Thanks to Diane Deaton-Street, Broken Sidewalk contributing photographer, for putting together this collage of Bardstown Road in 1935 over Bardstown Road in 2009 (thanks as well to the UL archives for allowing us to show the old photo here).
As you can see, the architecture has largely remained the same while the businesses have changed. You can see in the old photo not only a Piggly Wiggly grocery store (currently Leatherhead), but two drug stores including a Walgreens where Bombay grocery is today. The ubiquitous above ground electric wires are still there and the vintage photo must have been taken around Independence Day from the flags on display.
The big change, of course, is transit. Take a look at the trolley stopping to admit several well dressed riders near Bonnycastle Avenue and the Leatherhead store. There’s a southbound trolley behind the delivery truck in the right lane as well. Reminds me of the recent proposal to run a new trolley line down Bardstown Road.
The feel of the historic photo, to me, seems to be much more slow paced and residential than the Bardstown Road of today. With the lush trees and the houses that still served as single family homes. Bardstown takes on the feeling of a mixed-use Cherokee Road as the commercial district fades with the trolley stop until it will pick up again at the Douglass Loop.
This is fantastic. I love these these types of images, and this one is exceptionally well done.
Ditto, but can we get the unaltered modern image too for a better comparison?
-Eric
this is great as is! more! more!
As part of the 2nd phase of the Preston Corridor Improvement Project, the Saint Joseph Area Association is planning to have a historical marker installed at the corner of Preston St. & Clarks Lane. One side of the plaque will feature a photo from U of L’s archives of that intersection taken c. 1932-34 (roughly about the time of this Bardstown Rd. photo). It’s interesting you commented on the trees in this picture; I noticed the same thing in the picture we plan to use. The tree canopy around the Preston/ Eastern Parkway area was much more dense back then, & the area had much more of a pastoral feel (not surprising since there were still many farms in that area of Preston St. back then). Despite our attempts to create more green space in urban neighborhoods like these today, it’s worth noting how much “greener” our urban landscapes were not all that long ago, especially in village-like town centers as this one.
-Mike Zanone, Vice-President
Saint Joseph Area Association
Last time I checked, there is still transit there, bro. 🙂 I hopped on the #23 at Leatherhead just today, in fact.
There is permanent vehicular congestion during the day at that intersection. The cars are quite closely packed in that image as well. I wonder if its always been a choke point.
The broken leg of Bonnycastle Ave dooms the place to confusion. A lot of people (including me) use Bonnycastle as a way to Bardstown Road. The odd double light slows and sometimes befuddles.