Louisville

Have you ever walked past a building or location in your city and thought, “I wonder what that used to be?” Well, if you live in Louisville, you’re about to get some answers to that question in This Used to Be Louisville. From “the old Sears building” that continues to be used as a directional touchpoint to a downtown theater that has been frozen in time, you’ll get a tour of these places paired with stories that will inform and sometimes surprise. In the process, it may just get you wondering about the many people a hundred years ago that traversed those places in a completely different context. Local author Kevin Gibson turned his natural interest in comparing present to past into a book that looks into a wide variety of locales that contribute to the city’s legacy. And when it’s all said and done, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of Louisville’s history and culture, from major historical landmarks to neighborhood businesses to the Louisvillians who made these places important.

Dwayne Cox and William Morison trace the twists and turns of the University of Louisville's two hundred year journey from provincial academy to national powerhouse. From the 1798 charter that established Jefferson Seminary to the 1998 opening of Papa John Stadium, Cox and Morison reveal the unique and fascinating history of the university's evolution. They discuss the early failures to establish a liberal arts college; tell the extraordinary story of the Louisville Municipal College, U of L's separate division for African Americans during the era of segregation; detail the political wrangling and budgetary struggles of the university's move from quasi-private to state-supported institution; and confront head-on the question of the university's founding date. The history of the University of Louisville defies the stereotype of orderly and planned growth. For many years, the university was essentially a consortium of two professional schools -- medicine and law. Not until the first decade of the twentieth century did the liberal arts gain a firm and permanent foothold. Because of its early emphasis on practical, professional education and the virtual autonomy of its separate units for many years, the University of Louisville is unusual in the annals of higher education.

Historic photos of Louisville captures the remarkable journey of this city and her people, with still photography from the finest archives of city, state and private collections. From the Civil War through the end of the nineteenth centrury, the rise of industry, two world wars and into the modern era, Louisville has remained a unique and prosperous city. With hundreds of archival photos reproduced in stunning black and white on heavy art paper, this book is the perfect addition to any historian's collection.

Located in southeastern Jefferson County, Louisville's Fern Creek community was settled in the 1780s with land grants given by Virginia for military service. The construction of the Louisville-Bardstown Turnpike encouraged Fern Creek's growth as farmers settled the land along the route. Originally known as Stringtown for the appearance of the houses that sprang up along Bardstown Pike, Fern Creek is named after the creek that meanders through the area. Due to the abundant sources of water throughout the southeastern portion of Jefferson County, several mills operated in the area, most notably in Buechel, on Cedar Creek, and on Floyd's Fork. The erection of mills provided early settlers the means to grind corn and wheat. Originally an agricultural community of fields, orchards, and stables, Fern Creek established the Farmers and Fruit Growers Association in 1880 and the Jefferson County Fair Company, which operated at the Fern Creek Fairgrounds until 1928.

A chilling account of a turn-of-the-century child murder in Kentucky, the ensuing manhunt, trial, and verdict that remains questionable to this day. On a bitterly cold day in December 1909, eight-year-old Alma Kellner simply disappeared from the altar of St. John’s Church in Louisville. Her body was found months later near the site of the church, and news of the murder rocked the city. The manhunt for the suspect took Louisville police Cpt. John Carney eleven thousand miles across the country, and even to South America, to return the killer to justice. Author Shawn M. Herron details the fascinating story of a tragedy that still remains under a cloud of suspicion. Includes photos

Louisville's Germantown and Schnitzelburg documents community's historic transformations, from agricultural center to industrial powerhouse. Believed to have been named for the citizens who settled the area as early as the 1840s, Germantown and Schnitzelburg are located just east of downtown Louisville. The first parcels purchased and settled were part of the 1,000-acre land grant that was awarded to Col. Arthur Campbell in 1790 for his service to Virginia in the Indian Wars. Spanning more than 160 years of growth, the area developed from farms and dairies in the 1850s, to the industrialization of the 1880s, and then the halcyon era of the 1950s as a safe haven of family, community, and church. Remarkable historic landmarks include a Victorian-era cotton mill, DuPont Manual High School's football stadium, and the eclectic collection of residential architecture classified as "shotgun" and "camelback." Numerous neighborhood taverns and bakeries are both historic landmarks and popular eateries in this community. Look inside and enjoy the history and beauty of a bygone era and the development of a thriving community.

The Images of America series celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country. Using archival photographs, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today. Arcadia is proud to play a part in the preservation of local heritage, making history available to all --Book Jacket.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.