If you live in Louisville, you are probably used to lots of modern developments like digital billboards along the highway… or the highway in general. You’re used to fast cars and shopping malls and coffee shops on every corner, and on most days you probably don’t think about what it could have been like a hundred years ago, before all of these things (and probably you) even existed.
Surprisingly, Louisville was one of the first cities to be born in the United States. It was given its name in 1778, just one year after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it had actually been functioning as a home to people for thousands of years. Louisville’s location near the falls of the Ohio River made it a great place for settlers to build a community, because its location next to the river positioned it perfectly for people to get everything they needed to survive.
In the late 1800s and the early 1900s, Louisville was really hitting its stride and working hard at becoming the city we know and love today. Roads were built, innovations were made, and skyscrapers were going up to create our famous city skyline. A lot of the structures that were built during this time are still in existence today. Let’s take a look at how much things have changed in a hundred years — and how much they have stayed the same.
Louisville looked very different way back in 1910, but in some ways it is still the same. A lot of these buildings are still standing in 2017, and Louisvillians will recognize many of those skyscrapers and church spires from downtown. The city was much quieter then... if only because there were fewer cars to cause traffic jams!
Louisville is known all over the world for Churchill Downs, one of the most famous racetracks in the world. This Louisville staple opened in 1875, and the first Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks races were held there that same year. The structure has surely grown since then (not to mention the addition of the jumbotron a few years back), but it is still recognizable from this photograph, taken over 100 years ago.
Many Louisvillians will recognize this famous façade. After opening in 1891, Union Station was once rumored to be the largest railroad station in the United States (although this is unproven), as it covered more than forty acres of land. It saw the arrival of many famous people in its day, including three U.S. presidents, and was a major transportation hub for the city. Although the last train left Union Station in 1976, the building has recently been restored by the Transit Authority of River City (TARC), and is now used for their offices.
The Water Works in the Later 1800s (Now Known As The Louisville Water Company)
If you are familiar with the Louisville Water Company, you might know that the water tower in this photo is from the late 1800s. It is the oldest water tower in the country, as its construction began in 1857. Although this particular facility isn’t used to filter the city’s water anymore, it has been preserved and classified as a historical site.
One of Kentucky’s main exports has always been tobacco. This photo from 1906 captures a day in the life of a worker at a local Louisville tobacco warehouse, as well as the many barrels in which they stored their products. Some of these warehouses are still around today, but for the most part, this is something that has changed greatly in the last hundred years, with many tobacco warehouses and factories disappearing to make way for new and different types of businesses.
The Kentucky School for the Blind was — and is — a world-renowned institution, where blind and visually impaired children and young adults from all over the state can go to receive an education. It is a source of pride that it is located in the Clifton neighborhood in Louisville, and that it has been in operation since 1839.
Although the big Ohio River Flood of 1936 technically took place a bit less than a hundred years ago, no list about Louisville’s history would be complete without it. The entire city was shut down as the river flooded the city, only to return the next year to create an even worse flood after a torrential rainfall. These events prompted city officials to take action, and flood walls were built around the city to hold back the water, should something like this ever threaten to happen again.
All of these photos show a different aspect of Louisville’s history, and all of the things featured in them helped to make Louisville the city it is today.
Are you surprised by how different Louisville was a hundred years ago? Which photograph is your favorite, and why?
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