly Monkey - Louisville Zoo

The thing that I always like about monkeys is how they are built to be able to climb all around everything. (Many species have feet with opposable thumbs that work just like hands, as well as a prehensile tail that can grab hold as well.) For more info on this entertaining creature:
www.louisvillezoo.org/collection/animals/MammalFS/Woolly%...

Louisville City Hall Pediment

Perhaps the most achitecturally interesting government building in downtown Louisville, the City Hall was constructed from 1870-73 (it says 1871 along the front.) It was built with Indiana Limestone at a cost of $464,778. while the interior has been completely overhauled a few times, the exterior remains unchanged except for basic renovation.

The architectural style is a blend of Italianate and Second Empire style. The pediment over the main entrance features a relief of the Louisville city seal plus a steam train with the word "Progress" inscribed on it. Atop many of the windows are engravings of livestock heads. The building is three stories tall plus a raised basement. Today, it's primary function is housing the metro council offices and chambers. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

One of the most interesting areas is seen here with the pediment as it depicts a steam train (complete with concrete smoke billowing out of it). Written on the train is the word PROGRESS and again the date on 1871 on the cab. Recently, I got a message from an unexpected place recently that shed some light on the meaning of this logo, the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America!

Dating back to 1861, the official seal of Louisville included an image of a steam train with the word Progress. So, when this building was built a decade later, the doorknob included a design with elements similar to the pediment here. Variants of their logo remained in use until 1910, and about that time, the doorknob was replaced. From there, the doorknob made it's way to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad office building a few blocks away. Fast forward another century when many items in the L&N building went up for sale, and the doorknob collectors got a real conversation piece!

Zachary Taylor Statue at his Burial Site

At the time of President Zachary Taylor's death 1850, he was temporarily buried in Washington DC. A few months later, his body was moved here to the family cemetery near Louisville which was then part of the grounds for their home, Springfield. In 1883, the commonwealth of Kentucky placed a fifty foot monument near Taylor's grave, which is topped by a life-sized statue of him. In the 1920's, the cemetery was enlarged, becoming a National Cemetery, and the presidents remains were moved to a mausoleum, which has a limestone exterior with a granite base with a marble interior. The entire cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1991, this place made the news as the body was exhumed to see if he had been poisoned.

King Louis XVI statue - Louisville, KY

On this date 45 years ago, downtown Louisville got a new statue of the city's namesake.

Located in front of Louisville Metro Hall is this statue of King Louis XVI, whom the city is named after. It is downtown on the corner of Sixth and Jefferson, across from the Louisville City Hall, and was presented as a gift to Louisville from Louisville's sister city, Montpellier, France, on July 17, 1967. At the presentation, a crowd of 300 dignitaries, both French and American, saw Montpellier's Mayor François Delmas officially present it to Louisville Mayor Kenneth Schmied. It was sculpted in 1829 by Achille-Joseph Valois for the king's surviving daughter, Marie-Thérèse, queen dowager of France, and made its public debut in Montpellier. However, the Second French Revolution soon took place, endangering the statue. It was then placed at a military base to protect it, and then was placed in Montpellier University, and then finally in the municipal archives' storage basement. In 1899 the statue was found to have an arm damaged, and to be in disrepair. It stayed in storage until it was decided in 1966 to give the statue to Louisville, making a seven-month journey between Montpellier and Louisville. The Carrara marble statue weighs nine tons, and is 12 feet high.

The base reads:
This city was named Louisville in 1780 because of his support of the American colonies in the Revolutionary War. The statue, sculpted by Valois in 1827, was given to Louisville by her sister city in France, Montpellier as a permanent symbol of our special friendship

Louisville's Thomas Jefferson Statue

In front of the Jefferon County Courthouse (now known as Louisville Metro Hall) in Downtown Louisville, KY is this prominent statue of Thomas Jefferson. It was sculpted by Moses Ezekiel in 1901 and given to the city.



For the statue, Thomas Jefferson is holding the Declaration of Independence, which he authored. Jefferson stands atop a bell. The bell is flanked by four winged statues representing Equality, Justice and the Brotherhood of Man (Religious Freedom), and Liberty.



This Monument was unveiled on Nov. 9, 1901. A smaller replica of this statue is also displayed at the University of Virginia, which was Founded by Jefferson.

Burial Place of President Zachary Taylor - Louisville, KY

At the time of President Zachary Taylor's death 1850, he was temporarily buried in Washington DC. A few months later, his body was moved here to the family cemetery near Louisville which was then part of the ground's for their home, Springfield. In the 1920's, the cemetery was enlarged, becoming a National Cemetery, and the presidents remains were moved to this mausoleum. it has a limestone exterior with a granite base with a marble interior. The entire cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1991, this place made the news as the body was exhumed to see if he had been poisoned.